The Cooking Chronicles: Welcome to Our Home!

I learned a lot from helping organize Mack and Kimmi’s housewarming two years ago. Though we had incorporated a few make-ahead dishes, I remember spending more time in the kitchen than was ideal at a party where socializing should have been the main focus. So for our first *official* housewarming for friends, I planned to build a menu based upon recipes that could be prepped in advance.

The spread

Giada de Laurentiis’ white bean dip, served with Sunbake Pita chips, was one of the first dishes that came to mind, primarily because both components could be made the night prior. That said, it’s tasty too, and is a solid alternative to hummus (we suspect that Mack is allergic to tahini).

White bean dip and pita chips

At our friend Devin’s housewarming party over the summer, we sampled Gordon Ramsay’s simple but colourful cherry tomato & feta kebabs. We decided to replicate it, but with a local twist – Doef’s cherry tomatoes, basil from Morinville Greenhouses, and Smoky Valley St. Maure goat cheese. We put these together early in the afternoon, and pulled them out of the fridge just before guests arrived.

Cherry tomato & goat cheese kebabs

My favourite appetizer that night was Donna Hay’s Thai wonton cups. We took a few shortcuts with this one, including using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, but it made our lives much easier. While oiled won-ton cups pressed into mini-muffin tins were baking in the oven, I cooked down 4 tablespoons each of fish sauce and water, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 100g brown sugar, then combined it with 2 cups of shredded chicken and a bunch of cilantro leaves. The result was fabulous, though as Mack indicated more than once, it’s a dish meant for lovers of fish sauce – I couldn’t get enough of the sweet and fragrant tang adopted by the chicken. We topped a few of them with sliced red chillies – definitely not for the faint of heart, but made for an eye-catching garnish. Though they were best served warm, they were enjoyable at room temperature as well.

Thai wonton cups

I’d been looking for a reason to make Trish Magwood’s cremini mushrooms stuffed with chevre and leeks for some time, especially knowing I could source everything locally – cremini mushrooms from MoNa (ordered through the Good Food Box), chevre from Smoky Valley, and leeks from the farmers’ market. I assembled them that afternoon, but didn’t bake them until just before guests arrived. These were definitely tastier warm, but Mack loved them regardless – the creamy chevre made them the perfect little one-bite treat.

Cremini mushrooms stuffed with chevre and leeks

Also from Magwood’s Dish, I made her parsnip, celery root, and apple soup, knowing that I wanted something to serve hot, kept warm using the slow cooker. It was also fantastic to have a soup made with all seasonal ingredients – parsnips from the Green & Gold Farm, celeriac from Greens, Eggs and Ham, and apple-pears from the OSFM. All the peeling and chopping required made this the most time-consuming dish, but it was worth it. I had made the vegetable stock the night prior, which made it somewhat easier, and after the vegetables were tender, pureed the soup and transferred the batch to our slow cooker. The texture was a bit unusual, grainy from the apple pears, but for the most part, it was light but warming.

Parsnip, celery root and apple-pear soup

To accompany the food, we had local beer and wine: Mack’s favourite Alley Kat brew, Charlie Flint’s – and wine from Barr Estate Winery. Most of our friends hadn’t heard of Barr, and they particularly enjoyed The Other Red, made from raspberries.

We also decided to have more casual snack food, in the form of unusual chip flavours – PC brand hot dog-flavoured potato chips and Doritos Late Night Cheeseburger flavoured chips. The label-less bowls ended up serving as a blind flavour tasting station of sorts – though our friends picked up on the hints of mustard, relish and hamburger seasoning, no one could identify the flavours outright. On a larger scale, it’d make a fun game (of note, PC recently released a pizza flavour too!).

Thanks again to everyone who helped us celebrate!

For Dancing Not Dinner: The Treasury

Though there were some nibbles provided at Avenue Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 shindig at the Art Gallery of Alberta, they definitely weren’t enough to make a meal. So Dave, Kyla, Mack and I decided to get something more substantial to eat as a group, and surveying the immediate area, ended up wandering over to The Treasury Vodka Bar & Eatery.

The Treasury has such a great location – both in terms of visibility on Jasper Avenue, but also with easy access to public transportation. And really, it’s hard not to cheer when an otherwise vacant space downtown is reclaimed by an establishment that would ideally bring further foot traffic to the core. In that context, our lacklustre experience was even more disappointing.

Save one pair of diners, we were the only customers in the entire restaurant. Granted, it was about 8 p.m. that Thursday when we walked in, but we were assured that the kitchen was still open.

Interior

The interior is excessive, bordering on gaudy, with its gold chandeliers and plush red velvet, but I can appreciate that such features would likely complement The Treasury’s other identity as a nightclub much better (up until 9 p.m., minors as permitted in the restaurant). I should note, however, that the volume of the music was surprisingly low, meaning a conversation could be had at a regular volume.

Dance floor

The menu is massive – three pages, with nearly three dozen dishes to choose from (as we were able to order from the lunch menu as well). Still, with no other tables to serve, we weren’t sure why our food took twenty-five minutes to arrive.

Mack enjoyed his Guinness “fish & chips” of the sea, featuring black cod, calamari, shrimp and Cajun-spiced fries, though it was nothing special.

Guinness “fish & chips”

The roast beef in my sandwich ($15) was all right, and was definitely a generous serving. The multigrain bread, however, needed to be sliced thicker, or have been substituted with ciabatta or a similar loaf that could stand up to the moisture from the meat. Also, it was my mistake to order the soup at the end of the day, especially when what was presented was, instead, a puree. Topping it with moisture-drawing puff pastry croutons didn’t help matters either.

Roast beef classic with squash soup

Dave found his steak sandwich okay, while Kyla simply shrugged when I asked about her frittata ($16) – that shrug sort of summed up our meal. Twyla’s review back in September, albeit for their soft opening, wasn’t much better.

Frittata a la carte

Service was perhaps the only redeeming quality – our server hovered a bit, but she was there whenever we needed her, and in particular, was lighting quick with replacing empty glasses of water.

I can’t say I’d be anxious to return to The Treasury – with neither food or atmosphere that would draw me back, I do hope their nightclub scene is more happening. It’d be a shame for the renovated space to return to an empty state.

The Treasury Vodka Bar & Eatery
10004 Jasper Avenue
(780) 990-1255

Winter Market on the Square and Holiday Light Up 2010

The first of the winter markets launched this past Saturday, in both heated tents right on Churchill Square and in the grand City Room in City Hall.

Tents on the Square

Just under fifty vendors participated, ranging from stalwart City Market merchants like Kuhlmann’s, to newcomers like Jacek Chocolate Couture. Smoky Valley Goat Cheese was a particularly welcome sight, as we had hinged some of our housewarming dishes on our ability to purchase their chevre and St. Maure cheese (they had a beautiful sampling platter out to entice the palate).

Inside City Hall

The outdoor food trucks were out as well. We made sure to stop by Eva Sweet for a waffle. Bamir is looking forward to the Hot to Huddle Grey Cup Festival November 25-28 – his truck will be parked at Churchill as a part of the festivities.

Nothing makes a better lunch (of course, I didn’t remember to snap a picture until halfway through)

After a walkthrough of both vendor areas, I thought those placed inside were at an advantage, with ample space to set up, and abundant natural light. When we returned to Churchill later that evening for the Holiday Light-Up however, it was clear that the vendors in the three tents had much better visibility, located right in the thick of things outside.

The crowds have descended

Though I’m a fan of outdoor markets, it really is a challenge to make it work over the winter months – the individual, cloistered tents removes that larger sense of community somehow. At the same time – our climate makes it impossible for uncovered markets – one of tents was without heat for a while, and it was noticeably chilly – I couldn’t imagine remaining stationary as a vendor. I suppose we’ll just have to hope for a larger year-round space to open up soon!

Inside one of the tents

The weather was definitely milder than last year, and we very much liked the change in stage placement, so photos taken of the action would have the brilliant City Hall pyramid as a backdrop.

Can you spot Santa?

To recognize the fact that the city is hosting the Grey Cup this year, the 700 foot white spruce is decked out in green and gold colours, and two Eskimos were on hand with the Mayor as he flipped the lighting switch.

Beautiful tree

The fireworks show following the lighting was entertaining, set to music as always. I ask again – why can’t all fireworks displays make the best of the music played alongside?

Fireworks!

The tree will be lit every night until mid-January. There are three more winter markets planned – December 4, 11 and 18, scheduled tentatively for 11am-3pm. Check out the City Market page on Facebook to keep up-to-date. Looking forward to it!

Food Notes for November 15, 2010

Last night, Mack and I attended the closing film of the Global Visions Film Festival. A Small Act tells the story of a Kenyan boy who was given the opportunity to continue onto secondary school because of a monthly donation made by a woman in Sweden. He now works at the United Nations. It was a reminder that our public education system should never be taken for granted, and to never doubt the possibilities created by any kind gestures, no matter the size. Onto this week’s food notes:

University of Alberta’s Environmental Research & Studies Centre is currently putting on a monthly lecture series titled “Welcome to the Food Futures”. Next up on November 18, 2010 is Robert Paarlberg, who will be speaking about “Alternative Paths to Global Food Security in 2050: Making the Right Choice.”
It’s that time of year to mark your calendar for holiday shopping options outside of malls: check out the Handmade Mafia at Orange Hall November 27, December 4 and 11; Just Christmas takes place on November 26-27 at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall; Make It takes over the Alberta Aviation Museum November 26-28; Royal Bison heads into its 9th edition November 27-28 at the Cosmopolitan Music Society; and a Winter World Market on December 11 from 10am-4pm at McCauley School (9538 107 Ave). And of course – don’t forget the farmers’ markets too!
Thanks for the heads up about the IHOP coming to town – from the looks of it, they will likely be open late this year or early next year.
Chris checked out Edmonton Cheese, the newest cheese monger in Edmonton.
Marianne and Charles stopped by the new south side location of Urban Diner last week.
Liane wrote about Press’d, a new-ish sandwich shop in City Centre.
Thanks to Vue Weekly, I now know that Edmonton has a popular South African deli in Betsy’s South African Deli.
I’ve always wondered what Christmas in November at the Jasper Park Lodge was like from a guests’s perspective – Valerie has helped me answer that question. It looks like a fabulous time!
Thought-provoking article BruleeBlog linked to about the financial impacts of Open Table’s monopoly on online reservations, from the mouth of Mark Pastore, owner of SF’s Incanto.
Though I mentioned it before, I actually passed by Pampa (9929 109 Street) over the weekend and snapped a photo. Look for the Brazilian churrascaria in 2011.

Pampa

One of my coworkers hosted a fundraising dinner to help send her two children on school trips this year. She did all of the cooking, alongside two of my other colleagues – the food, which included Indian, African and Caribbean dishes was fantastic. And what can we say about the African doughnuts? Mack and I had four each.

My plate (we went back for seconds)

The Good Food Box

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Eat Local First – both of their message to support local producers and businesses and of their initiatives, such as making it easier for consumers to identify locally-grown and -made products at some grocery stores. As such, I was interested to learn more about their most recent enterprise – The Good Food Box – a project that seeks to widen access to local products.

A sample Good Food Box

Targeting those who would like to support area farmers and businesses, but are perhaps short on time, the Good Food Box offers a variety of produce, dairy, meat, seafood, grains, prepared foods, baked goods, beverages and sweets for biweekly home delivery or pick-up (the online/phone order desk is open from Monday-Saturday, with products to be delivered the following Thursday/Friday). As Liane Faulder noted earlier this year, products are marked up to ensure the program’s sustainability, but the business is set up as a social enterprise, which means some profit works its way back into the community (at the moment, clients of the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers are the beneficiaries of 1% of the revenue, in the form of food baskets).

I think the Good Food Box is a great idea, and though they don’t deliver to our neighbourhood yet (a little curious since our street is home to the City Market during the warmer months, where one would assume interest would be ripe), my preference is still to buy directly from producers when possible so I am able to connect with them in person. Moreover, though I do plan meals in advance, ordering from the Box would mean having to think two weeks ahead – too far for what I am used to.

That said – it is a great option for those who aren’t able to get one of the few year-round markets open during the winter, or, in some cases, access products that aren’t available anywhere else.

The latter was the case for us this past week, wanting to incorporate, among other things, MoNa mushrooms into our housewarming party menu. And since we were able to travel to the Live Local warehouse on Thursday, we thought we’d give ordering a Good Food Box a shot.

The online order desk isn’t the most seamless website, but I found it easiest to click on the “all product list” to scan and select from. Though we ended up with a loaf of honey whole wheat from Prairie Mill, a bunch of gai lan and garlic from Peas on Earth, and cremini and shiitake mushrooms from MoNa, somehow, I expected a greater product variety from some vendors (such as more yogurt flavours from Bles-Wold). It’s also worth noting that none of the products were priced any higher than what I was used to paying at the farmers’ market – the bread was $5.75; the gai lan were $4; the pound of shiitakes were $10 – it made Mack and I both wonder how the Good Food Box was making money at all.

On Thursday evening, we had a heck of a time finding the Live Local warehouse at 5032 129 Avenue (for the record, it’s located at the end of the road in-between Queen Donair and the Salvation Army), but did reach it before it closed. It’s a non-descript storefront, but thankfully, had a Live Local-decaled vehicle parked out front.

Live Local!

Josh, the Project Manager of the Good Food Box, was kind enough to give us a tour while we were there. The highlight was definitely the walk-in cold storage, stacked with coolers ready to be delivered the next day (he said that right now, 150-200 orders are placed on average per week).

Full of good food

Along the perimeter of the cooler were bags of orders yet to be picked up that day, as well as some loose produce that didn’t make it into the week’s orders.

Fruit from Steve & Dan’s

Between the baskets and the storage space, it seemed that the warehouse could almost function as a retail shop (which would, of course, require some much more complicated logistics). Josh replied that this wasn’t the model they were operating in, though they realize the fact that because of the one week delay, they aren’t able to offer the “instant gratification” that a store would. Josh also said that they are working on developing a next-day delivery system to help encourage even more business.

Live Local First administrative area

Thanks again to Josh for the tour, and best of luck to the Good Food Box in the future!

Good Food Box
Order desk open from Monday at noon to midnight on Saturday
Delivery to select postal codes for a fee, or pick up at 5032 129 Avenue

Revisiting the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market

After October, farmers’ markets are harder to come by in Edmonton. Thankfully, in the past few years, Salisbury and the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Markets have joined the year-round fray. And while Old Strathcona has been our go-to source for local food in the winter months, Mack and I had wanted to revisit Alberta Avenue for some time (I stopped by back in June). We finally had the chance to do so this past Thursday.

Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market

While fairly centrally located at 93 Street and 118 Avenue (and just one bus from downtown), the market’s hours of 2-7 p.m. make it a little challenging for those who don’t live or work in the area to patronize it before closing. That might be changing in the future, however – Mary Ellen Gruneberg of Greens, Eggs and Ham (who joined the market after the conclusion of the City Market this year) is on the steering committee, and said they are strongly considering shifting the hours to 4-8 p.m.

Mary Ellen behind the always welcoming GEH table

That said, it may not be the hours alone that are keeping shoppers away. While nearly half of the thirty vendors last Thursday were food vendors, the majority of those were selling prepared food.

Inside Alberta Avenue Community Hall (love the festive balloons!)

Of course there is a place for crafts and ready-to-eat food, and there should be a balance between fresh goods and other merchandise. But with no produce besides what Greens, Eggs and Ham was offering that day, I can see that as a deterrent for some would-be shoppers (you can check out the list of weekly vendors here – it is updated late Wednesday/early Thursday).

That said, as Mary Ellen pointed out, it’s a bit of a chicken-egg argument – without a strong customer base, farmers will not consider Alberta Avenue as a viable option – making the trip has to be worthwhile for them. At the same time, without interesting products, customers will choose to take their business elsewhere – to Salisbury, or Old Strathcona, for example.

Some producers are optimistic that the tide will be turning soon, however. Rosemarie Jordan of Rainbow Covenant Ranch also moved to the Alberta Avenue market at the close of the City Market (she sells wagyu beef, prized for its marbled nature). She said some weeks are slow, but as customers become more familiar with her beef, she is confident that sales will improve. I bought some of her breakfast sausages to try – they’re her top selling product!

Rosemarie from Rainbow Covenant Ranch

Other vendors were brand new – Amanda and Jessica (aka The Chocolate Doctors – their business cards are too cute) were selling vegan-friendly, raw chocolate. After switching to a raw diet (one where foods are not heated beyond 46 °C), they weren’t able to find any chocolate to suit their specifications, so decided to make their own. In my opinion, niche-products like theirs are perfect for farmers’ markets – at least until they are able to find other outlets to sell their chocolate.

The Chocolate Doctors!

We also chatted with Katarina of Red Barn Pekin Duck (it’s a wonder that such a small market has not one, but two duck purveyors). Katarina had a small slow cooker with samples of roasted duck ready to offer customers – she said most people were not very accustomed to eating farm-raised duck, so it was helpful to be able to introduce people to the taste.

Katarina of Red Barn Pekin Duck

Mack and I will be making more of an effort to incorporate a visit to Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market during our work week – and we hope you will consider doing so as well – there’s definitely a need to have more year-round markets in our city!

Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market
118 Avenue & 93 Street
Open Thursdays, 2-7 p.m.

Baby (Sushi) Steps: Mikado

Ellen was shocked when she found out I had an aversion to Japanese food. Well, at least to “authentic” Japanese food (on the off-chance colleagues or friends choose to dine in a Japanese restaurant, I’m probably happier than I should be with an order of chicken teriyaki and tempura). Ellen had lived in Japan teaching English for a few years, and understandably, grew to love the cuisine. She wanted to share that appreciation with me, and with an able guide, I was willing to experiment.

We agreed to meet at the downtown location of Mikado – one of Ellen’s favourite Japanese restaurants in the city – and fortuitously, within walking distance of where I live. On a Saturday afternoon, it was also much busier than I had expected, but then again, with three successful branches in Edmonton (the newest and most modern in the west end), that shouldn’t have been a surprise.

We were seated in a cozy booth that conveyed a sense of privacy, perfect for catching up, as well as completing the trials at hand that day. Service was pleasant throughout our stay – and though the colourful garments that enrobed some of the servers were visually appealing, I’m not sure they were necessary.

I was most excited about what was essentially Japanese pub food. We asked about okonomiyaki (a Japanese pancake of sorts), but unfortunately, rumours about this location serving it off-menu were unfounded. Still, an order of deep-fried tofu and chicken kara-age was a good introduction to dishes in this category, and we supplemented our meal with several other plates, including (drumroll please) raw fish.

The fried tofu ($5.95) turned out to be my favourite dish, likely because it was the least foreign, and is something I really enjoy regardless of its preparation. The salty, almost umami tempura broth gave it a nice depth, and I loved the shredded seaweed garnish – so pretty.

Deep-fried Tofu

Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for the chicken kara-age ($8.95) – they were comparable to dry ribs, but too dry and without much flavour.

Chicken kara-age

Ellen made fun of how I squealed when certain dishes came out – the plating was certainly a marvel to me. The spinach goma-ae ($5.95) was a good example, particularly as quantity seemed to go by the wayside in favour of presentation. The black sesame dressing underneath each spinach bundle was tasty, but I’m not sure I would order it again; I was just left wanting more.

Spinach goma-ae

Ellen chose an order of “dragon eyes” ($11.95) to ease me into sushi, knowing my squeamishness for raw seafood. Though Mack probably still wouldn’t try it (he despises seaweed), the combination of the cooked salmon, the light coating of batter, and slightly sour sushi rice was enjoyable. But then again – a bath in hot oil will improve the appeal of almost anything.

Dragon eyes (the spicy, rich dressing underneath was delicious)

But the moment of truth – my encounter with the raw. I saved my pieces of sake (salmon) and toro (tuna belly) for last – partly to psych myself up, but partly because of dread. My first bite of sake was comical – without warning Ellen, I sank into half of the roll, without first dipping it into the soy sauce/wasabi mixture (I had no idea eating sushi was so complicated). Granted, it did allow me to experience the marked improvement the condiments had on bringing out the flavour of the fish.

Serious chopstick/sushi fail! (Ellen warned me not to let the rice touch the sauce, which is of course what I promptly did)

Between the two types – toro was definitely my favourite, but only marginally so. Although Ellen tried to convince me of the creaminess of the belly, it was still difficult to overcome my psychological aversion to raw fish. As I chewed, the dialogue between my brain and my taste receptors was more of a one-sided taunt than a conversation: “What are you eating? Why are you eating that? Keep chewing…it’s not like the texture is getting any better…Can you smell it? It tastes like the ocean. You hate the ocean! Say it with me, ‘fish is meant to be cooked’…” and so on.

Sake and toro

Overall, it was a fun afternoon, even if it wasn’t wholly successful – of course it wasn’t realistic to think I would be converted in one instance. The big victory to me, however, is the fact that should I find myself in a Japanese restaurant in the future, I would actually feel comfortable ordering something beyond a bento box – thanks, Ellen!

Mikado
10350 109 Street (2 other locations)
(780)425-8096

Culinary Q & A with Jeff Samsonow

Occupation: Non-profit broadcasting coordinator/Editor-in-Chief of theedmontonian.com

What did you eat today?

For breakfast: Coffee (Some Level Ground Peruvian medium blend)
Some delicious bacon cooked in the oven, and bought at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market from First Nature Farms. A banana.

Lunch: Minestrone and a two-cheese sandwich from Bistro 112. This is my (day-job) work coffee place and I’m grateful to have it so close. A couple of crunchy B.C. apples (forget which kind).

Dinner: At The Hat
Canadian sliders (double-smoked bacon, chedder and monteray jack cheeses, yum)
Caesar salad (with more double-smoked bacon)
Amber’s Brewing’s Australian Mountain Pepper Berry

What do you never eat?

I’m not a fan of artichoke.

What is your personal specialty?

I’m becoming fond of a 3-cheese macaroni and cheese recipe we found in a clean living magazine. I also dig roasted chicken and gravy as per Jamie Oliver’s specs.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Orange Juice. We love orange juice.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Chicken and rice. The chicken cut and preparation may vary, but it seems like we tend to have these two items on hand quite a lot. Bless our steamer.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

The good knife. (We have two cutting/chopping knives and one is better.)

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

It’s going to be an amazing steak, with lots of baked potatoes (and butter), peas and bacon, and a bottle of red wine. (Yes a whole bottle. The world’s ending.)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

It used to be the old Next Act. Now, we’ve been in flux. So, I’m open to people’s ideas. (Since I started writing this e-mail I’ve found we’ve been to The Pour House a handful of times – it’s the old Flavours.)

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Madison’s Grill (I say that even though I haven’t been in some time.)

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’m going to go with New York City. It seems like the kind of place I could actually get a taste of most of the world’s food.

As Jeff mentioned, he is the EIC of The Edmontonian – my go-to website to get a round-up of the day’s headlines.

Food Notes for November 8, 2010

It was a bit of a whirlwind week at work – a (too) tight proposal deadline (thankfully, we made it), and my first ever (co)presentation at a conference (it went really well!). Unfortunately, this wasn’t the storm – instead, it is the beginning of a month-long sprint…but at least there’s Christmas to look forward to! Onto this week’s food notes:

I am so looking forward to the Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up on Churchill Square. Not only is the 5pm fireworks show one of the best in the city, but this year, expect nearly 50 City Market vendors, starting at 11 a.m. Hope to see you there!
The Local Food Values Chain workshop is being held on November 19, 2010. RSVP by November 12.
Congrats to November’s Delux Burger Celebrity Chef, Jerry Aulenbach! Chris has some great photos of the launch at the Bourbon Street Delux on Friday.
Nick Lees mentioned last week that Corso 32, Daniel Costa’s new restaurant at 10345 Jasper Avenue should be open at the end of this month. It’ll be nice to have another option close by.
Saturday’s Journal mentioned a new-ish south Indian restaurant called Shudh (3464 93 Street).
Liane wrote about her new favourite hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Won Jung Gak in the Journal last week – I would imagine it has been inundated with new customers in the same way Bubba’s BBQ and Smoke House was following its review.
Both the Journal and Twyla reviewed The Marc – in the former, I liked the honesty from Patrick Saurette that things “take a long time to come together”. So short of their signature dishes like their beef cheek and lamb shank, it’s likely the loyal patrons that are the repeat customers at this point.
Twyla also reviewed Battista’s Calzones, a new restaurant on Alberta Avenue – it sounds delicious, I hope to try it soon!
We are very lucky to have our very own local test kitchen – aka Valerie’s home. This past week, she experimented with duck vs. chicken egg crème brulee.
A great gift for the person in your life that strives to cook sustainably: the Ocean Wise cookbook.
Is a Kobe beef burger not upscale enough for you? How about shaved white truffles on your burger then – and all for just $45!
Bon Appetit just announced their new Editor-in-Chief, to replace long time editor Barbara Fairchild: Adam Rapoport comes from a pedigree that most recently included a decade at GQ.
The brown paper has finally gone up at the newest location of Bistro Praha. The countdown to December begins for fans of this restaurant!

Coming soon…

Kathryn and I had lunch at Culina Millcreek this week. They changed the ham & cheese sandwich ($13) since my last lunch visit – I loved the Sylvan Star cheese, and couldn’t believe the amount of roasted pork in my sandwich. And of course – the sweetness from the Prairie Mill raisin bread just elevated the sandwich that much more. Kathryn equally enjoyed her house sandwich

Ham & cheese with vegetable barley soup

House sandwich

You know Christmas is coming soon when Starbucks releases their annual Red Cup! I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of the designs this year, but I love the season that this ushers in!

2010 Red Cup

Mack and I had a great time at Kat Danser’s concert on Friday night – she just released her third CD, called Passin’-a-Time. It was fun to be able to attend the show with a few other coworkers! It was also our first time at the Arden Theatre, which we found to be a beautiful venue.

Inside the Arden Theatre

Me, Swamy and Kathryn (we’re going to miss Swamy – she’s leaving us for a volunteer placement in Peru with CUSO in two weeks)

The coolest “perk” about presenting at the conference this weekend was to be able to get a glimpse of the Royal Suite on the 23rd floor at the Crowne Plaza (it served as the hospitality room for presenters) – I had no idea Chateau Lacombe even had a balcony!

Gorgeous view – the photo doesn’t quite do it justice

The Cooking Chronicles: Cold Weather Comfort

It’s a little comical to me that every time I seem to get to posting about cold weather comfort foods, it actually ends up being unseasonably warm outside. Not that I’m complaining or anything – I’d welcome a continuation of such mild weather well into December! Anyway – should the temperatures start to drop again, I’ll likely be drawn again to dishes similar to the two below.

Potato and Leek Soup

A recipe for Molly Katzen’s potato and leek soup was a recent recommendation from Marilyn, and easily incorporated mostly local produce – leeks from Kuhlmann’s, potatoes from Greens, Eggs and Ham, carrots from Sundog Organic, and, well, celery from Superstore.

Pureed soups look so much nicer in the pre-blender stage

I loved the consistency of the soup, achieved from the addition of milk instead of cream, and the ratio of the liquid to puree in this recipe. Sometimes I crave the stick-to-your-ribs kind of soup, but not on that night.

Potato and leek soup

Chic Macaroni and Cheese

Though our favourite macaroni and cheese recipe is courtesy of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I was curious about a recipe for chic macaroni and cheese that was printed in the Journal a few weeks ago – not only did it call for eggs, but evaporated milk instead of cream. The only modification I made was doubling the amount of pasta – it seemed a little absurd to use just 1.5 cups of macaroni to 6 cups of cheese.

Chic macaroni and cheese (I’ve got to get a new brand of panko – it never seems to brown for me)

The addition of eggs meant the macaroni and cheese resembled a casserole. It was cheesy, but not in the creamy, saucy way that I prefer (I realize it may also have had something to do with my cheese-to-pasta shift). It was all right, but next time the mac and cheese craving hits, you better believe I’ll be “Triple D”-ing it up again!

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