Author: Sharon Yeo

Sharon is an Edmonton-based blogger who has been writing about food since 2006.

Recap: Edmonton Culinaire Treasure Hunt

My friends Su and Allison are food scavenger hunt veterans, having competed in three previous contests in Calgary. The hunts sounded like a lot of fun, so when Culinaire Magazine (newly expanded in scope from covering Calgary to all of Alberta) announced an Edmonton treasure hunt, I jumped on board (and dragged Mack along with me).

We decided to join forces with Su and Allison so they could pass along the wisdom they’ve gained from experience. Our team also had the added efficiency of carpooling!

September 10 was a busy Saturday – one that saw the four of us start our morning at the Rogers Place open house. Although this was a chosen detour, Su and Allison hoped that Culinaire had adopted one of their recommendations from previous hunts – that clues should be distributed to the 50 odd teams at the same time for an equitable start, instead of first come, first served. Unfortunately, nothing had changed for this hunt.

Culinaire Hunt

Culinaire editor-in-chief Linda Garson kicks off the hunt at the Italian Centre

Some had really great themed costumes (I loved the team dressed to the nines in 1940s attire), but Su’s great idea was to wear our What the Truck?! shirts and vests so we could promote the last event of the year.

Culinaire Hunt

#TeamHighViz and #TeamWTT

While enjoying complimentary coffees and chocolate croissants from the Italian Centre, we settled down to solve the clues. Su and Allison recommended that we map the 30 destinations in order to plan our route, starting from the furthest out and working our way back to Pampa downtown, where the hunt would end. The Treasure Hunt regulations did express the need for a vehicle, and once we mapped everything, it was clear why – stops were as spread out at Nisku and St. Albert. Even though we decided to skip Nisku (and ran out of time before we could get to St. Albert), we ended up doing quite a bit of driving.

Fort Edmonton Park

Fort Edmonton Park was the most picturesque stop

Another requirement was a phone with internet access, which made sense for GPS purposes. However, I never expected clues that would need to be googled word for word. The most egregious of these was the following: “the latest restaurant to erupt within walking distance of the new arena.” I thought of multiple restaurants that could fit this description (“walking distance” being subjective, notwithstanding): Joey’s Bell Tower, Baijiu in the Mercer Warehouse, Buco in the Epcor Tower, Bottega on 104 Street. The answer? Bundok in Fox One, as lifted directly from one of Liane’s posts.

Culinaire Hunt 2016

Chef Ryan Hotchkiss at Bundok

At any rate, we had many favourite stops, memorable for different reasons. Canova, located just north of the Yellowhead by the train tracks, is one we would have never discovered without this activity. Formerly DeFazio Gourmet, Canova vended at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market, in addition to this retail location. The cornetti (vanilla cream-filled crescent) was delicious and one of the best things we ate all day.

Culinaire Hunt 2016

Making pedal-powered smoothies at Earth’s General Store

D’Amores Mercato was on my list to visit for some time, and this event was just the excuse I needed. I knew they had a small food service operation, but what I didn’t realize was the fact that they are well-stocked with Italian basics and frozen pasta options. The staff were also wonderful as they helped us with the challenge of crafting our own pizzas – it was the type of service that will garner return visits.

Culinaire Hunt

Making pizza at D’Amores Mercato

Prairie Noodle Shop put some thought into their activity that saw each one of us tasked with peeling the perfect hard boiled egg. To help us with this, we were shown a nifty technique that none of us had been exposed to before, involving a spoon to separate the shell from the white. It was a neat tip, and based on that brief interaction, Mack (who has never before dined at Prairie Noodle), remarked that he would be back.

Culinaire Hunt 2016

Learning how to peel eggs at Prairie Noodle

Some stops provided a financial incentive to return – Cured, for instance, provided a very generous $25 gift card per pair. The City Market, also hoping to lure back customers, gave each participant a $5 gift certificate. With those amounts alone, we had earned back more than half of the $65 team registration fee.

RGE RD

Allison and I are stumped at RGE RD

For the most part, establishments were mainstream in nature. It would have been great to see more ethnic establishments chosen as stops.

In case you were wondering, we made it to 25 of the 30 destinations, which wasn’t good enough to beat two teams that visited 29 locations. But in this case, we were satisfied with the journey – we had a great time with Su and Allison over the course of the day, and experienced what a culinary scavenger hunt could look like in Edmonton. Thanks to Culinaire for putting on the event, and to Su and Allison for letting us join forces!

Food Notes for October 10, 2016

While Mack and I did have a great time in the Okanagan, it was a bit of a shock to come back to sub-zero temperatures! Thankfully, we’ve had a few days to adjust to the weather before heading back to work. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with loved ones! On to this week’s food notes:

  • Celebrate World Food Day with a screening of Seed at the Edmonton Food Bank on October 16, 2016. A Q & A will follow, featuring two local farmers. The event is free, but donations for the food bank are encouraged.
  • The second annual YEG Coffee Week runs October 14-22, 2016. Learn home brewing tips, how to create latte art, and enjoy coffee-based cocktails, among other things.
  • Speaking of coffee, Earth’s General Store is hosting a home coffee roasting workshop on October 18, 2016.
  • If you plan on eating out on October 19, 2016, consider choosing RGE RD or The Common, the two Edmonton establishments participating in Restaurants for Change. Proceeds from their dinner service will be donated to Community Food Centres Canada.
  • Just in time for the holidays, Cavern’s next wine and cheese school runs November 6 and 20, 2016 at $75 per person.
  • Keep an eye out for Malt & Mortar, a forthcoming bar on Whyte located at 10416 82 Avenue.
  • Expect Doughnut Party, Moonshine Doughnut’s storefront location, to open in December at Holland Plaza (109 Avenue & 120 Street).
  • McLeod Tavern (the rebranded Hundred Bar & Kitchen at 10009 101A Avenue) is now open.
  • Thanks to Su for the tip that Meiningful Fusion Restaurant is also open, at 10338 81 Avenue.
  • North 53 is now offering Sunday brunch!
  • Twyla doesn’t hold back any punches on her review of Nuovo, the Italian restaurant located in the former Dovetail Deli space.
  • On the flip side, the Journal had a near perfect experience at Bar Clementine.
  • The Journal also reviewed the Jamaican cuisine served up by Island Grill on the city’s west end.
  • Andrea is the latest to check out Cafe Linnea.
  • Sharman shares 5 of her favourite Downtown lunch deals.
  • I missed linking to the Globe’s piece about Edmonton’s robust pizza scene.
  • Vue Weekly takes a tour of two places where you can satisfy your perogy craving.
  • Liane profiles Scarf, a website that connects home cooks with those who are looking for home cooked meals. She mentions that Alberta Health Services is looking into Scarf, as cooks wouldn’t qualify for the necessary permits if operating outside of a commercial kitchen.
  • Jason Foster wrote a thoughtful piece reflecting on his role in the Prairie beer scene – clarifying why he chooses to write profiles of brewers and shies away from negative reviews.
  • Phil’s most recent Community Table Project shares a recipe for sugar pumpkin pie.
  • Did you know there is an Edmonton honey co-op made up of small, local beekeepers, from which you can purchase honey produced from particular neighbourhoods?
  • Save the date: Eat Alberta will be returning with a full day of workshops next year on April 23, 2017.
  • The New York Times discovered that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving, too! The article features regional recipes from each of the provinces and territories.
  • The last City Market of the season ended on a snowy note. I’m thankful for all of the vendors who toughed out the conditions! Next week, the City Market moves indoors to City Hall. To celebrate, they’ll be handing out $5 market bucks to the first 200 shoppers on October 15!

Snowy City Market

The City Market on Saturday

Food Notes for September 26, 2016

It’s finally time for vacation! Mack and I will be heading to the Okanagan later this week, hoping to put some of Jennifer’s recommendations to good use. A heads up that there won’t be a Food Notes post next week. On to this week’s food notes:

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Would you pay for flavoured water?

  • The City Market only has two more outdoor markets to go! Make sure to take it in before the leaves are all gone.

City Market

City Market

  • Edmonton is getting a second location of South St. Burger in the Brewery District.

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South St. Burger

  • My sister Felicia and I stopped by Noodle Bar by Nomiya in Oliver Square (11238 104 Avenue) for their soft launch on Saturday. We enjoyed the miso and spicy garlic miso ramen that we tried, but the standout was the sticky chicken, made of lightly fried dark meat coated with a subtly sweet sauce and crushed peanuts. It’s great to finally have a ramen bar within walking distance of home – the location opens to the public on September 27.

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Miso ramen from Noodle Bar by Nomiya

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Sticky chicken

  • After dinner, we stopped by Petit Nuit (a smaller version of the art festival Nuit Blanche), where we each picked up a whimsical lantern from the Northern Lights Mini Mart, an installation by Rhonda Trevor and Weppler Mahovsky. I couldn’t resist the KD!

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With our lanterns at Petit Nuit

  • It was a beautiful day on Sunday for the last What the Truck?! of the season. I enjoyed La Mar’s fish tacos among the fall leaves.

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Fish tacos from La Mar

Lazia Rebranded: Riz

While there’s no doubt the rise of Rogers Place has led to a number of new restaurants hoping to capitalize on related foot traffic, Riz Asian Kitchen is the first to rebrand in order to do so.

Lazia has been a Downtown staple for more than a dozen years, but owner Richard Lim thought it was time for a refresh. The website heralds the pedway connections between the Ice District and Edmonton City Centre where Riz is located (though to be honest, the ongoing construction in the mall might be a deterrent to some would-be patrons). Commenting that there was no better time than the present to remind diners of the space, Richard commissioned CK Designs (the same firm behind the Downtown mega bar applications) to redesign the restaurant. Given the tight turnaround time of several days, much of the same structure is intact, but the colour scheme has been muted to a palette of neutrals. In some ways, it’s now less distinctive than its other casual upscale competitors.

Mack and I were invited to enjoy a complimentary meal on September 6 when Riz opened to the public. The meaning behind the new name comes from the French word for "rice", and speaks to the fusion cuisine still present on their menu.

The menu, featuring sweeping Asian-inspired flavours from Korea to Thailand to India, does appeal to broad tastes, and includes some on-trend dishes including their interpretation of ramen. That said, they have some mainstream items on the menu, such as a basic burger and a Philly cheese steak. What does set the menu apart is the price – a majority of mains ring in under $20, making it an economical contender against the competition.

We shared the roti canai (so popular at East they had to migrate the item over to Riz), served with a curry dipping sauce.

RIZ

Roti canai

Mack’s panko-breaded Japanese fish and chips didn’t have a noticeable Asian flair, except for a disjointed slaw comprised of noodles and carrots. He enjoyed it well enough, but thought it could have more readily lived up to the cuisine that inspired it.

RIZ

Japanese fish and chips

I ordered the duck curry ramen. It was a very heavy dish; I would have preferred a slightly thinner broth as I laboured to finish it by the end. The flavours were good – the confit duck was delicious and married with the curry well. The yuzu red peppers were on the tart side, but they were a welcome pop given the richness of the soup.

RIZ

Duck curry ramen

The service that evening was top notch, but given most in the restaurant that day were family, friends and media, it was somewhat expected.

Richard and his team have the experience to help draw in the crowds; only time will tell what will play well with the concert and hockey fans making the trek downtown. I wish Riz the best in the months to come – thanks again for having us!

Riz
10200 102 Ave, A113 (Edmonton City Centre Mall)
(780) 990-0188
Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-1am, Sunday 11am-11pm

Weekend Getaway: Exploring Rocky Mountain House

Mack and I are fall vacationers, more than content to make the most of our short but glorious Edmonton summers kicking back and attending local festivals. But this year, I felt the need to interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with a long weekend away at the end of August.

Hoping for a getaway that didn’t involve too much time in a vehicle, I literally googled "Central Alberta bed and breakfasts". This led us to Prairie Creek Inn, located about 15 minutes south of Rocky Mountain House. It’s a part of the province neither of us had visited before, and located just two and a half hours away from Edmonton, it seemed to be a reasonable distance to travel for a rejuvenating weekend.

Prairie Creek Inn

Prairie Creek Inn

Prairie Creek Inn offers an environment ideal to quietly reconnect with the outdoors, unplug from the demands of staying connected, and enjoy the company of your fellow travellers. Though most of the other guests were couples as well, there were also a number of young families on the property during our stay.

Prairie Creek Inn

Prairie Creek

Our room was very cozy, and featured a sunny deck with Adirondack chairs from which we could hear the rushing creek. There are also two fire pits for guest use, and ample lawn for outdoor pursuits for humans and dogs alike.

Prairie Creek Inn

I could get used to this

Breakfasts, of course, were included, with a small continental selection of freshly baked muffins and house-made granola and yogurt. One chef’s choice was also offered, and during our stay included a baked omelette one morning and cream cheese-stuffed French toast on another. The restaurant, perched atop a hill, offered great views of the lush property in a dining room lined with windows.

Prairie Creek Inn

View from Heartstone Restaurant

Given the distance from town, we also elected to have suppers at the restaurant as well. The menu isn’t varied enough to enjoy too many consecutive meals, but it was fine for two nights. The salmon, served with lemon dill beurre blanc, was my favourite of the mains we tried.

Prairie Creek Inn

Salmon with lemon dill beurre blanc

During the day, we made it out to the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site. It’s probably something I should have known, having lived in Alberta all of my life, but I didn’t realize that Rocky Mountain House is actually quite distant from the Rocky Mountains. It began as a fur trading post (located on the North Saskatchewan River), and also served as a launching point for explorers such as mapmaker David Thompson.

Rock Mountain House Historic Site

Trails

For just $3.90 per adult, we were granted access to a well-maintained interpretive centre and two hiking trails. One trail featured interpreters at a makeshift Metis camp and blacksmith shop.

Rock Mountain House Historic Site

Blacksmith demonstration

The other involved a riverside hike which was lovely even in the damp conditions. And though I was initially skeptical of the Parks Canada #sharethechair campaign, I’ve been won over since.

Rocky Mountain House Historic Site

Sharing the chairs

Mack was particularly looking forward to the wildlife we might encounter. But the closest we got on that hike (and the rest of the weekend) was some gophers and penned-in bison.

Rock Mountain House Historic Site

“Wild”life

We also visited downtown Rocky Mountain House. Quite the opposite of Lacombe, whose downtown was busy and vibrant, the main streets of Rocky were deserted, littered with empty storefronts.

Rocky Mountain House

Nicely streetscaped, but deserted

On our way back home, we detoured somewhat to visit Crescent Falls. The views from the top of the gorge are pretty spectacular, but trails here make it possible to get even closer to the water’s edge.

Crescent Falls

Nearing Crescent Falls

Crescent Falls

Crescent Falls

Not being the most adventurous spirit, it was a bit of a stretch for me to hike down a cliff that involved the use of ropes, but it was worth it to get out of my comfort zone (and realize the benefit hiking boots would provide).

Crescent Falls

We made it!

We stopped in Nordegg for some provisions before the journey home. With a population of 200, this isn’t a full service town, so we didn’t expect the crowd we encountered at one of its few restaurants. Miner’s Cafe, located in the Nordegg Museum, was packed with regulars and families passing through. Known for its homemade pies (they sold over 1,000 this year), we enjoyed a slice of strawberry rhubarb with a generous scoop of ice cream on the side.  It’s only open during the summer months, and is now closed for the season.

Miner's Cafe

Miner’s Cafe

While we’re happy that we can tick Rocky Mountain House off our list of places visited, there are still more sites in Alberta to explore!

Food Notes for September 19, 2016

And just like that, it’s fall. Make sure you enjoy the golden trees while they’re still around to be admired. On to this week’s food notes:

  • Little Brick is hosting a Fall Festival on September 21, 2016 from 5-9pm. Check out their seasonal menu featuring mulled wine.
  • Lexus South Pointe is hosting a Fall Food Festival on September 22, 2016. Linda previews what you can expect and is also giving out some tickets to the festival.
  • The final What the Truck?! event takes place this Sunday, September 25, 2016 at Churchill Square from 2-7pm. Say goodbye to summer with 25 trucks – plan your visit with these menus.
  • The Edmonton Oktoberfest runs September 30 – October 1, 2016 at Northlands, with beer and food samples.
  • Bar Clementine is now open at 11957 Jasper Avenue.
  • Northern Chicken will be moving into the spot vacated by Relish, at 10704 124 Street. They hope to open in mid-October.
  • The Journal reviewed Cafe Linnea.
  • The Sun and Vue Weekly both enjoyed Have Mercy to varying degrees.
  • Jonny put forth a spate of reviews, for LETS Grill, Karlen Cafe & Smokehouse, Soy & Pepper, Quickly, and Afra BBQ & Grill.
  • S’wich, one of Edmonton’s longer-standing food trucks, has ceased operations. Lex will be moving on to lead the kitchen at Baijiu.
  • The Tomato reports that Chef Nathin Bye has moved on from Ampersand 27.
  • Phil’s latest Community Table Project features Inspiration Gnocchi.
  • Congratulations to Reclaim Urban Farm founders Ryan Mason and Cathryn Sprague on their Alumni Innovation Awards from the University of Alberta. The two met at the university while studying environmental sociology.
  • Though we’re never quite as far along as New York, there is still some truth to Eater’s “What’s Wrong with Restaurants Today”.
  • A toast to Tina Faiz and Leanne Brown, the authors of Edmonton Cooks! I attended a lovely book launch this evening at Duchess Provisions (where we were treated to lovely bites from the book, and generous drinks poured by bartenders from North 53 and Baijiu). The public launch of Edmonton Cooks is taking place at Provisions on September 24 at 1pm.

Baijiu

Cognac West cocktail served at tonight’s book launch

Food Notes for September 12, 2016

It’s wonderful to live in a city where your entertainment choices over the weekend are countless; I hope you were able to make the most of the break too! On to this week’s food notes:

  • Tickets for the first Meals on Wheels Beers & Bands fundraiser at Yellowhead Brewery are still available. Chefs from Meals on Wheels will be preparing the food, and brewery tours are on tap. Tickets are $40. As a side note, the organization has served over 1 million meals since 2010.
  • Chinatown will be hosting a Moonlight Carnival on September 16, 2016 from 5-11pm as a part of Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. If you ever wanted to learn how to make moon cakes (the traditional baked treat enjoyed during this holiday), consider taking a class at Garden Bakery on September 17. Tickets are $18 for adults.
  • The insanely-popular Hip Hop Brunch at The Common will be taking place September 18, 2016, from 11am-3pm. Go early.
  • The next Food 4 Good Collective Kitchen will run on September 23, 2016 from 1-3pm. The cost is $5 for 4 servings of food.
  • Beercade, located at 10544 82 Avenue, boasts 50 beers on tap and 80 vintage pinball machines and arcade games – they’re hosting their grand opening party on September 16-17, 2016. (Thanks to Su for the heads up!)
  • The latest arena-related restaurant announcement is Vivo Ristorante’s expansion into a vacant two-story building at 10505 106 Street.
  • There’s also activity in the former Starbucks storefront in Quest (104 Avenue & 105 Street), with signage advertising Montreal Hot Dogs, a franchise of The Montreal Smoked Meat Original.
  • The Journal has an overview of what will be available at Rogers Place. Although I visited during the open house on Saturday, most of their specialty items weren’t on display. Basic concession items, including hot dogs ($5.25), cheeseburgers ($9) and water ($5) were being sold.
  • Choped Canada winner Chef Shelley Robinson will be heading up the restaurants of the neighbouring Grand Villa Casino.
  • Arena-goers shouldn’t forget about Sofra, or its underground sister restaurant The Cellar, which was just reviewed by the Journal.
  • Jonny stopped by Little Brick to try some of their lunch dishes.
  • Sugared and Spiced just launched their BoostR campaign today, with the hopes of raising $20,000 towards opening a storefront bakery. As I’m typing this, they’ve already raised nearly $15,000 of that goal.
  • Although Eats on 118 is already sold out, hopefully the success means even more events in the future! Vue Weekly highlights this initiative to encourage more foot traffic on Alberta Avenue.
  • Avenue wrote a retrospective on the last ten years of dining in Edmonton, as a part of their decade in print.
  • Congratulations to The Tomato, who just celebrated 20 years in print.
  • Will the Whole Foods in Edmonton ever open? Liane investigated but didn’t find any concrete answers.
  • In related news, Sherwood Park will be getting a Planet Organic store.
  • A belated happy 25 year anniversary to Earth’s General Store!
  • Phil’s newest Community Table Project is Parkallen Kitchen Jacquie’s Grand-Maman’s baked beans.
  • Elyse tried Chefs Plate meal kits, and found it to be a nice break from meal planning.
  • I’m not sure the world really needed Chalet sauce flavoured Lays chips, but to each their own.
  • The Chinese Benevolent Association put on a beautiful Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in Churchill Square on Saturday, which ended with a wish boat launch in the City Hall pool. This year, Mack and I were early enough to purchase boats to make wishes too!

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Mid-Autumn Festival wishing boat launch

  • I neglected to include a photo of the gorgeous Duchess Atelier teaching kitchen last week. It’s separated by a glass wall from Duchess Provisions, so you might be able to spy on some aspiring bakers during your next visit.

Duchess Provisions

Duchess Atelier

  • Public announcement: Pho Tau Bay reopened from their annual summer vacation after the September long weekend.

Pho Tau Bay

My usual

Maze Runners and Marsh Explorers: Edmonton Corn Maze and Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

It’s been six years since Mack and I last visited the Edmonton Corn Maze located in Spruce Grove. Over the September long weekend, we were looking at some outdoor attractions to explore, and it seemed like a good time as any to return.

Edmonton Corn Maze

The Edmonton Corn Maze

Over the past few years, the Corn Maze has grown to encompass activities outside of the maze itself, and now features a petting zoo, jumping pillows, and spud guns. We encountered more people in these areas than in the maze, so it’s definitely a place where families can spend the better part of a day. Admission has also changed in this time, likely to cover the expanded fun; in 2010, we had a Groupon offer that discounted admission to $8 for two people. In 2016, the cost is $12 per adult.

Edmonton Corn Maze

Petting zoo

A visit to the maze when the stalks are still in their prime makes a huge difference to the overall experience. I’d recommend checking it out in the next few weeks while the corn is still standing tall.

Edmonton Corn Maze

Exploring the maze

As we have in the past, we used one of the question guides to help us navigate through the ten checkpoints in the maze. Mack was annoyed that there were several errors in the Edmonton trivia (including a misspelled “Blanchford” Field and the incorrect fact that West Edmonton Mall is still the largest mall in North America), but it was all in good fun.

Edmonton Corn Maze

Mack in the maze

Never wanting to waste a trip outside of the city, Mack had looked up a nearby park just 10 minutes away from the Corn Maze in Parkland County. The Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary is a 28 acre wetland preserve that is open to the public.

Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

It features a combination of meadows, treed areas and marshes. Because of the marshy terrain, some of the trails are built on elevated boardwalks, making it an ideal place to walk after a rainstorm (as in, most of this summer, it seems).

Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

Elevated boardwalks

We only encountered a handful of people on our way through, and stopped frequently along the way to look for wildlife and listen for birds.

Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

A place to recharge

In many ways, this volunteer-run park is better equipped with benches, garbage cans, and a restroom than many City of Edmonton parks we visit.

Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary

Big sky

The Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary is a gem not to be missed, especially if you’re in the area!

Recap: 2016 Alberta Open Farm Days with Northlands

Last year, Mack and I were invited to enjoy a long table dinner in the evening at Northlands Urban Farm during Alberta Open Farm Days. This year, we decided to spend most of the day with them.

For just $5 per person, Northlands had organized bus tours that would visit Edmonton-area farms. Mack and I signed up for the morning tour, which featured Gold Forest Grains and Horse Hill Berry Farm.

We boarded the coach across the street from Northlands Urban Farm, joining about two dozen other people already on the bus. Quite a few of them had been on the tours led by Northlands the year prior. Although both farms we visited were open to the public that day, it was a much more efficient means of transportation to go with a group – if they decide to organize a third year of tours I can only hope even more people take advantage of this deal.

Gold Forest Grains

Gold Forest Grains

Gold Forest Grains has been a fixture at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market for many years. John Schneider and his family grow heritage and ancient varieties of certified organic grain on 300 acres near Morinville. Unlike other grain farmers, who typically have to farm between 2000-3500 acres, they can make it work on a smaller scale by selling directly to consumers.

Gold Forest Grains

John Schneider

Gold Forest Grains mills their own flour (they had a small hand mill on display, but most is done in large quantities now), but they offer value-added products as well. For many, their introduction to Gold Forest Grains is through their excellent pancake mix or Sturgeon River Cereal. John also mentioned that they continue to experiment with other varieties, including corn he obtained from local farmer Deb Krause that matures on the stalk, which may mean an unprecedented source for non-gmo, local cornmeal in the future.

Gold Forest Grains

Corn

While we didn’t venture too far onto the farm, John toured us around the perimeter of their straw-bale home, featuring a small fruit garden (including heritage apples and haskaps), poultry coop, and a cob oven.

Park wheat is one of the grain varieties they grow, and John shared that he has some gluten intolerant customers that can eat this type of wheat. This is the type of flour used to make the whole wheat crust at Love Pizza. As a treat, he had put together some park wheat-based dough, which he used to fire up some focaccia in the 800 degree cob oven.

Gold Forest Grains

Park wheat focaccia

I would have appreciated it if John had also spoken about some of the other products they grow, including lentils and farro, but I recognize that we didn’t have much time.

Next up, we headed to Horse Hill Berry Farm in northeast Edmonton. Operated by Dave & Jackie Wilson, the 10 acre u-pick farm opened in 2010.

Horse Hill Berry Farm

Horse Hill Berry Farm

They currently offer six different types of raspberries, but have been thinking about adding other fruit. Although they are not certified organic, they do not spray their crops. They will be putting in drip irrigation (the plants require about 1 inch of water a week) and will continue to prune using machinery, though labour-intensive hand pruning is more effective. The ideal air and sunlight penetration Dave described is similar to what grape vines need to thrive.

Horse Hill Berry Farm

Dave demonstrates pruning

It was actually the last day of operations for the farm this year, what they termed the “bonus” week as the growing season typically only lasts five weeks. As their gift to us, we were all given a carton to fill with raspberries.

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My bounty

Until Dave mentioned it, I didn’t realize that they had deliberately planted grass between the rows to make the raspberry patch more patron friendly (so parents and kids alike wouldn’t have to worry about trekking through the dirt or mud). This, combined with their raspberry guide of the types of berries better suited for canning, freezing or wine-making, points to the thoughtful design of many aspects of their farm.

Mack and I also wandered to the look-out on the property (where you can see the North Saskatchewan River), featuring an old family heirloom. The rusted truck is also apparently a haven for snakes, which I found out first hand (it was one small garter snake, but I wasn’t expecting it).

Horse Hill Berry Farm

Family heirloom

The bus ended where we started, and by that time in the afternoon, the Northlands Urban Farm activities were up in full swing.

Northlands’ beekeeper Patty Milligan was leading a honey demonstration, and crafts and a petting zoo provided entertainment for the young ones.

Open Farm Days at Northlands

Family activities

We also swung by the newly-installed chicken coop, where the heritage chicken breeds were happily picking at apples and greens.

Open Farm Days at Northlands

Northlands’ chicken coop

Before we left, we had a bite to eat from the Northlands 1879 food truck, and regretted choosing to share the garlic fries instead of ordering our own.

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Meatball sub and garlic fries

Thanks to Northlands for organizing an economical and seamless way to visit a few of the region’s farms – check out the Alberta Open Farm Days website for more ideas next August on how you can meet some of our rural neighbours.

Let Your Garden Grow: Workshop Eatery

Given it was far from the growing season during our last visit, Mack and I knew we wanted to return some time to see the gardens outside Workshop Eatery in their full splendor. The occasion came up when Mack’s parents were in town in early August, and we were looking for some place special to take them.

Workshop Eatery

Workshop Eatery

We spent some time wandering the raised beds, admiring the variety and abundance. I’m not sure I would have predicted just how much they could grow outside their front door! There are few restaurants in Edmonton that can say they have access to fresh produce within arm’s reach. Make sure to follow along on Instagram if you’re curious as to the day’s garden haul.

Workshop Eatery

Abundant garden

At any rate, the restaurant was nearly full on a Friday night. Even though the patio was beckoning on that warm summer evening, the floor to ceiling windows made the dining room a very pleasant setting. Equally lovely was our personable and polished server – she ensured all of our needs were taken care of in a warm and professional manner.

We started by sharing the daily arancini ($12 for 3), which on that night was made with ham and peas, and served with a fun sriracha and brown sugar sour cream. The arancini were a hit around the table, crispy and well seasoned.

Workshop Eatery

Ham and pea arancini

My miso glazed ling cod ($28) was prepared well, and I loved the textures of the bok choy, carrot ribbons and baby potatoes. The shiitake broth was a nice base, but if intended to be consumed on its own the salt should have been toned down somewhat.

Workshop Eatery

Miso glazed ling cod

Mack’s main combined two of his favourite things: salmon and risotto ($29). He had no complaints, and dispatched the plate in no time at all. On a side note, it’s unusual to see a restaurant offering three fish options on a regular menu (there was also a halibut). But Mack and I both appreciated this – more often than not, we have to fight over who can order the fish.

Workshop Eatery

Pan roasted salmon

Martin and Patti enjoyed their dishes as well – Martin, swayed by the accompanying gnocchi, had chosen the chicken supreme ($28). Patti ordered the potato and goat cheese perogies ($24), topped with roast tomatoes, asparagus, pickled onions and basil creme fraiche.

Workshop Eatery

Chicken supreme

Workshop Eatery

Potato and goat cheese perogies

Dessert couldn’t have been more photogenic – a cream and berry tart ($10), with a loose lemon curd topped with fresh berries and mint.

Workshop Eatery

Summer berries and cream tart

It was great to see Workshop flourishing as well as their garden. They’re already starting to change up their menu for the fall – so make sure you get there soon if you’re hoping for a taste of our dwindling summer!

Workshop Eatery
2003 91 Street SW
(780) 705-2205
Monday-Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday-Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 10am-3pm and 5-11pm, Sunday 10am-3pm and 5-9pm