Night and Day: MRKT

Restaurants that attempt to have multiple identities are not always successful (Blink in Calgary, for example, axed its club aspect to focus on fine dining, while The Treasury here in Edmonton should consider the opposite). MRKT, however, got it right.

After dark, the bustling lunch destination transforms from a fun, bright and airy space into an intimate but unassuming venue, refined enough for a pre-show drink, but comfortable enough for a casual date. Mack and I met up with Marilyn at MRKT last Wednesday evening to catch up over drinks and food.

It wasn’t packed, but there were a number of pairs and small groups that dined during our stay. We could have chosen to sit at the long communal table, but we were looking for just a little more light, so opted for one of the tables along the wall.

They had a good by-the-glass wine selection (meaning: both Mack and I found something that we liked). Curiously, though local producers are highlighted in the food menu, no Edmonton breweries are featured among the selection of beer.

The three of us shared a charcuterie and cheese board (meant for two, $21) to start. Though it didn’t look daunting initially, it would have been a hefty starter for two. The cheese and meat selection will depend upon what the restaurant has on hand – but we all had a favourite that night – the manchego for me, the oka for Mack, the truffled salami for Marilyn.

Charcuterie and cheese, paired with some fruit, honey, and Jam Lady condiments

Marilyn and I were both very happy with our entrees: the portion sizes were larger than we’d expected, and everything was nicely cooked. The Spring Creek Ranch boneless beef ribs ($26) were amazingly tender, and I enjoyed the fresh, crunchy slaw that accompanied it. The polenta was a little thin for my liking, but I appreciated the healthy alternative to the usual mashed potatoes.

Spring Creek Ranch beef ribs

Marilyn equally enjoyed her artfully presented sauteed prawns on sweet potato mash, tomato butter and white wine & miso-chimicurri ($17).

Sauteed prawns

Mack’s dish very much resembled the earlier charcuterie and cheese board – comprised of Cortes Island smoked oysters, smoked tuna, oka and crostini ($19). Though he could have clarified with our waitress about its possible similarity to our appetizer when ordering it, a heads up from her, knowing our appetizer selection, would have been appreciated.

Smoked oysters, smoked tuna, cheese and crostini

Other than that minor hiccup, service was laid-back but efficient – we were given the space we needed, dishes arrived in a timely fashion, and the staff were pleasant.

It’s such a fantastic time to be a food lover in Edmonton, but with places like MRKT just around the corner from our condo, it makes me even more grateful to be downtown. We’ll be back!

MRKT
10542 Jasper Avenue
(780) 757-6758
Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm; Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-late; closed Sundays and Monday

Day 1 in San Francisco: The Lay of the Land

I had great intentions to blog about San Francisco earlier to the date of our actual trip (September 2010), but procrastination got in the way. Still, better late than never – writing about travels and browsing through old photos always seems like the best way to relive a trip. Perhaps it will make you long for the hills of San Francisco too!

I still don’t remember how the decision of San Francisco as our next vacation destination came about. I had been to SF once before for two days – on the return leg of my family’s journey back to North America after three weeks in the equatorial climes of southeast Asia. It’s safe to say I don’t remember much, save crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and never really acclimatizing to the thirty degree temperature change. Mack, on the other, hand, had never been to San Francisco, in spite of its hub of all things tech (and most notably, is the location of Twitter’s offices).

So in early September, we were off for a ten day trip to San Francisco, a city known for its food, liberal tendencies and a bridge.

At the airport, we hopped on the super-convenient BART train that would lead to a stop about two blocks from our accommodation. Two different people had recommended Hotel Triton to us, part of the Kimpton Hotel chain.

The Triton duckie!

More than any other hotel we’ve ever stayed in, Hotel Triton felt like home. The staff were friendly, always ready with a “welcome back” upon our return, but mostly, it was the small things – warm chocolate chip cookies available in the lobby every afternoon, free wine every evening, the resident dog Romeo (the concierge’s companion). Or, as a new member of their loyalty program, they offered us a free $10 minibar credit upon check-in.

Our SF home

The location was also hard to beat – right across from the Chinatown Gates, Hotel Triton was five minutes from Union Square and fifteen minutes from the Ferry Building. And whatever we couldn’t walk to, it was just as easy to hop on the BART or grab a bus. I’d recommend Hotel Triton in a heartbeat – and wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again.

Hotel Triton is right in the thick of things

We dropped off our luggage and went in search of lunch. We asked the front desk staff for walking directions to the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market, but they recommended we take the BART instead – apparently, it wasn’t safe to walk (it was the Tenderloin district they were weary of, but we ended up walking through it a few days later anyway, after dark no less, without incident).

Set up outdoors at UN Plaza, the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market wasn’t the largest we would encounter in San Francisco, but it was definitely meant for food shoppers. With no crafts in sight, it was a wonderful introduction to the area’s seasonal fare.

Heart of the City Farmers’ Market

Seafood and fresh eggs were available, and though there were a handful of prepared food vendors (spreads, Indian food, kettle corn, baked goods), the focus was undoubtedly on produce. What surprised me was the variety of Asian vegetables available – long beans, Chinese eggplant, bitter melon, among others – and mostly sold without signage.

Asian vegetable paradise

Such vibrant-coloured eggplant

Peaches!

We bought some apples, nectarines and peaches for the week, and some focaccia pizza for lunch.

Mack enjoys our light lunch

Satisfied, we wandered over to the neighbouring Hayes Valley, past their grand City Hall building and symphony hall. The shops were lovely to browse, but given that the first pair of shoes I picked up cost over $400, I knew we would only be window shopping.

We’re not in Canada anymore

We did stumble upon Paulette Macarons in the neighbourhood though, completely by accident. Valerie had recommended the place, a charming pastel-coloured boutique offering more than a dozen flavours of macarons.

Paulette Macarons (loved the macaron artwork)

We tried the coffee and coconut ($1.60 each). They were Mack’s first macarons – he was surprised that they were not cloyingly sweet. Each had that intense burst of flavour, all contained inside a delicate yet punchy meringue shell, indicative of perfect execution.

Mack with his first macaron!

After returning to our hotel to freshen up for dinner, we headed out on foot to our dinner destination. We walked through Chinatown, past what I dubbed “peep show row” on Broadway, and arrived at Fog City Diner, located near Pier 27.

Fog City Diner

Fog City Diner was billed, by Chowhound and others, as a “quintessential” San Francisco diner because of their food. But outfitted like a retro train car, with neon lights, cozy booths, and a long wooden bar, we could see how the decor reflected SF as well – appealing to tourists, but not over the top.

Interior

Once we got over the hump of being seated (it took about ten minutes or so; the wait staff were being run ragged), it was smooth sailing. We passed over what we probably should have ordered (their cioppino), and instead, opted for what would hit the spot.

The macaroni and cheese ($10) did just that, even if it was singlehandedly the richest we’d ever tried – it was essentially cheese fondue with noodles.

Mac ‘n’ cheese

The fish and chips ($17) were a little less successful, mostly due to the amount of grease still simmering on the freshly fried fish, but I enjoyed the plate nonetheless.

Fish and chips

Mack’s 1/2 pound burger ($20 with fixings) was an epic creation, enhanced with mushrooms, applewood smoked bacon and a fried egg, but was similarly greasy. It was interesting, however, that our server asked Mack how he wanted his burger done – something we never come across in Edmonton.

Burger

It was a good way to end our first day in San Francisco, and would be something of a pattern during our trip – filling up on food, then walking it off en route to our hotel. All hail a pedestrian-friendly city!

The Cooking Chronicles: Made with Love

For Valentine’s Day, Mack made me dinner. And not just any dinner – a heart-shaped calzone (take that, Boston Pizza and Papa Murphy’s).

It was simple – he used a familiar dough recipe, and filled the calzone with some of our favourite pizza toppings – sautéed onions and mushrooms, pepperoni, mozzarella. Out of the oven, it was golden brown and perfect.

We did end up watching Jeopardy, though not intentionally (Watson is darn amazing, and after day 2, is really showing up the humans).

But as everyone knows – it’s not how you spend Valentine’s Day, but who you spend it with. Thanks, Mack, for a lovely evening.

Food Notes for February 14, 2011

I hope everyone had a good Valentine’s Day! If anything, it’s a good excuse to spend some time with your loved ones. On to this week’s food notes:

Downtown Dining Week is coming up soon – March 4-13, 2011. 32 restaurants are participating this year, at $15, $25 and $50 price points. Most menus are forthcoming, though Wildflower Grill has already posted their offerings.
Nettie Wiebe, a well-known food activist, will be speaking at two engagements: March 3 and March 4, 2011.
Liane posted that this year’s Chefs in the City event is coming up on March 25, 2011. I had the privilege of attending last year, and it was quite the event indeed.
Edmonton’s first location of Crave Cupcakes is now open!
Liane also wrote about Blair Lebsack’s new venture, inspired by his recent trip to France and Spain.
Bistro Praha was reviewed in the Journal this week. Looks like returning customers will be satisfied.
Twyla reviewed Sabu Sushi Bar, the third restaurant to go into that location in a year. One can only hope it sticks.
There was a great article about Credo in Vue last week.
Bill C-474 was defeated last week. Jennifer posted the reply she received from her MP about why he voted against the bill.
A writer in the Atlantic absolutely admonishes foodies in this piece. One gem: “Most of us consider it a virtue to maintain our principles in the face of social pressure, but in the involuted world of gourmet morals, constancy is rudeness. One must never spoil a dinner party for mere religious or ethical reasons.”
Eater posted a hit list of food truck do’s and don’ts.
A new restaurant is moving into the space vacated by Apocalypse Gaming (10185 107 Street), next to Khazana. Look for Chateau Beirut soon.

Chateau Beirut

I’d been meaning to post a picture of Mighty Trio Organic’s new labels for a while, and finally got around to taking one this weekend at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. Sean of Mighty Trio said some shoppers have even approached them asking if they were new to the market, having noticed them for the first time just because of the fresh designs!

Mighty Trio Organics (the labels were designed by Gabe Wong)

One of the guilty pleasures that Mack and I share involves McDonald’s breakfast items; we love starting out any road trip with an Egg or Sausage McMuffin! So when McDonald’s announced a two day window where we could try their new Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich for free, we jumped at the chance. It was clear many others also leapt at the word “free” – the line up at the Commerce McDonald’s was longer than I’d ever seen it. As for the sandwich? The biscuit was all right, but we both didn’t like the scrambled nature of the egg.

Buttermilk Sausage Biscuit

In between shopping at South Edmonton Common, Annie and I stopped by Local Public Eatery to grab a bite over the weekend. It wasn’t the best experience, food or service wise: my fish was on the greasy side, and Annie’s burger was cold, and it took over twenty minutes to pay our bill. It was busy in the restaurant – the Oilers game was on – but I am hopeful our next experience will be more positive.

Fish and chips ($13)

Oil City burger with squash soup ($15)

Not food related, but I’m proud of my sister – Amanda helped style a mannequin for Goodwill, using the clothes and accessories available to her at the southside location.

Amanda’s rocker-inspired look

Walking home today, a dressed-up light pole at 102 Avenue and 106 Street caught my eye. At the top were cards printed with the following message, “While cold snow fell, I dreamt of summer gardens, and awoke to blossoms upon my pillow. I offer one to you, and although old and withered it still holds the whisper of its past glory.” Attached to the back of the card is a dried flower. It was such a beautiful thing to stumble upon – thanks to whoever offered up these random acts of kindness!

A beautiful surprise

The Cooking Chronicles: “Apples to Oysters”

I just finished Margaret Webb’s Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover’s Tour of Canadian Farms. The book chronicles Webb’s journey across Canada as she visited farms as diverse as oyster beds in Prince Edward Island, a cheesemaker in Quebec, a hog farm in Manitoba, and an apple orchard in British Colombia. She explores many of the issues that will be familiar to those who have read Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma, but there’s something about the Canadian examples she provides that makes it a worthwhile read.

Like many food memoirs, Apples to Oysters features recipes at the end of each chapter. Particularly fitting, a majority of the recipes are from the farmers themselves, which helps readers connect with their stories even further.

Zest’s Mushroom Soup

A recipe for Zest’s mushroom soup enhanced with ground flax seed was a good excuse to pick up a container of Prairie Gold Flax Seed from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market – I had wanted to introduce flax to our diet at some point anyway.

Instead of a roux to thicken the soup, ground flax is whisked into the stock, which is then combined with sauteed onions, MoNa cremini mushrooms and port. The flax mixture lent the soup a sort of gelatinous quality almost immediately. I was hoping it would dissipate with further heating, but it remained, and wasn’t the most appealing quality to have in a soup.

Mushroom soup with parmesan toasts

We didn’t find the flax had a distinct taste we could point to, but I’m not sure we will continue with many more experiments – or at least not to the same degree: we discovered that Mack is allergic to flax!

Bev and Keith’s Witches’ Brew (Chili Con Carne)

We were more successful with a recipe for Bev and Keith’s Witches’ Brew, a version of chili con carne. It was very similar to the beef chili we usually make, except that it included bacon and brown rice. We did change one thing – draining the beans before adding them, and throwing in some beef stock.

Given no herbs or seasonings were called for besides salt, pepper and cayenne, we weren’t expecting it to be as tasty as it was – it was a great one bowl meal. But then again, Irvings Farm Fresh bacon is as good of a flavour base as any. Best of all, we ended up with a ton of leftovers, perfect for a week where time to cook was limited.

Chili con carne

Bev and Keith’s Witches Brew

1.5lb organic ground beef
1TBS salt and pepper each
1TBS cayenne pepper
.25lb organic bacon, cut into 1/4inch dice
2 large Spanish onions, cut into 1/4inch dice
2 large red/green bell peppers, cut into 1/4inch dice
1/2lb button mushrooms, sliced
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
2 cans (each 19oz) red kidney beans
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can (5 1/2oz) tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350F.

Fry the ground beef in a large, heavy oven-proof pan over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. When the beef is cooked through, remove from heat and rain off the fat.

Fry the bacon over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel; drain off any fat remaining in the pan. Add the onions, bell peppers and mushrooms to the pan; sauté until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans with their liquid, rice and tomato paste. Stir in the ground beef and bacon. Adjust seasoning.

Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

From: Bev Everts, Pincher Creek, AB, as printed in From Apples to Oysters by Margaret Webb.

Love that Menu: Valentine’s Day 2011 in Edmonton

Mack and I decided to collaborate on this post. Enjoy!

Mack:

Last year, Sharon and I collaborated on a Valentine’s Day post. We decided it would be fun to compare the special and regular menus at a variety of local restaurants in order to find out which one offered the best deal on Valentine’s Day. It was a nice mix of my penchant for stats and Sharon’s knowledge of the local food scene. This year, we wanted to do something different.

Sharon:

Eater nicknames Valentine’s Day “Black Monday” for a reason – restaurants pull out all the stops, hoping to woo diners with their prix fixe menus. Though I’m sure most of them are well intentioned (and Mack and I have certainly indulged in many Hallmark holiday dinners), some seem to be really over the top.

After perusing over a dozen Valentine’s Day menus, we’ve collected some observations. Here are our tongue-in-cheek picks for the best and worst of what the city’s restaurants have to offer this weekend.

This Dish Gets Around
- Aside from fondue, which is a Valentine’s Day staple, Chicken Supreme was the most common dish on the menus we examined. It is featured at Homefire Grill, Vic’s Steakhouse, Sorrentino’s Downtown, and even Hardware Grill. Those chickens really get around, don’t they?
Most Appealing Menu
- Last year we picked Hardware Grill as the tastiest-sounding menu, but this year the honor goes to Madison’s Grill. Five courses with two choices each (plus a dessert course) means there’s a good chance both you and your date will find something to enjoy. Pan seared scallops, pulled pork crepe, and grilled Spring Creek Ranch beef tenderloin are just a few of the delicious sounding options!
Best Bang for Your Buck
- At $45 per person, The Manor might not be the cheapest option, but with three courses (which include a choice of three entrees, with nary a chicken supreme in sight), we’re confident that between the food and their cozy rooms, couples will be well taken care of, and for a price less than a third of the most expensive meal in the city.
Big Spender
- That brings us to the five course prix fixe at Red Ox Inn. If you’re on a budget, this one isn’t for you – it will set you back $160 a person (which includes food, gratuity and tax). Each course is paired with a wine though, and given the meal has been at the same price point at least two years in a row, it has likely continued for a good reason.
Best Dish Name
- With images of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in our heads, Zinc’s “Cheek to Cheek” entrée is hard to beat. Comprised of a Spring Creek Rank beef cheek and a butter-poached halibut cheek, it also probably tastes as good as it sounds. We used Zinc’s photo above.
Worst Dish Name
- Maybe we need to get out of the city more, but there’s nothing particularly romantic to us about two slabs of meat. That’s what you’ll get at Teddy’s with “Lovers’ Steaks” – an 8oz New York and a 6oz Fillet Mignon. The dish comes with prawns, Caesar salad, and three cheese mashed potatoes for $49.
Say Cheese
- We really thought restaurants would be more forthcoming with the extras they would shower on you and your date, but no dice. So almost by default, The Melting Pot wins this category. You have the option of “enhancing” your meal with different feature packages, such as “The Cupid’s Arrow”, which includes one dozen roses in a vase, rose petals on your table, a bottle of sparkling wine, two champagne flutes to keep, and a framed photo of you and your Valentine. The price tag? $225, which also covers a four course dinner for two.
What’s the Point Prix Fixe
- With a Valentine’s Day menu that is so similar to the regular menu, we have to wonder why Chop even bothered! All of the entrees and most of the appetizer platter can be found on the regular menu. Only the dessert, Dark Chocolate Pecan Banana Cake, is new. If you’re superstitious you might like this option, however – the three course meal is priced at $88 per couple.
No Date Required
- Who says you need a table for two on February 14? Take a look at the menu from Bistro La Persaud and tell us you’re not seduced (braised boar bacon? poached lobster?). Best of all, it’s priced per person! Ooh la laa!

Mack:

However you choose to spend Valentine’s Day, we hope it is filled with love!

Edmonton Film Society: “Casablanca”

I’ve never watched Casablanca. At least, not in its entirety. While I’ve been able to identify lines like “We’ll always have Paris” and “Here’s looking at you, kid”, it’s one of those classics that I probably should have seen by now.

Though these movies are readily available at video rental stores and at the library, there really is no better place to get acquainted (or reacquainted, as the case may be) with classic films than with the Edmonton Film Society.

Edmonton Film Society Winter 2011 Series

The Edmonton Film Society is entirely volunteer-run, and its obvious their passion for movies is true. They organize several screening series a year, all centred around themes. The current theme, for example, is “Favourite Movies Forever”, with all titles chosen for their timeless quality. The screenings are dirt cheap, too: just $5 per show, or better yet, $25 for an eight show subscription.

Each show is introduced by a volunteer, a forward that sets the context of the show. It is more often than not studded with fun facts about the people involved with the movie, or the hijinx that happened during the production of the film (Casablanca, for instance, was shot sequentially due to the simple fact that the script wasn’t finished).

But the reason why the shows are worth checking out has to do with the audience. It always feels like a trip back in time – the people just seem to react to film like they did in theatres sixty years ago. Instead of the almost bleak silence, Edmonton Film Society screenings are always punctuated with laughter, gasps, and at the end, a burst of applause (I’ve written about other EFS shows before).

It was no different watching Casablanca, though I must say – the audience seemed noticeably younger than at other screenings I’ve attended. And what can I say about Casablanca that hasn’t been said before? It was filled with more comedic moments than I expected (Sam and Louie in particular), and it was lovely hearing those oft-quoted lines uttered by Bogart (“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” might be my new favourite).

They are screening the Rock Hudson/Doris Day romantic comedy Pillow Talk on Valentine’s Day. But don’t worry, this series isn’t all fluff and banter: The Birds plays on February 28, 2011.

The Cooking Chronicles: Slow Cooker Magic

Since my sister gave me a slow cooker (on my request) two Christmases ago, I think I’ve only used it twice. So like Steph, I made a goal to use the appliance more this year. I mean, what incentive should I need more than the guarantee of a dinner prepared, without much effort?

Pasta e Fagioli

We started our slow cooker reacquaintance with one of Grandma Male’s favourite recipes – pasta e fagioli, from Company’s Coming (their recipes are almost impossible to find on the internet).

It’s an easy soup to throw together – I cooked the bacon and softened the vegetables the night before, put them in a bowl in the fridge, then combined everything in the machine in the morning. All I needed to do when I returned home from work was cook some pasta to add into the soup.

The bacon really makes a difference (especially when you start with the good stuff – Irvings Farm Fresh dry cured side bacon), but other than that, it’s a pretty light soup, chock full of vegetables and beans. With some crusty bread, it’s a hearty soup to come home to – literally.

Pasta e fagioli

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes

Oh, this one could have been great.

A Real Simple recipe, it was easy to prepare the ingredients for the slow-cooker vegetarian chili with sweet potatoes the night before – I was intrigued by the inclusion of cocoa powder and cinnamon. When I got home (about 8 hours after the slow cooker had been set to low), I turned the machine to “keep warm” so Mack and I could have dinner together – at that point, everything in the pot looked great; the sweet potatoes looked tender, but still held their shape. Nearly two hours later, when I opened the lid again, it was a textural mess – it was little more than baby food at that point. I guess our the “warm” setting on our slow cooker is quite warm, so continued to cook down the vegetables.

Mack wasn’t as averse to the chili as much as I was, and what flavours we could discern were interesting, but not outstanding (we chalked it up to the cocoa). But more than anything, it was hard to get over the texture.

Vegetarian chili with sweet potatoes

Lesson learned: always watch the cooking time, even with a slow cooker! Next up: a meat stew of some sort.

Food Notes for February 7, 2011

Mack was nice enough to add a “subscribe by e-mail” button to my site (which you will find on the right). Subscribing means you will get an e-mail alert any time a new post goes live. Thanks, Mack! On to this week’s food notes:

Mark your calendars – the 2011 edition of Seedy Sunday is taking place on March 20.
Kerstin’s Chocolates will be releasing two limited edition Chocophilia bars for Valentine’s Day, Salt and Pepper and Chipotle Bacon Bars, available from February 5 – 12, 2011. They also announced the date for their third anniversary party: March 5. Just sign up for a ticket to attend!
A new hyperlocal website just launched yesterday, focusing on Edmonton’s west end.
It’s difficult to keep up with all of the local food blogs sprouting up, but I’m doing my best – welcome, Jeremiah of Food Don’t Lie!
Chris had a great Q & A with Owen of Prairie Mill last week.
Jennifer Cockrall-King wrote a very timely post about Bill C-474, which calls for a “waiting period to assess the potential economic harm to Canadian farm export markets to allowing commercial sale of any new genetically modified food seed.” It is a private members bill that will be up for discussion on February 8, 2011. This is on the heels of the USDA approving the Monsanto’s GMO sugar beet, which means half of America’s sugar crop will be GMO this year (need a primer on the risks of GMO crops? Read David Suzuki’s take here).
Also worth reading is Mark Bittman’s Food Manifesto for the Future (my favourite point: “Break up the U.S. Department of Agriculture and empower the Food and Drug Administration. Currently, the U.S.D.A. counts among its missions both expanding markets for agricultural products (like corn and soy!) and providing nutrition education. These goals are at odds with each other; you can’t sell garbage while telling people not to eat it, and we need an agency devoted to encouraging sane eating.”
Mary Bailey sent along a clip from a new show starring Fred Armisen (of SNL fame) called Portlandia. This clip pokes fun at locavores – pretty funny.
Eric Ripert was in Calgary early last week. See a recap of his talk here.
You know veganism has gone mainstream when Oprah tried it. At the very least, I’m sure she’s gotten millions of Americans to talk about it.
If this doesn’t scare food bloggers, nothing will: a food blogger in Kuwait is being sued for $18,000 for writing a negative review.
It’s just for publicity purposes, but Kraft’s machine that uses facial scans to determine what type of meal you’d like (made from Kraft products, of course) is just another in the trend of technology trying to help the consumer with dinner.
Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate it – all the best for the year of the rabbit (or cat)! We missed the firecrackers in Chinatown, but thankfully, not the excuse to have good food with family! My Mom suggested that I make barbecue duck salad rolls, and who am I to not listen to my mother?

Ready to roll!

The table was absolutely laden with good food – our annual potluck never disappoints!

So much food

And as tradition dictates, we started the meal with yusheng, a dish comprised of raw seafood, condiments and shredded vegetables, which we tossed together as a group – all in the name of good fortune for the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Eight Alternatives to Valentine’s Day Dinner

Looking for alternatives to dinner on Valentine’s Day? Here are a few that I’ve come across:

Instead of a box of chocolates, how about a chocolate tasting? Kerstin’s is offering a chocolate and wine pairing tasting on February 11, 2011.
The Dish is offering dinner and a movie, their way: for the “Dateless, the Down-on-Love or the Just-Not-Into-It”, alongside a pre-fixe meal, they are screening The Break-Up, Fatal Attraction and Rear Window, on February 11, 12 and 13, respectively.
The Valley Zoo is hosting their annual Animal Attraction event on February 11 and 12, with a round of speed dating, music, and dessert.
A walk outdoors with your loved one might be a bit chilly, so the Muttart Conservatory might be the best alternative. Their Sweetheart Stroll, on February 11 and 12, features a harpist, a dance floor and food from Culina Muttart.
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s Robbins Pops on February 11 and 12 is titled Love Will Keep Us Together, featuring “Moon River”, “My Heart Will Go On” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, among others.
Love Valerie’s cheeky event on February 12 – a sausage making class. All the grinding, mixing and stuffing you and a friend/partner can handle! Check out the Taste Tripping website for more information.
The Oliver Community League is hosting a wine and cheese on February 12. A $15 ticket includes two glasses of wine, lots of food, music, door prizes, and games, but you have to be a League member or guest of a member.
The Edmonton Film Society is screening Doris Day and Rock Hudson’s classic, Pillow Talk, at the Royal Alberta Museum on February 14.

Mack’s suggestion – relaxing at home, watching to see if an IBM computer can beat humans on Jeopardy.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: