Category: blogging

10 Observations from 10 Years of Blogging

Ten years ago, I started a blog. I didn’t do so with a concrete purpose at the time, and simply used the website as a repository for my thoughts. When I began, I wrote about a greater diversity of subjects, but food rapidly became my primary topic of choice. Through this blog, I learned to cook, met other food-interested individuals, and discovered the restaurants I’ve come to love in this city.

Hawkers Market

Always ready to eat

Although the decade passed quicker than I’d care to admit, so much has changed in the food scene since 2006. Through snapshots of local food trends each year, it’s easy to see how far Edmonton has come. That said, I still think there is some room to improve – here are my 10 personal observations from 10 years of blogging:

  1. Consistency is the key to blogging: one of the questions I’m frequently asked is how I manage to keep blogging. In the beginning, reaching certain milestones was a personal challenge (one that was incidentally posed by Mack, who at the time was just a friend). Soon after, I started posting bullet points of interesting items I had come across, including food-related news. These items eventually warranted their own posts, and Monday night Food Notes was born. Without this weekly driver, it’s unlikely my blog would have lasted as long. There have been periods where I’ve been delinquent in writing regular posts, but those pesky Food Notes were always there, requiring my timely attention. These past ten years, I’ve seen many blogs come and go, and the best advice I can give aspiring bloggers is to develop a schedule, and keep to it.
  2. Social media was a game changer: in 2006, Facebook was two years old, and Twitter was founded that same year. It’s astonishing how social media has changed when, how, and with whom we share our food experiences. Those Food Notes that I mentioned used to rely exclusively on print media. Now, the vast majority of news is gleaned using the #yegfood hashtag on Twitter, providing an immediate and very public forum of discussion. Attitudes have also shifted drastically about food blogging and photography in restaurants – back in 2008, an incident with a manager at a local restaurant proved just how unprepared establishments were for citizen critics. Now, meals are captured for the masses on Instagram and Snapchat, and sites like Yelp and Zomato allow essentially anonymous reviews at the touch of a button. While restaurants have had to adapt to this new reality whether they liked it or not, tensions flared up again as recently as last week, so it’s clear that there’s still some work to be done.
  3. There are few degrees of separation in the food community: for a city of a million people, the food community is incredibly small. The advantage to this, however, is that this environment creates opportunities for learning and collaboration, something I’ve personally experienced. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to work with several chefs to bring ideas of pedway and parkland pop-ups to life, among others. I’ve also found that the community as a whole is quite supportive, which is how a tiny festival can grow into something previously unimaginable.

    4. Pedway pop-up in 2012

  4. Money isn’t everything: some of the tension between food writers and restauranteurs involves the perception that writers are chasing free meals, and only those with deep pockets can afford to win over social media influencers. The truth is, many of the most endearing, perennially popular establishments in Edmonton such as Duchess Bake Shop didn’t start with an expensive splash. They have endured with a formula of quality products, good service, and consistency.
  5. Edmonton loves chains: the birthplace of Boston Pizza and Earls, Edmonton can’t escape its history of creating concepts that resonate for the average diner. Casual upscale chains dominate the mid-range restaurant scene in the city, in spite of the fact that similarly-priced independent restaurants offer more choice and better service. I have to credit their popularity to marketing, long-standing familiarity, and unfortunately, to urban sprawl – power centres are prime real estate for chain locations.
  6. Suburban restaurants on the rise: sprawl is also the reason behind the spread of independent restaurants across the city. When I started blogging, the vast majority of restaurants worth writing about were located in central Edmonton. Now, we have restaurants as far as Beaumont’s Chartier garnering attention.
  7. Food trucks are here to stay: food trucks were on the fringe ten years ago, relegated to serving pedestrian food at industrial sites. Today, they have become mainstream, populating every outdoor festival, market and street fair in every corner of our city. Some may remember when Drift had a dispute with a brick and mortar restaurant back in 2012 about the right to vend on a particular street, and though complaints come up from time to time, food trucks are now an integral part of our food culture. What the Truck?!, a festival that began six years ago to promote food trucks, may actually not be relevant in the same form anymore.

    8. The first What the Truck?! in 2011

  8. The independent coffee scene was born and raised: it’s really been a joy to watch independent coffee shops blossom over the last decade. The third wave started in Edmonton with Transcend in 2007, became anchored downtown with Credo in 2009, and expanded into a coffee district, featuring five independent retailers within a two block radius. I don’t believe we’ve hit our threshold for great coffee just yet, and hope to see even more cafes pop up in the next few years.
  9. Local food still has a ways to go: my blogging journey and understanding of local food are deeply connected. My first real foray into farmers’ markets was led by Seasoned Solutions’ Gail Hall, and my desire for proximity to the City Market was one of the reasons behind our move to 104 Street. Over time, I was hoping local producers would garner a higher prominence in mainstream conversations, and gain a greater market share of grocery dollars. There are some positives to highlight over the past ten years, with the establishment of more farmers’ markets, cooking classes aimed at demystifying local products, and urban agriculture education at Northlands. But, with the rezoning of agricultural land in the northeast, and the vague policy developed as a result, we’re not as far along as we could be.

    10. Ringing in the City Market in 2009

  10. Stand tall, Edmonton: as I mentioned on a podcast last year, Edmonton is often given the short shrift, overshadowed by Calgary. We’ve got fantastic chefs, producers, and food businesses that can stand on their own merit, and we shouldn’t be afraid to share the wonderful things happening in our city.

Thanks for reading over the years – your support, words, and kinship for food have meant a lot.

A Reflection on my Fifth Anniversary

Five years ago today I started a blog.

At the time, it was a place for me to write about whatever was top of mind – television, fashion purchases, theatre, and, well, food. I had just started cooking, though not on a regular basis, so most of my food dollars (and attention) were allocated to restaurants. After a few years of eating my way through and documenting the Edmonton culinary scene, it became clear that my blog did indeed have a central focus, and Only Here for the Food was born.

A lot can happen in five years, something that is very true for me. I started my first job post-university, began a long-term relationship, moved out of my parents’ house, bought a condo. But I never thought the act of sharing my food experiences would have such a significant impact on me as well.

When I first started to visit farmers’ markets, I would walk past the tables overflowing with produce and overlook the proud farmers showcasing their wares for cupcakes. To me, markets were weekend festivals – bustling, colourful, and meant only for brief stopover. In 2007, a chance prize earned me the opportunity to cook alongside long-time Edmonton Journal Bistro columnist Judy Schultz and local food advocate (and Seasoned Solutions proprietor) Gail Hall. One afternoon was all it took to demystify the market; it was the first time I saw the market for what it really was – a plethora of farm fresh ingredients, and a direct link to the producers who grew or raised it.

In the years that followed, I learned more and more about the local food scene. Perhaps more importantly, I met and got to know the people that have worked hard to develop and drive their beliefs forward – farmers, chefs, advocates, eaters, all pushing to ensure Edmonton has a vibrant economy that includes independent businesses and sustainable food production. I am very fortunate that this blog, and the very small window that it is, has allowed me to be a part of that community.

This growing awareness also increased my desire to become more active in the community. It began with co-organizing Slow Food Edmonton’s Wild Boar and Beer BBQ in 2010, snowballed into helping put on Eat Alberta earlier this year, and most recently, planning two What the Truck?! events this summer. It’s a cliché, but it is true – food helps bring people together, and in the case of What the Truck?!, can be the catalyst for something even greater – small-scale revitalization.

The experiences I’ve written about – farm visits, market reports, cooking chronicles, chef’s dinners – have helped shaped my values and my lifestyle. It may have started with a few restaurant reviews here and there, but this blog has inextricably changed the way I view food, and the city as a whole.

What I also know is that your support over these past five years – through comments, e-mails and conversations – has been priceless to me. Though some bloggers may deny it, the very nature of public sharing is ego-centric, and I appreciate knowing that what I’ve written has been interesting or helpful in some way – my greatest hope is to have perhaps demystified the farmers’ market for someone, too. So in short: thank you for reading.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Mack – my editor, sous chef and partner. It is doubtful that without his constant indulgence in my penchant for food that this blog would have gone on for as long.

We’ll see what the next five years brings. But through the lens of this blog, things are looking up in Edmonton – and I am happy to be along for the ride.

Edmonton Foodie Meetup 3: Recap

Sixteen foodies came together tonight for the third Edmonton Foodie Meetup at Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria downtown. It was our largest gathering yet (read about our first and second meetups), which I think is a testament to the growing foodie community in the city.

Foodies!

When I called Famoso last week to make the reservation, and mentioned that the group was largely made up of food bloggers, the manager responded that he thought we were still at the stage of selecting a venue. I was surprised to find out that he knew about our upcoming gathering, but it turns out he is an avid reader of local blogs as well!

At any rate, I figured we would be treated like royalty, and we were. However, our special treatment, including two free platters of their dessert Nutella pizza, wasn’t out of the ordinary for large groups, though our timing helped. “Vino Wednesdays” sees complimentary bruschetta go out with all orders made after 5pm, and free wine samples offered to all patrons between 6 and 8:30pm. Our server did say that they pulled out the “reserve” red wine for our group though.

Complimentary Bruschetta and Wine

The pizzas (as always) were great as well, with that addictively-chewy crust that isn’t duplicated anywhere else in the city (well, besides other Famoso outposts).

Siciliana Pizza with Basil, Prosciutto, Italian Ham and Italian Sausage

Valerie was thoughtful enough to bring homemade truffles for everyone as well, made with decadent Valrhona Manjari and cocoa powder.

Valerie’s Truffles

It was great to put faces to names, and to meet and chat with other local food lovers. Because there have been quite a few recent additions to Edmonton’s blogging repertoire, I thought it might be useful to list those present at this meetup who do have food blogs:

For those who couldn’t make it, we hope to organize another meetup this summer, which will preferably be an outdoor potluck.

Thanks again to Chris for helping me pull this dinner together, and to Famoso for hosting a great evening!

Post #1000

It’s almost hard to believe this is my thousandth post. For a blog that started as an online means of recording my random musings, it has ended up becoming a celebration of food.

More than anything, I love that I have this web document of my descent into food – slowly but surely finding my way around the kitchen; stumbling into farmers’ markets and learning more about area producers and food security; and of course, discovering restaurant gems.

So though I’d be hard pressed to pick favourites, here are a few posts from the past thousand that remind me why I am glad to be a blogger – even though my memory might fade, I have access to entries that capture some of the magic of my experiences:

Thanks for reading!

A New Addition to Edmonton’s Culinary Blogosphere

I’ve mentioned on this blog that the last six months have been a bustling one in Edmonton’s online food scene. A number of voices have joined the fray recently, and I do believe the more the merrier – everyone has a unique perspective on food, and there is seemingly an unlimited number of topics to cover, even in a city the size of ours.

A new blog began today, one I had been anticipating for some time. Eat My Words is Liane Faulder’s contribution to the blogosphere, where she will be documenting food highlights that don’t make it into the Journal. Her first two posts include tidbits about a bakery she visited during a recent Mexican vacation, a Dine Alberta dinner, and cupcakes she purchased from Flirt Cupcakes.

When I met Liane for lunch back in November, she indicated that she would be starting a blog in the new year. At that time, she asked me why I avoided posting short entries, as she thought immediacy was one of the handiest features of a blog. While it works best for me to gather the brief tidbits together in my weekly notes posts (giving it more substance, somehow), I expect Liane to share concise thoughts or experiences now and then.

I think the Journal Bistro writer entering the food blogging world in Edmonton is a positive step – I believe it will bring more awareness and readership to the blogs already in existence (Liane has started a blogroll, and also linked to some online resources).

Welcome to the blogosphere, Liane. I look forward to reading your posts!

Hurrah for Moo Cards!

Ever since Andree from are you gonna eat that? told me that she carries Moo Cards around with her in case restaurant staff question her photo taking, I thought it’d be handy to have some cards of my own. Something with my blog information would have come in handy when we were reproached by the manager at Hundred last year.

It took me a while, but I finally placed an order, and received them on Friday. They arrived in a small recycled plastic box along with a label that would have allowed me to send them back should they not have been to my liking.

My Mini Moo cards

At around $35 Canadian for 100 cards, they were more expensive than conventional business cards, but I was able to choose a full-colour photo to include on one side. Also, the weight of the cardstock is nice and heavy, and the smooth finish on both sides really sets the cards apart from the typical matte style seen. The only downsides were not being able to choose the size of the font on the text side, and not having the option of a non-white background. In hindsight, I probably should have included my e-mail on the card, but for the most part, they will be a great thing to hand out when need be.

Edmonton Foodie Meetup!

If you’ve been reading this blog regularly, I’m sure that you are aware that Edmonton has quite an active online food community. The number of culinary bloggers has increased significantly over the last year, and I’m sure there are many blogs I still haven’t come across.

Hanne of Supper in Stereo and I talked about the idea of an Edmonton foodie meetup in December, and after a series of e-mails with her and Courtney of Take it and Like it, we now have details of our first meeting to share!

Who: Local food bloggers and any interested foodies

What: Edmonton Foodie Meetup

When: February 26, 2009 at 6:30pm

Where: Blue Plate Diner, 10145 104 Street NW

Why: To put a face to a blog, and of course, to discuss everything food!

Mack helped me set up a wiki so people can sign up. We were only able to secure a reservation for 14 people total, so if we receive an overwhelming response, we may shift the venue over to a lounge that will be able to accommodate a larger group. If you are interested in coming, please add your name (and blog!) to the wiki by February 22.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for another way to connect with others from the local online community, consider coming out to Edmonton Twestival, in support of charity:water, which I blogged about last week. It’s taking place at Vintage Lounge on Thursday, February 12. Here’s an updated list of the prizes that online registrants will be eligible to win. Hope to see you there!

Thoughts on Blogging and Photography in the Restaurant Sphere

Two years ago, when I started this blog, I never thought I would have to defend what I chose to cover. At some point, the majority of my posts became food-related, and I embraced this topic, developing various streams of content, including cooking trials, restaurant reviews, and a weekly roundup of culinary stories.

Last month, an awkward run-in with the manager at 100 Bar and Kitchen led me to further examine my role as a blogger and disseminator of information and opinions.

To recap what happened: Mack was taking photos of the interior of 100 when Dean, the manager of the resto-pub, stopped him. In Mack’s words:

“He then told me that I couldn’t just take photos without getting permission first. When I asked him why, he stumbled a bit and then said he had no way of knowing whether I was from a competitor or not. He asked what the photos were for, and I said a review on a blog. That seemed to confuse him, and he asked again. I gave him the URL for Sharon’s blog, and sensing that it wasn’t going anywhere, asked him for a card and promised to send him the link.”

Mack’s post on some being afraid of social media got me thinking about how bloggers are viewed in a city like Edmonton when compared with mainstream media. Understandably, a restaurant can be put on the map with a favourable Journal review (Sebastian Lysz said Devlin’s was packed the same night after a positive review), but few restaurants consider the effect of a positive comment in the social media sphere. Perhaps restauranteurs aren’t aware of this relatively new movement, but I think it is their responsibility to find out what other sources of information are out there, and join the conversation.

Earlier this year, restaurant giant Jean-Georges Vongerichten responded on his personal blog to an unfavourable review he received in the New York Times. While some may read his retort as sour grapes, I think his blog is the perfect medium to express his inspiration for the restaurant, and defend some of the choices he made. Of course, while I doubt someone of Vongerichten’s stature would respond in kind to every negative review he may receive in the blogosphere, I think his example proves that some restauranteurs are beginning to understand the potential of the web.

For the record, Mack e-mailed both my review and his social media post to Dean at 100 shortly after they were written…and we haven’t yet heard back. While we didn’t expect to be invited back for a complimentary meal, a cursory acknowledgement of our concerns would have been appreciated.

In food-forward cities like New York, restaurant news doesn’t break in mainstream media. Instead, blogs like Eater and Serious Eats cover restaurant openings and closings, and of course, post timely reviews. In Edmonton, contributors on Connect2Edmonton, Chowhound and Yelp forums keep each other informed on things that are happening around the city. A recent article in the NYT quoted a manager of a San Francisco restaurant that “sponsors” reviews on Yelp as saying, “Feedback is good when you’re in the customer satisfaction business. If you don’t evolve in this marketplace, you go extinct.”

To blog or not to blog?

While I am not arrogant enough to think of my blog as a be all, end all publicity vehicle for restaurants, for those that do not have a web presence, I think that it is reasonable to say that a review, particularly for smaller, independent eateries, can link potential customers with businesses. I can’t tell you how many search hits I receive for new restaurants that I have simply mentioned in passing in my weekly “Food Notes” posts. Some of these establishments do not have websites (and yes, I understand that the day-to-day demands of running a restaurant are not small), but even a skeleton page with a contact number, hours, and a PDF copy of the menu would suffice for most people.

On the issue of fairness, while papers like the NYT have huge budgets for their food sections (and a policy reflective of both fairness and deep pockets in sending reviewers for at least three meals), multiple visits for the average person would be next to impossible – not only would it be time consuming, but incredibly expensive. I will admit to having something of a personal code of ethics when I review restaurants though – I will qualify any pre-determined bias, including a discounted meal; always pay for my own food; and in an effort to remain objective, refrain from writing about chefs and their food after I have met them.

Andree Lau, the Calgary-based author of Are You Gonna Eat That?, also has her own personal philosophy when it comes to what to write. “When I first started blogging,” she said via e-mail, “I wanted to highlight positive experiences. I figured mediocre visits weren’t worth wasting people’s time with, but now that I’ve been blogging for a while, I’m considering adding more write-ups about repeated negative experiences. In general, I don’t think it’s fair to write a negative entry based on one visit.”

For most restaurants, that kind of candid critique would be difficult to obtain – how many people actually fill out comment cards? Cindy Lazarenko, chef and owner of Culina Highlands, welcomes honest feedback, and understands that the typical “Yes, it’s great” response that servers receive when checking on diners in her restaurant isn’t likely an accurate barometer of their experience. “I want feedback,” she says. “It’s the only way you’re going to learn and grow and get better, but not if it’s done in a negative way. The people here – myself and my husband – put everything into this [restaurant] and it’s coming from a good place, so it’s really hard when you get that negative feedback.”

While I can’t guarantee that the blogosphere will be free of biased, cutthroat feedback, my view is that a restaurant should periodically “check in” with what their customers are saying, good or bad. In the event that improvements need to be made, staff could begin a dialogue with patrons for what changes they would like to see: a virtual focus group, to be harnessed free of charge.

Picture this?

For me, blogging and photography go hand in hand. Often, in mainstream media (and even for the paper I contribute to), only one shot – of a dish, the chef, or the interior – is ever published. What I always longed for – and what blogs gave me – was a visual feel for the establishment, even before I ever set foot in the place. Some large publications have, to their credit, recognized this hunger and have developed multimedia components in an effort to provide information alongside visual aids (this is a recent example from the NYT), but such endeavours are few and far between for most publications.

Over the past two years, my personal approach to photography has evolved. There was a time where I indiscriminately used flash and a time that I posted sweeping shots of restaurant interiors filled with fellow diners – without much thought. Now, I carry a small three-inch tripod with me at all times, in order to maximize what light is available in the room, and I refrain from uploading pictures that include other patrons. I have taken interior shots for my own use when blogging about an experience, but only because I’m not the type to take notes during a meal.

One blogger suggested that permission should be acquired prior to taking photos on a restaurant’s private property. On that, I disagree, because such an act is tantamount to announcing one’s presence and intention. While I wouldn’t mind notifying restaurants of my review after the fact, I wouldn’t want staff to potentially modify their service in any way simply because a critique is in order. Liane Faulder agrees, and Ruth Reichl, formerly a NYT restaurant critic, practically made a career out of disguising herself (and wrote a bestselling memoir about her experience), precisely to avoid the circus that would arise out of recognition.

For restaurants like 100 who may have an official policy against personal photography, I would invite them to post it on the door of their establishment. In June, Chef David Chang banned food photography at his high-profile New York eatery Momofuku Ko – so diners are given the choice to either lose their cameras or their coveted reservation.

On the other side, some chefs welcome the publicity and recognition of their work. For example, Sebastian Lysz is personally “flattered” when people want to photograph his food. And when it comes down to dishes, I have to agree with Lau’s assessment: “I don’t ask permission to take shots of my own food, which I consider to be a product that I have paid for and am free to do with what I please.”

As a blogger, it is in my best interest to ensure that restaurants are well-equipped to look for, and respond to reviews. Much like Lazarenko, I welcome feedback. So though I will continue blogging without looking back, I hope that local eateries begin to look forward, and join in on the conversation.

Lunch with Liane Faulder

When Liane Faulder contacted me for an interview about my blog, I jumped at the chance to meet her. New to the Journal’s Bistro section as of May (and stepping into the arguably mammoth shoes of her predecessor, Judy Schultz), I have been intrigued by her seemingly haphazard direction and how she felt about the continued presence of Schultz, whose pieces during the summer season on the farmer’s market beat dwarfed any of her own contributions.

We scheduled to meet for lunch at Leva Cappucino Bar (11053 – 86 Avenue) on the weekend, my choice to align with Liane’s expressed geographic preference, and our joint penchant to satisfy  foodie pangs.

It was absolutely hopping in Leva around noon on a gorgeous fall day. Families, couples, and groups of friends packed the place, and the line-up stretched all the way down the counter towards the washrooms. Since I’d been there last, the proprietors had put up an “Eat Local First” sign, and included a list of the area suppliers they tap for ingredients. I think this Keep Edmonton Original and Original Fare campaign is great, as it makes eating local more prominent but not overbearing to the average consumer.

Eat Local signage

When Liane arrived, we scooted in line and chatted while we waited patiently for our chance to order. It turned out Liane hadn’t been to Leva for about four years. As my acquaintance with the charming café has been more recent than that, I couldn’t comment on the changes that she noticed in the décor.

Though the Journal was covering the cost of our lunch, I didn’t feel right going “all out”. I ordered a Mushroom Pizza, while she stuck with a more healthy Spinach Salad with blue cheese and pecans.

Mushroom Pizza (cambozola & porcini cream sauce, mushrooms, potatoes, mozzarella)

Throughout our meeting, I never felt (besides her occasional note taking) that I was being interviewed. It was very much a two-way dialogue, and Liane never hesitated to answer any of my questions (and gave me the freedom to write about what we talked about). She is extremely down-to-earth, humble and frank. I’m not sure what of our conversation  she will translate into the Bistro piece, but I hope it will touch on some of the threads of Edmonton’s social media community that we discussed, particularly because Liane will be starting a blog of her own some time in the new year (the awful Journal website is also supposedly getting an overhaul in the not-to-distant future).

I found out that Liane has written for nearly every section of the Journal, with the exception of Sports. She covered the news beat for a while, wrote film reviews for a time, and most recently, contributed features to Sunday Reader. When she returned from an eight-month internship at Ryerson University in Toronto, she was offered the lead in Bistro because at that point, she had proven that she could “pretty much write anything.”

Her love of food begins with the “democratic” nature of it – meaning that everyone, with some effort and instruction, can learn to make a meal. She juggles about four stories at a time, and is reveling in the intrinsic flexibility of a weekly section, as compared with news reporting.

I asked her about the potential sabotage that she may be facing at the paper, as there are weeks when a story from another Canwest affiliate takes up the space above the fold, or a story from Judy Schultz seems to crowd out her articles. Having been with the paper for seventeen years, she said, she has “no ego left.”

We agreed on the potential minefields in the restaurant review world, and she understood my staunch position of not having my meals paid for by a third party, and not reviewing the food once I have met the chef behind it. Liane told me about a recent excursion to a new restaurant, and how the owner fawned all over her, bringing to her table coupons and extra napkins in an effort to extract a good Journal-backed word from her. She also shared her opinion that one of her fellow colleagues should not have published a review about a restaurant he had a personal connection to.

On the topic of favourites, Liane leans toward restaurants that provide “value for money”. In that vein, the Sugar Bowl is her best bet, though she also enjoys the more pricey fare at Culina Millcreek and Hardware Grill. In her opinion, local restaurants don’t do enough to promote themselves, though she acknowledged how busy most independents are simply cooking good food day in and day out.

I can’t recall what our end note was, but I remember feeling elated – a natural feeling after throwing around ideas on a subject I’m passionate about. It was great to meet another local foodie, and I hope once the article is published, other bloggers come out of the woodwork as well.

Back to a Local Lens

My last post for FoodTV went live on Friday, capturing a recent meal I had at Syphay.

I decided to discontinue writing for the site, not because it wasn’t fun, but because I found it really difficult to find topics that would be appealing or relevant to a national audience – if one was interested in the local food scene, why not simply read a local food blog? All towns and cities have interesting restaurants and shops to offer, but unless it is pushing a trend, or is truly unique in some way, I know I personally wouldn’t take the time to read an article about another city’s establishments unless I would be traveling to that particular place in the near future.

As such, with the exception of this week’s post, I did my best to expose a few of Edmonton’s gems with my posts – the flagship Sobeys Urban Fresh, the city’s oldest farmer’s market, tea service at the historic Rutherford House and local roaster Transcend.

Best of luck to my fellow FoodTV contributors who are continuing with the blog – it was great to be connected momentarily to a larger community of like-minded individuals.