Taste of Edmonton: is this it?

Back in high school, when I started to enjoy the city’s festivals on my own, attending the Taste of Edmonton was an annual tradition. I loved the atmosphere out on Churchill Square, the music, the smells. The food was nothing special, but what always brought me back was the unique aspect of sampling from many outdoor vendors.

But after a few years, it was clear that the Taste of Edmonton is a stagnant and forgettable festival. Sure, complementary enhancements like a “Taste of Wine” have been added recently, but the heart of the event – the food – remains uninspiring and perhaps most significantly, unchanged from year to year. Without interesting and different menu items, what is the draw of the festival?

When it was announced this year that the Taste of Edmonton was putting a policy in place that would see restaurants having to include new items every two years, I was encouraged. To see what, if anything, had changed, Mack and I decided to sample a few items on the weekend.

The crowds were decidedly smaller on Saturday afternoon – I’m sure the long weekend and competing Heritage Festival had something to do with it. Because of that, we had a much easier time manoeuvring the aisles than we did when we had walked through the Square earlier in the week. The layout of the food vendors – along the outside of the square, ceding prime real estate to the beer gardens – just seems inefficient.

Smaller crowds

The pulled pork sandwich from The Hat (4 tickets) looked good, and was all right. It was definitely better than the bacon wrapped scallops from The Palace (5 tickets) that Mack sampled. Charred and much too salty, if the skewer was meant to entice patrons to the restaurant, I’d say they would be better off serving nothing at all.

Pulled pork sandwich from The Hat

Bacon wrapped scallops from The Palace

The best (and new for 2011) item we tried was the petit tender with blue cheese potatoes from Zinc. Cooked to medium rare just before plating (instead of languishing under a heat lamp), the Spring Creek Ranch beef was juicy and flavourful, accented by crunchy fried green onions. The serving of creamy potatoes was also quite generous, well worth the 4 tickets we paid.

Alberta beef petit tender with blue cheese tomatoes from Zinc

I recognize how difficult it is for long-standing festivals to make changes, but the fact the Taste of Edmonton is implementing even the two year item limit is a positive sign. Here are a few other suggestions that I think would help bring some zest to the event:

The Layout

Congestion, especially on the east side of the Square, could easily be averted if more of the booths were better spread out (the beer gardens are more prominent than the food!). When Mack tweeted this out, Paula responded that this is the fault of the City – they don’t want to stain the concrete! How’s that for rendering Edmonton’s largest gathering space useless for one of its biggest annual events?

Wasted space

That said, I really liked the new partnership with the Art Gallery of Alberta. A Taste of Desserts and Liqueurs was held in the lobby of the AGA, which probably helped to expose many festival-goers to the beautiful building for the first time. Most of the desserts were, unfortunately, the same dishes that had been served in years past, but the offshoot has great potential.

Taste of Desserts at the AGA

Even better, the precedent set by using adjacent spaces gives me hope that perhaps some underutilized areas downtown will finally be taken advantage of. For example – Centennial Square, just south of Stanley Milner Library, could easily accommodate ten vendors. Plus, with a built in stage, it could accommodate another act! It’s also just down the street from the main festivities, and would help alleviate some of the congestion during high-traffic times.

Centennial Square

Of course, Centennial Square probably isn’t built to accommodate the power, water and weight needs in the same way that Churchill is, but perhaps this would be a good reason to upgrade a space downtown that is more rife with tumbleweeds than people.

The Menu

I referenced the unchanging, tiresome Taste of Edmonton menu already, but it is worth mentioning again. Moreover, what’s worse, with a few exceptions, is that the items offered are predictable. Green onion cakes? Check. Sliders? Of course! Chicken satay? Step right up. I’m hoping the two year limit will help reinvent the menu in the future, but it will probably be slow going.

We heard that the organizers do their best to limit duplication, but this is half-hearted at best (e.g. is ginger beef really different than Szechuan beef? Or, is a pulled pork sandwich so essential to the festivities that it has to be offered first by the Hotel MacDonald and then by The Hat?). I think a better approach would be to fully embrace duplication, throwdown style. Invite attendees to vote for their favourite spring roll, the best burger, the tastiest tart. That way, there’s an added incentive for restaurants to put their finest food forward, and another way for the festival to promote what’s new.

The Food

What baffles me the most about the Taste of Edmonton is why people are willing to pay for such low quality food. Ten years ago, when this was one of the only outdoor sampling venues in the city, I could understand it. Now, with so many fantastic warm weather taste alternatives (Al Fresco, Taste of Summer, Tomato Fare, most farmers’ markets, just to name a few), I’m surprised the crowds haven’t dissipated.

Again, there are some exceptions, but for the most part, portions are small, prices are high and creativity is non-existent. I suppose restaurants want to cater to the widest tastes possible, which limits ingenuity, but also, if the people don’t demand it, the status quo will continue. I also have to wonder if people do seek out the establishments after enjoying a dish – because if name recognition is the only reason restaurants participate, I suppose it really doesn’t matter what food is churned out.

The unfortunate reality is that restaurants that have great reputations don’t participate (they probably can’t due to staffing, or don’t need to promote their business), but their involvement could help raise the bar for others. I have ideas for what restaurants and cuisines I’d like to see included, and I’m sure others do as well. Does the Taste of Edmonton actively seek feedback? Has it ever?

My ultimate hope for something branded the “Taste of Edmonton” is for it to provide a decent snapshot of what the city’s restaurants have to offer. Knowing the quality of food that is available, the event certainly isn’t living up to that standard. But then at the end of the day, maybe that isn’t the role of Taste of Edmonton. Maybe pedestrian, crowd-pleasing fare is what festival-goers are looking for. What say you?

Food Notes for August 1, 2011

I hope you enjoyed this long weekend! It was one of those weekends where we weren’t home very much, but with such beautiful weather, and so many things to do in the city, it just felt like summer! On to this week’s food notes:

Who doesn’t love ice cream? Kerstin’s is hosting a summer ice cream party on August 3, 2011 from 3-7pm. Try their Pinocchio Valrhona ice cream three ways: au naturel, as a milk shake, and as a float.
Tomato Fare, another alternative “taste” event, is happening on August 14, 2011 at Salisbury Greenhouse. A minimum of 50% of the dishes will incorporate the tomato. I went two years ago – recap here.
An annual harvest tradition, the Edmonton Horticultural Society invites you to “Show What You Grow” at Fort Edmonton Park on August 27-28, 2011. This year, they’ve even introduced a local food category.
Based on this photo on The Edmontonian, things are looking up for the return of Langano Skies!
Culina Highlands is now known as Highlands Kitchen.
I think this is old news now, but Zen Sushi has opened up a south side location at 7618 104 Street, the former Gino’s Italian Kitchen space (and most recently housed David’s).
Chris reviewed Spring Roll Kitchen, a new restaurant located in Century Park.
Liv wrote about Drift Food Truck – if you’re in the area, definitely stop by for a sandwich!
Great profile in Vue last week on Absolutely Edibles, a restaurant on 118 Avenue.
Thanks to Keri for a tip about Real Deal Meats: on Saturdays, the shop is offering a special smoked meat special every Saturday that is ready to be picked up after 5pm.
I knew we missed out on a great dinner: check out Valerie and Kevin’s recaps on the fabulous dinner at Nature’s Green Acres.
Red Rooster, the uber-hip restaurant in Harlem, will soon be offering free bike rentals to customers to explore the neighbourhood! Too cool.
After attending a wedding at the Art Gallery of Alberta on Sunday, Mack, myself and a few friends wanted to grab a bite to eat nearby. It was more difficult than it should been (with so many restaurants either typically closed on Sundays, or closed for the long weekend). We ended up at Doan’s on 107 Street. The food was okay, but the service was poor – no water refills, and a very long wait for the bill.

My special beef noodle soup

Mack’s combination plate with grilled beef

We experimented more with our new charcoal barbecue this weekend, and we (okay, Mack) is finally getting the hang of it! Rib eyes from Nature’s Green Acres was first, and though the coals still weren’t as hot as they should have been for a nice sear, marinating them for a few hours saved us. Next, was some halibut from Ocean Odyssey, sprinkled with a Moroccan spice blend I had picked up in Toronto. Turns out third time’s the charm (or at least the fish was) – it was perfectly cooked, with that hint of smoky flavour.

Steak and potatoes

Halibut

Some Things Never Change: Bistro Praha

There are two restaurants that are intimately woven into the fabric of my high school experience: the first is Boston Pizza, where countless birthday celebrations, post-movie dinners and impromptu meals were had. The second? Bistro Praha – for their Eastern European fare, their desserts, and a certain friend’s desire to cross paths with a certain teacher who frequented the establishment. So for nostalgic purposes (and to check out the new digs), I chose Bistro Praha for a quiet birthday dinner last month with Annie and May.

It was amazing to me how much the interior resembled Bistro Praha’s former storefront on Rice Howard Way (after having to close because of the 2009 Kelly-Ramsay Block fire, Bistro Praha finally reopened in the Empire Building in January). The walls, the furnishings, the accents – it really felt like the entire restaurant had just been lifted and pieced together in this space. The atmosphere hadn’t changed either – the same classical crescendos coalescing with conversational exchanges of patrons clearly enjoying themselves. We also did a double take on the menu – had the prices even changed since the last time we dined there?

Bistro Praha interior

Surprisingly, we all decided to order dishes that we hadn’t tried before. The food came lightning fast – it was almost as if the kitchen had known what we had wanted to order from the start! My filet of sole ($19.95), served with potatoes and butter mushrooms was generous, to say the least. The fish was under seasoned, but had a nicely browned crust and a flaky texture beneath. I have to say I probably enjoyed the sides more, the potatoes perfectly crispy (reminding me of those served at brunch) and mushrooms so tasty that makes one wonder why butter baths aren’t more common.

Filet of sole

May had her hands full too with the rack of lamb ($26.95). She commented that the meat was well prepared, and very much enjoyed her plate. Annie had been craving goulash ($9.75), bold and hearty, the better of the two dishes she ordered. The Hungarian sausage ($9.50) was good, but was served with an unappealing film of orange grease – Annie had to dab it off before digging in.

Rack of lamb

Goulash

Hungarian sausage

For dessert, we shared a strawberry crepe ($8.50). What a difference warm fruit makes! The berries just melted into its shell, finished with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and side of whipped cream. Had we not been full from our entrees, we could have easily devoured another.

Strawberry crepe

So many things have changed in the ten years since we graduated high school. But it’s a small comfort to know that Bistro Praha, in spite of its new location, hasn’t.

Bistro Praha
10117 101 Street
(780) 424-4218
Monday-Friday 11am-1am, Saturday 12pm-1am, Sunday 4-11pm

City Market Report: Week 11

Though I love visiting farmers’ markets while travelling, it’s always a bit frustrating because I’m never able to partake in the produce. I ended up browsing two different markets while in Toronto last week, and though their growing season is a bit further along than ours (corn was already available), it was nice to come home and fill our basket at the City Market this morning.

Long lost sun!

We were treated to a beautiful Saturday, something that has been quite rare this summer. But on a long weekend, it felt extra special.

Squash blossoms from Sundog Organic Farm

Kale from Sundog Organic Farm

Zucchini from Sundog Organic Farm

Squash from Kuhlmann’s

Carrots from Kuhlmann’s

Beans from Kuhlmann’s

Cauliflower from Riverbend Gardens

In addition to a great variety of produce, some stone fruit was also available.

Peaches from Steve & Dan’s

Apricots from Steve & Dan’s

We also tried bacon jerky from Irvings for the first time! It was a marriage of two of Mack’s favourite things – dangerously delicious. Perhaps it was for the best that it was sold out already.

Bacon jerky

Up at the market next week: India Fest on August 6, 2011. Expect traditional folk dances and drumming. See you there!

Fun on the Midway: 2011 Capital Ex

Mack and I made our annual pilgrimage to the land of doughnuts and carneys yesterday. I’m not sure when it became a tradition for us, but a summer in Edmonton isn’t complete for us without a trip through Capital Ex.

Midway food is one of the reasons we’re back like clockwork. Mack treats himself to the one corndog he has a year, and of course, we just have to indulge in Those Little Doughnuts.

Double fisting

This year seemed to bring more “branded” food items, kiosks that offered items that differed from the usual fare. Some skewed healthy while others just piqued our interest (waffle-coated hot dog?).

Skewers and Those Wicked Waffles

Based on a recommendation, I tried the poutine from La Poutinerie ($8). While the gravy and fries themselves were not bad, this was the third time in a week that I had tried Quebec cheese curds, and the third time that I found they didn’t squeak. I miss curds from the Cheese Factory!

La Poutinerie

Poutine

We also tried the frozen little ice cream pellets – they were surprisingly filling! A really odd texture to get used to though, sticking to your tongue because of how cold they were. I think we both prefer real ice cream.

Pellet ice cream

I was so confident that the skies would hold up yesterday that I didn’t bring an umbrella, and Mack didn’t wear a jacket. And you know what that means – about an hour after we passed the gates, it poured.

Mopping up the slide

Thankfully by that time, we were fed and ready to explore the Expo Centre. We really liked the Container Art – though Mack commented that the “Like” exhibit really could have done with the most famous “Like” of all – Facebook!

I like Mack!

Through the art

We stayed for the Spirit of Michael Jackson, billed as a “laser spectacular”. It took a while to get going (and some of the song choices seemed less than inspired), but the “Thriller” finale was fantastic! The lead dancer who played Michael was quite good – he had a wicked moonwalk!

Spirit of MJ

Walking through Sip!, we found the liquor sampling booths to be fewer than last year (especially on the wine front), but those that did have tables seemed to step it up this year.

The aerial entertainment from Firefly Theatre was a welcome spectacle

Liquor booths

The menu of items (including smoked local beef sausage with a salted potato pancake, inspired welsh rarebit) was appealing, but for us, carnival food is king. It’s a bit unfortunate – I wish food items served at Sip! were served at the Taste of Edmonton – it would be a big improvement over what is currently being offered at Churchill Square.

Californian Club

When we decided to peek outside again, we were happy to discover that the rain had stopped, and lucky that it did not return again.

The midway

Given similar amusements can be played at Chuck E Cheese for a fraction of the price, Mack and I rarely partake in carnival games. But we came across one that cost a quarter this year! Neither of us won anything – but we had fun trying.

Bowl to win!

Before the fireworks, we took a turn on the ferris wheel. That was definitely the silver lining on a wet evening – shortened ride lines!

Ferris wheel

There’s nothing like the view of the midway from the top

We’ve been able to hear (and see, to a lesser extent) the fireworks from our condo in the last week, but the show is of course better up close. It was probably the best show of fireworks that I’ve seen at Capital Ex in the last few years.

Fireworks

We’ll be back next year!

Capital Ex 2011 runs until July 31, 2011.

Meals in the ‘Hood: MRKT and Blue Plate Diner

One of the best things about living where we do is the plethora of restaurants within walking distance of our home. Although we’ve definitely been eating in a lot more than in past years, on those evenings where we feel like retiring from the stove, it’s great to have many neighbourhood options to choose from.

MRKT

Not too long ago, Jill, Mack and I had dinner at MRKT. Jill had never been before, but we knew she would like the atmosphere – laid back and unpretentious, it was the perfect place to have a casual bite to eat.

The MRKT ricotta was a lovely starter. Although the house-made ricotta itself didn’t have much flavour on its own, combined with the rosemary almond crackers and apricot-mango chutney, each layered bite begged for another.

MRKT ricotta

Like any of their soups, I couldn’t go wrong with the chickpea and beef stew (that night’s meat option). It was clear a lot of love went into that bowl – the meat and pulses were tender, the broth was well seasoned, and on that rainy day, the soup was thoroughly warming.

Chickpea and beef stew

Mack and Jill had both opted for the night’s special, a paella with chicken, mussels and shrimp. As far as they were concerned, the paella should have been on the regular menu.

Paella

With the kitchen’s consistency, you can never go wrong with MRKT. We’ll be back!

Blue Plate Diner

I cheered when Blue Plate Diner’s small, four-table patio was installed earlier this year (perhaps spring should not be measured in produce, but in patio resurrection?), but Mack and I hadn’t had the chance to enjoy it yet. The day finally came a few weeks ago before White Night, on an afternoon made for sipping a cool cocktail under the sun.

Cocktails always taste better on the patio

I love the new menus – laminated and sleek, they also feature a page highlighting which local producers and small businesses they source from! We weren’t all that hungry, so decided to split the Indian sampler platter.

The salad was unnecessary as far as we were concerned. Mack liked the samosas, chock full of potato goodness, while I actually preferred the cauliflower pakoras. Half the fun was experimenting with flavour combinations, as both cilantro yogurt and tamarind apricot chutney were provided for our dipping pleasure.

The spread

Like MRKT, Blue Plate Diner is another one of our go-to restaurants. Great for its proximity to our condo, but even better because we enjoy the food!

MRKT
10542 Jasper Avenue
Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-late

Blue Plate Diner
10145 104 Street
(780) 429-0740
Monday – Thursday 11 am – 10 pm, Friday 11 am – 11 pm, Saturday 9 am – 11 pm (Brunch 9 am – 1 pm), Sunday 9 am – 10 pm (Brunch 9 am – 2 pm)

Food Notes for July 26, 2011

All vacations are fun, but this one was particularly great because I got to hang out with Amanda, who moved to Toronto back in April. I’ll be writing about it at some point (I realize I said that about San Francisco…), but suffice to say, I kind of miss the humidity! The heat definitely beats the rain. Anyway, a belated and abbreviated food notes this week, while I catch up on things:

Via Connect2Edmonton, look for Noorish, a “conscious eatery and superfood elixir bar” to open at 8440 109 Street.
If we weren’t out of town, Mack and I would have been among those lining up at Alberta Avenue last Thursday to try Edmonton’s newest food truck, Nomad. They served up smoked pulled pork sandwich, with apple and fennel slaw and a curried, pickled carrot. Looking forward to what they serve up next!
Speaking of barbecue, Linda sent me some information about a new food option in Leduc, from La Pisana: “We are ready to go with the BBQ Trailer , starting July 12th we will be on location in Nisku serving BBQ out of our unit , we will be just off Sparrow Drive north of the Ritchie Brothers site, we will have the trailer there Tuesdays through Friday from 11:00 – 1:30 or till we run out of food , stop by to get your BBQ lunch on the fly, we will have a different menu every day, Tuesday will be Smoked Turkey Legs and Italian Sausage , Wed. we will have BBQ beef on a bun , Thursday our signature “Bacon Bomb” sandwich and pulled pork and Friday is undecided at this time , so come and see us for a great lunch for less
than $10.00, hot and ready to go.”
Battista’s Calzones has created a number of new flavours, and will be featuring a different one every Saturday. The “Pesto Presto” was featured this past weekend – what will come next?
Liane wrote about some changes happening at Culina Highlands – the restaurant will no longer be a “Culina” outpost because of the confusion and only open Thursday-Monday, but will still serve the same Ukrainian fusion diners look for.
I can’t wait to read more about Blair Lebsack’s outdoor dinner held at Nature’s Green Acres on Saturday. I was sad to have missed it – when I toured the farm a few years ago, and saw the space they intended on hosting the meal, I knew it’d be a magical experience. I hope Blair does it again!
Twyla reviewed the new downtown Lebanese restaurant Chateau Beirut – looks like it will be a welcome addition to the neighbourhood!
Queen of Tarts is going on a short holiday! They will be closed August 1 – 8, 2011, and will reopen on August 9.
Liv filed a profile on Tres Carnales last week.
My parents bought us a charcoal barbecue for my birthday, and we were finally able to put it to good use today. Unfortunately, it’s a steeper learning curve than we thought, and it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing – we couldn’t get the charcoal hot enough, and had to finish the burgers on the stove. Better luck next time!

Burgers made with Nature’s Green Acres ground beef and a Queen of Tarts French roll

I thought I didn’t take as many photos as I usually do on holidays, but I guess I was wrong! Just one for now:

Amanda and I at the Blue Jays game

Food Notes for July 18, 2011

I had the best of intentions to recap more of our San Francisco trip, but just ran out of time. Perhaps, after I return from Toronto? I won’t be blogging in the next week while I’m away, but please check out the revised list of Culinary Counterparts on the sidebar – I (finally) updated it. Have a good week!

You have just a few more days to get your Taste of Edmonton at a discounted rate – 10% off if you purchase them by July 20.
Connect 2 Edmonton is buzzing with the possibility of a second Cactus Club location in Oliver.
It was announced that the river valley has its first cafe, located in Louise McKinney Park! Mack and I often wondered if the building was meant for more than just washroom facilities, but glad to hear that thirsty visitors can now grab a drink. Hope to check it out soon!
This week’s issue of Vue Weekly is all about beer! Check out profiles on Alley Kat, Yellowhead and a history of beer in Canada.
More Tres Carnales talk in the blogosphere, this time from Courtenay and Sarah. I really had no idea there was such an underground love of tacos in Edmonton; the response has been quite amazing. And I still haven’t been to try them myself…
The Journal reviewed a Vietnamese restaurant Rice Paper last week. My parents went to try it after reading the article, and thought it was just okay.
In this age of Yelp, food blogs, Twitter and Chowhound, one has to wonder if books like Where to Eat in Canada are still relevant, or if anything, how much longer they will last.
In recent weeks, there have been a rash of crackdowns on food trucks in midtown Manhattan, so much so, that people are saying that if this trend continues, it may chase out the very pioneers who made food trucks popular in the first place. Zach Brooks had a great take on this.
I think we already knew this, but new research tells us that we are physically incapable of resisting fried chicken.
Chateau Beirut (102 Ave and 107 Street) is now open!

Chateau Beirut

A Spectator Weekend with the Edmonton Capitals and Eskimos

It was a bit of a coincidence that the first two sporting events Mack and I had the chance to attend this summer both fell on the same weekend, but it worked out wonderfully given how beautiful it has been these past few days. Surprisingly, the mosquitoes weren’t bad on either night.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

First up on Friday was an Edmonton Capitals game with some of my fellow Downtown Edmonton Community League members. Given we were playing the rival Calgary Vipers, we expected a larger than usual crowd, but the good weather (and promise of fireworks) also seemed to be big draws – there were over 3,000 people in the stands that night.

Play ball!

The game went pretty quick – the Caps seemed to put up a fight in the first half of the game, making a dent in the Vipers’ 4-0 lead amassed in the first inning, but in the end, they just couldn’t muster up the runs. The Capitals fell 9-6.

Captain Capital’s superpowers weren’t enough

In between innings, on-field antics kept the crowd entertained, including my favourite – a race featuring several mascots. I had no idea giant perogies (named Chee and Mo for one of the sponsors) could be so hilarious.

Mascot race

It was to be the last “Fireworks Friday” game until August 12, so we were fortunate to catch it that evening. Although Mack and I can see glimpses of the fireworks from our balcony, there was no doubt the best views are from the seats at Telus Field.

Light show

And no trip to Telus Field is complete without beer and a “gourmet” hot dog. Since The Dawg Father closed, the ballpark is the only place that I’ve come across in Edmonton that offer creative hot dogs (menu here). Mack’s Mexicali Dog ($5), topped with chili, nacho cheese, jalapenos and salsa cream was spicy, but texture wise was one-note. On the other hand, my K97 Dog ($5), with chili, cheese, fried potatoes, bacon and onions was a definite winner – I loved that they used bacon strips instead of bits, and the crispy fried potatoes made all the difference, adding a delicious salty crunch.

Mack tries his first Molson M

Mexicali and K97 Dogs

Football Frenzy

Mack’s Dad was in town again this weekend, and as Kim was able to secure us some free tickets to the Edmonton Eskimos game, we spent Saturday evening together at Commonwealth Stadium (curiously, it was the first-ever “Ladies Night”, with the first 1,000 women through the gates eligible to win a diamond ring. We didn’t arrive early enough to cash in, but we had to wonder if it was a draw at all).

All decked out in Esks gear

This was the first time we’ve ever had seats on the east-facing side of Commonwealth, and boy, does it make a difference. Protected by shade, it definitely made watching the game more pleasant.

Hanging in the shade

The Esks have been actually doing pretty well this year, undefeated at 2-0 so far. Playing the BC Lions, we were hopeful that they would continue their streak. After the first quarter, we were even more optimistic.

Ready, set, hike!

Their momentum carried the length of the game, and the Esks beat the Lions 33-17.

Touchdown fireworks

Because of how one-sided the game was, some fans had the need to find other ways to entertain themselves…such as building a pyramid out of empty beer cups.

How high can you go?

Of course, we had to indulge in some stadium food. We chose mini doughnuts (thinking they would be a nice pre-cursor to the midway fare at Capital Ex). The doughnuts were crunchier and had less cinnamon sugar coating than Those Little Donuts (our favourite), but made a decent snack.

Mini doughnuts!

Thanks again Kim for the free tickets!

City Market Report: Week 9

Hallelujah, sunshine at the City Market! It was great to see large crowds again gracing 104 Street.

Market sun seekers

Mack and I wouldn’t be stocking up on much produce because of our travels next week, so treated ourselves to a late start. I know we probably missed out on a lot (the peas at Kuhlmann’s were nearly gone, for example), but we still managed to see some of what was available this week.