Food Notes for August 30, 2021

DRTY Brings Filipino Ice Cream to Edmonton

The profile of Filipino cuisine has continued to rise in Edmonton over the last several years, thanks to upstart businesses like Filistix, Kanto 98 St., and Yelo’d, as well as with the arrival of Filipino fast food giant Jollibee in 2019. New food business DRTY Ice Cream is adding an additional cultural touchstone for the local Filipino community with their take on sorbetes, or Filipino ice cream.

DRTY (pronounced “dirty”) is the brainchild of Abby Ulanimo, who is half-Filipino and was born and raised in Canada. In 2019, she visited the Philippines for the first time and had a reverential initial encounter with a sorbetero (ice cream vendor). “You can imagine it’s plus forty degrees, you’re so hot, and you hear this bell and when you turn around this guy has delicious frozen treats,” said Ulanimo. “The sorbetero brings those feelings of relief and joy.”

Ulanimo explained that sorbetes are typically made with coconut milk or cassava, as ingredients typically found in ice cream like eggs, milk, and cream are expensive in the Philippines. Sorbeteros, lacking access to refrigeration, would make fresh batches of sorbetes by hand daily, sold out of roving wooden carts.

Through its development, DRTY has gone through some recipe changes to adapt to the different context. “When we first started, we were using a cassava base,” said Ulanimo. “But then we found that cassava flour cannot hold its integrity in the freezer. This wouldn’t be a problem in the Philippines because their batches are never frozen overnight.” DRTY has since adapted to using plant-based stabilizers in most of their ice cream flavours.

DRTY’s name is inspired by the history of sorbetes in the Philippines. Ulanimo shared that when larger corporations began stocking grocery stores with their ice cream, those companies made efforts to brand sorbetes as “dirty” to discourage people from patronizing sorbeteros. “Our name is such a conversation starter,” said Ulanimo. “We are very passionate about highlighting the tradition and the culture behind sorbetes. If I can teach someone something, my job is done.”

The names of their flavours are puns in Tagalog (the primary language spoken in the Philippines) as a means to appeal to their target Filipino demographic. But DRTY also showcases non-traditional sorbetes flavours. The flavour “As In Asin” marries a ubiquitous Fillipino coconut jam with salted caramel. “Mangga Gala” replicates a common cake-like dessert many who grew up in the Philippines would be familiar with. “Not everyone has electricity or an oven in the Philippines,” said Ulanimo. “So if they couldn’t afford a cake or couldn’t bake a cake they would layer graham crackers, condensed milk, and mangoes, and the graham crackers would absorb the moisture and act like a cake. I want people to taste it and remind them of something they had while they were sitting in their grandmother’s lap.”

Last year, friends of hers who owned Intent Coffee offered her the chance to make her dreams of creating sorbetes in Edmonton a reality by offering to stock her product. Ulanimo worked as a marketing coordinator by day, and in December 2020 started making ice cream every night in a commercial kitchen until 1am to meet the increasing demand. In June of this year, she finally quit her full-time job and brought on her sister, Emmalyn Ulanimo-Bulan, to help.

While Intent Coffee closed earlier this summer, DRTY is available in single-serving cups and pints at the Shoe Shine Shack in the Mercer Warehouse, and Filipino shop 3J Variety Store, as well as at various markets around the city. They have also found success in supplying customized cups to people throwing birthday parties, bridal showers, or other special events.

Long term, Ulamino wants to see a fleet of DRTY carts servicing the city. “We want to offer that experience of scooping the ice cream and ringing the bell,” said Ulamino. “Bringing sorbeteros carts to Canada would just tie the experience together.”

COVID-19-related News

• City Council voted in favour of reinstating the indoor mask bylaw, effective September 3, 2021. This would include masking to enter a restaurant, but once seated, patrons could unmask to eat or drink.

Openings

• Meat the Bun is a new burger restaurant in Summerside at 118, 9080 25 Avenue SW. Sharon checked it out.
• On the heels of Riverdale’s Bread and Butter Bakery, which opened last week, its sister pub Dogpatch opened over the weekend at 10158 90 Street.
• Irrational Brewing is now open in a restored substation located at 10643 124 Street, Unit 109.
• New bar Soho is opening on September 1, 2021 at 11454 Jasper Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• Shake, Stir & Strainbow runs from August 13-September 3, 2021 with participating restaurant and bars donating $1 from each feature cocktail to the Skipping Stone Foundations, a charity that supports trans and gender-diverse youth. In Edmonton, Central Social Hall, Three Vikings, and Tres Carnales Rostizado are participating.
• Le Burger Week runs from September 1-14, 2021, when participating restaurants will offer special burger creations.
• The Alberta Avenue Business Improvement Area is hosting Vybz on 118 on September 4, 2021 with Jamaican, Italian, Vietnamese food on 119 Avenue between 83-84 Streets from 11am-6pm.
• Root 107 is playing host to the Cocktails & Jerk Festival on September 5 from 11am-9pm. Expect Caribbean street food and non-alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails along with live music.
• The Chinese Benevolent Association is organizing another long table feast in the Quarters on September 19, 2021 to be attended by vulnerable community members and low-income seniors. They’re looking for volunteers and donations.

Local News

• Phil’s latest Best Dishes column focuses on The Moth’s veggie burger.
• Linda recommends some of her favourite barbecue restaurants, including Meat, Smokehouse BBQ, and Super BBQ Delight.
• An addition to Edify’s Best Things to Eat list is the funghi pizza at Sepp’s.
• Eat Jamaican grocery store is catering to those looking for Jamaican products or a taste of home.
• Awareness about natural wines continue to grow in Edmonton.
• Chef Shane Chartrand closed out Geoscapes this weekend, and is also taking on a new role in NAIT’s culinary program.
• The Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards ballots are live for voting purposes. Among the categories are Food & Drink. Votes are accepted until September 9, 2021.
• More coverage for Omar Mouallem’s upcoming documentary about Burger Baron, this time from the Journal.

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Somerset Farms in Parkland County hosted its first pick your own pumpkin event for the season last week.
• Nisku’s Gruger Family Fungi continues to receive attention for their products.
• This summer’s heat was difficult for local beekeepers to manage.

What I Ate

• I had a lovely meal with a friend on Friday on La Petite Iza’s beautiful rooftop patio. I loved the Parisian gnocchi in Dijon creme, and the service was great. I hope to be back again soon!

Parisian gnocchi from La Petite Iza