Food Notes for August 17, 2020

Uproot Food Collective Highlights Local Producers

Many food and grocery delivery services have sprung up in the wake of the pandemic. While some offer local products, Uproot Food Collective is among the few who feature only Alberta-based companies.

Uproot Food Collective started with three farmers’ market vendors working to grow their businesses together. They created a brick and mortar shop in Edmonton with a delivery option to other communities in the province to make it easier for consumers to find their products. They have since expanded to include 18 companies under the Uproot banner.

From August 17-18, 2020, they are offering a 20% flash sale of certain Uproot Food Collective products to promote the food hub and to make them more accessible to people in Alberta. Included in the sale are items from Honest Dumplings, South Island Pie, Little Bear Gelato, Caramunchies, Drift, and Mojo Jojo Pickles, among others.

COVID-19-related News

• Restaurants continue to re-open, including The Hallway Cafe in City Hall, Ikki Izakaya, Delux in Crestwood, and Battista’s Calzones.
• The folks behind Maka Eatery in the Don Wheaton YMCA are currently focusing on sweets through My Cupcake Mama.
• You may have seen various #HereForGood t-shirts offered by local businesses. Did you know that so far, they’ve raised $34,000 since March, split among all #HereForGood participants?

Openings

• Versailles Cafe is now open on High Street in the former Starbucks location (12507 102 Avenue).
• Two Brown Dogs has replaced Passion de France on Alberta Avenue at 11812 86 Street. They offer dine-in services, coffee, and freezer meals.
• Tiramisu Bistro on 124 Street has opened up Lift Me Up Market next door. They offer bread, pastries and produce.
• Sweethoney Dessert is a new chain spot in Old Strathcona featuring Hong Kong-style sweets. It is located at 10746 82 Avenue.

Closures

• It appears Normand’s Bistro in the Citadel is closing.

Upcoming Events

• Taste Alberta and the Alberta Motor Association is hosting an online Q & A all about pulses on August 20, 2020.

Reviews

• Sharon shared her positive experience at Al Salam Restaurant.
• Stephanie wrote a sponsored post about Ghost Kitchens, located on Whyte Avenue.

Local News

• Kari has news about a new Lebanese catering business called Franco’s Goodies.
• Intent Coffee, a first generation Pilipinx immigrant, queer, youth, and barista owned coffee collective is hoping to crowdfund $6,000 to go towards their cafe space in Southgate Centre. They have raised over 50% of their goal so far.
• Alexis Hillyard (aka Stump Kitchen) will be competing on Food Network’s Wall of Chefs in an episode airing October 13, 2020.
• The Journal published an ode to the Empress.
• Prairie North, a forthcoming cider company, has put their space on hold indefinitely. In the meantime, they have pivoted to work on collecting fruit donations for families in need. Donations will be accepted from September to October.
• Arts on the Ave has organized an initiative called Families Helping Families. It pairs a volunteer family capable of buying and delivering groceries with a family in need.
• Leftovers YEG has continues to divert an increasing amount of food from the landfill to people in need – last month, they collected over 16,000 pounds of food from local grocery stores and farmers’ market vendors.

Beyond Edmonton

• Linda wrote a sponsored travel guide about Leduc, including some food and drink spots to check out.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• The Edmonton Heritage Council is collecting stories of the City Market when it was housed on 97 Street and 102 Avenue to contribute towards a Chinatown heritage project. Stop by the market to share a memory on August 23 or 29, 2020 from 11am-2pm.
• Did you ever wonder about the differences between a public and Alberta-approved market? The 124 Street Market shared a post about the regulations and perceptions.
• The Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc received $2.6 million in federal funding to help support companies to develop new plant-based foods and products.

What I Ate

• Celebrating small moments of joy are important these days – such as having my first grilled chicken vermicelli bowl from T and D Noodle House in many, many months.

Grilled chicken vermicelli bowl from T and D

• We met up with Mack’s brother and sister-in-law while they were in town on the DOSC patio – it is amazingly convenient to have several outdoor dining choices right outside our door. The fries were seasoned with a heavy hand, but overall, their oxtail poutine was a comfort, and reasonably priced.

Oxtail poutine from DOSC

• We’re also trying to make the most of these fleeting summer days, and ordered a take-out feast from Bundok to enjoy on our outdoor space. It’s hard not to love their gnocchi, but the fresh shaved fennel and nectarine salad was a close second.

Takeout from Bundok