Culinary Highlights: 2014 Edition

I had a blast in 2014. Mack and I got married, had an amazing honeymoon, and leading up to it, we had our usual packed summer schedule. It was a wonderful year, with memories to last us a lifetime.

Here were some of my favourite food moments last year, starting off with some great local eats:

Tavern 1903

A part of me still doesn’t want to believe Tavern 1903 is closed for good; we loved the Korean fried chicken, truffled mac and cheese, and the desert shrub was my favourite cocktail in the city – RIP

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

Although the Elm Café Dining Room is also no more, we loved their pop-up meals, which included buttermilk biscuits at brunch

The Parlour

I never thought I’d like, let alone enjoy, seafood on a pizza, but The Parlour makes magic happen with the Gamberi

Route 99

It was the year of the selfie – it seemed appropriate for Mack and I to take one at our favourite diner in the city

We did hit the road a few times before the honeymoon, with our annual winter sojourn to Calgary, a trip to Toronto for a friend’s wedding, and out to a nearby farm we’ve always been meaning to visit. We also had the privilege of attending Christmas in November at the Jasper Park Lodge.

River Cafe

It’s hard to believe it took us years to finally dine at Calgary’s River Café, but I guarantee we won’t wait that long before returning

While in Toronto, our one splurge meal was at Mark McEwan’s Bymark – although the pan-seared halibut was perfect, it was the beluga lentils that spoke to me

Edgar Farms' Asparagus Festival

The return of locally-grown asparagus is what signals spring to us, so I’m happy we finally made it out to Edgar Farms’ annual Asparagus Festival last June

Sharon with the Olsons

It was a bit of a thrill for me to meet the Olsons at Christmas in November

And though I probably didn’t cook as many new dishes this year as I have in the past, I can say that Anna Olson inspired me to make my first ever tourtiere. Even better, it turned out really well!

As usual, we had our share of events, starting with Eat Alberta in the spring, multiple What the Truck gatherings, our second 97 Street Night Market, and an ImMACulate Garden Party.

Eat Alberta 2014

It was my last Eat Alberta as a part of the organizing committee – it has been a blast!

What the Truck?! on 104 Street

What the Truck?! returned to 104 Street, in what was my favourite event of the year (the fact that I live on the street may have affected my choice)

97 Street Night Market

The 97 Street Night Market returned to Chinatown, and this year, included a food tour

Blink ImMACulate Garden Party

We partnered with the Hotel Macdonald for the ImMACulate Garden Party, a fundraiser for the Edmonton Humane Society

In early September, my sisters organized the best bridal shower for me. We started at Gail Hall’s loft for a cooking class, walked over to Tzin for an amazing meal, and ended with some bridal games.

Making gnocchi at Seasoned Solutions

Sharon's Bridal Shower

We were lucky enough to receive two helpings of the bacon at Tzin

The beautiful brides!

On September 27, 2015, I married my best friend. The only tears were happy ones (and mostly from me). To cap off a beautiful day, we had the most wonderful reception at RGE RD.

Thanks to Blair and the team at RGE RD for a truly memorable meal (photo by Moments in Digital)

There’s so much more to say about the sights and sounds of Vietnam and South Korea that we experienced, but for now, these are the dishes that I’m still salivating over.

Our homestay by the beach in Hoi An was a dream – where else would breakfast involve a regional dish as complex and delicious as cao lao?

Authentic bo bun hue in Ho Chi Minh City

While in hindsight we should have included Hanoi in our itinerary, it was an experience to have pho for breakfast in Can Tho at 6 a.m.

Japchae and fried rice at South Korea’s Namdaemun Market

Mack will also never forget his favourite street dessert – an ice cream-filled waffle for $1

Though I’m still not certain where this year will take us, I can only hope it’s as delicious as 2014. Thanks for following along with me this year!

Epicureous in Edmonton: 2014 in Review

2014 was definitely Elm Café’s year, as they increased their footprint in Edmonton to include District, a great quick-serve café in the government district, and Burrow, innovatively located in our pedway system above the Central LRT station. Owner Nate Box also consulted with Denizen Hall, the refurbished bar in the Grand Hotel, to create a comfort food-focused menu that will no doubt help curious diners overlook the establishment’s seedy past. Had Little Brick, their forthcoming café/general store in the Riverdale neighbourhood, not encountered construction delays typical for any new projects, it would have been an even more runaway year for Nate. At any rate, it’s great to see a local company succeed and flourish in multiple locations – here’s hoping for a speedy finish for Little Brick!

Burrow Central Station

Here are a few other notable food happenings in 2014:

Speaking of cafes, it was also a strong year for other independent coffee shops. Transcend returned downtown with a location in the Mercer Warehouse, Credo established a second branch on 124 Street, Iconoclast Koffiehuis’ opening in Oliver, and Remedy added a fourth shop on 124 Street (look for a fifth in Terwillegar to come in 2015).
In addition, a significant number of independent restaurants joined the food scene, including Ampersand 27, Bar Bricco, Daravara, Farrow, Hart’s Table, Meat, Rostizado and Solstice.
On the flip side, the city did lose its share of prominent food businesses, with Tavern 1903 topping the list that also features Café de Ville, Everything Cheese, Moriarty’s and the Wild Tangerine restaurant.
Some measure Edmonton’s place in the world with our ability to attract chains and franchises. To that end, we gained a Popbar at West Edmonton Mall, a Carl’s Jr. outpost, and Filipino fast food chain Max’s Restaurant this year.
Although not as prominent, pop-up restaurants still haven’t fallen by the wayside. They continue to provide a way for start-ups to highlight niche cuisine like the vegan Long Lost Foods (formerly the Mirepoix Trio) or specialty items like those offered by Honest Dumplings or Prairie Noodle Shop, whose last pop-up sold out in eight minutes.
We also saw the start of several new large-scale outdoor food events this summer, with the inaugural Porkapalooza attracting a stunning 25,000 attendees over three days, and Edmonton’s first Diner en Blanc succeeding in spite of a rain out. Taste of Edmonton celebrated its 30th anniversary, and will be bringing the Canadian Food Championships to the city in 2015.
Edmontonians were encouraged to flex their kitchen skills with the release of Duchess Bake Shop’s cookbook, Daniel Costa’s Italian cooking app Tavola, and the expansion of Kathryn Joel’s Get Cooking into its new MacEwan studio.
Mother’s Market, the city’s first three-day, year-round farmers’ market opened this summer, while SPUD, a grocery delivery service offering organic and local options, opened up a branch in Edmonton.

Looking forward to what 2015 brings!

You can check out previous year in reviews here.

Honest Dumplings: The Pop-Up

Over the last year, Ray Ma and Chris Lerohl of Honest Dumplings have worked hard to build up their brand. The philosophy behind their dumplings sets them apart from anything you’d find at a conventional grocery store – not only are they committed to purchasing local and refrain from using preservatives or artificial additives, but they also focus on unique flavour combinations. In addition, they’ve had a consistent presence at the City Market, as well as at a variety of food festivals and events, including the Mercer Summer Super Party and Hawkers Market. And based on the response to their first-ever pop-up, I’d say they’re in store for an even bigger year in 2015!

Mack and I headed over to Drift’s storefront on 124 Street after work tonight, and encountered a line nearly twenty deep when we arrived. Thankfully, it wasn’t too cold out, and combined with a visit to Duchess across the street to pick up dessert (while Mack held our place in line), the hour long wait wasn’t too bad.

Dumpling anticipation

Given it was their first pop-up, things were really smooth. We paid up front, were directed to a table, and our food was brought out in due time. For $15, diners were treated to an order of eight meat or vegetarian dumplings, a rice hashbrown, lemon pepper tofu, Reclaim Urban Farm sunflower shoots, and a slice of dragon fruit.

Busy kitchen

One of my favourite things about Honest Dumplings is the fact that they always offer a number of tastes with every order – each plate subsequently feels more substantial and value-laden. On this occasion, we were able to sample eight different varieties.

Meat dumplings

Our favourites included the short rib & apple pear and maple pork belly dumplings on the meat side (wonderfully deep flavours in two-bite form), and the mixed mushroom & truffle oil on the vegetarian side. I also really enjoyed the crispy rice cake – I loved the texture, though Mack would have preferred a slightly thinner patty.

Vegetarian dumplings

You can find Honest Dumplings at the City Market every Saturday, or order their product one from SPUD. With party packs for sale ($40 for 32 dumplings plus a dipping sauce), they would be an easy and colourful addition to any appetizer platter this holiday season.

Dipping sauce

Given the popularity of this pop-up (and the successes of the Prairie Noodle Shop), this form of dining is definitely alive and well in Edmonton. Here’s hoping this is the first of many for Honest Dumplings!

Learn more about Honest Dumplings in this Journal article.

Christmas in November: Cooking with Chefs Dale MacKay and Lynn Crawford

The title of this post is a bit of a misnomer, as hands-on cooking with the presenters only seemed to happen incidentally. The focus was on demonstrations, and though in some cases, this was the only way to address a large crowd, in other instances (like with Chef MacKay), they missed an opportunity to offer more tangible learning sessions.

Although I was gunning for Albertan chef Connie DeSousa to win the first season of Top Chef Canada, it wasn’t a surprise that Dale MacKay pulled through in the end. And though his television debut is perhaps still his claim to fame, more recently, his year-old Saskatoon restaurant Ayden placed on EnRoute Magazine’s Best New Restaurants list. I actually didn’t know that Dale had relocated from Vancouver back to his hometown, but its great to hear other “back to the Prairies” stories – Toronto and Vancouver doesn’t have it all!

Unlike some of the other presenters, Dale focused on preparing a single dish of spinach & ricotta ravioli with brown butter sage sauce. This meant he could more thoroughly share his guidelines on fresh pasta dough, forming ravioli, and assembling the final plate.

Dale preparing fresh pasta

If I walked away with anything at all from the session, it was how making fresh pasta isn’t all that difficult at all. He recommended making up batches to freeze in smaller single portion servings for quick emergency meals that would take twenty minutes to thaw (enough time to throw together a sauce) and three minutes to cook.

Some of Dale’s pro tips:

The gauge if you have the right thickness of pasta for tortellini, pass your hand underneath the dough – if you can see your fingernails, stop rolling.
To force the ricotta filling into the end of your piping tube, grasp the top and swing around the bag, rodeo style!
Make sure to force all of the air out of the half-moon pasta shapes, to ensure the filling stays in place during cooking.
Only use fresh herbs for the sauce – dried herbs will burn. As a bonus, the fried sage can be used as a garnish on the final product.
To filter out the brown butter sauce, use a coffee filter – its easier and cheaper than cheesecloth.
Toss your cooked pasta together with the sauce in a bowl instead of in the pan – it is gentler on the pasta!

Dale was no doubt one of the more low-key presenters, but his technical knowledge and skills were obvious. At times, I did find that he made assumptions about the audience’s level of understanding, but he was always open to questions and was one of the few presenters to build in a hands-on opportunity to assist (in this instance, with pasta folding). Given his detail-driven nature, it would have lent itself well to workshop-style delivery so attendees could feel the thickness of the pasta, and practice the shaping on an individual basis.

Gastropost Alberta Community Manager Brittney Le Blanc (centre) learns how to fold tortellini

After the demonstration, we had the chance to taste the final dish (Dale had brought a total of nine hundred frozen tortellini prepared in the Ayden kitchen along with him to Jasper). The pasta was simple but delicious.

Spinach & ricotta ravioli with brown butter sage sauce

Dale was gracious enough to pose for a photo at the end of the session. I wish him continued success with Ayden! It’s also worth noting that Chef MacKay will be back in Edmonton in March, as one of the guest chefs at Edmonton’s newest food festival, Northern Lands.

With Dale (and no, the backdrop isn’t photoshopped!)

From Chef MacKay’s focused session, we transitioned to the other end of the spectrum. Having been invited to Christmas in November with Gastropost, we were also given the chance to attend a VIP session with Chef Lynn Crawford. Billed as the “headliner” of the event, most in the crowd that afternoon seemed to be fans eager for a chance to see Lynn live in person. As a result, I’m not sure the majority of the group minded that it was entertainment, not learning, that dominated the hour.

Cocktail hour with Lynn Crawford

Lynn was an energetic host, and played Pharrell’s “Happy” to lighten the mood. She also invited several audience members to assist her with the demonstration, including the preparation of a modified version of her Pitchin’ In cocktail, a combination of apple and lime juices, rum, carrot puree served in a brown butter-rimmed glass. I wasn’t sure about the carrot, but it seemed to add more colour than flavour.

Pitchin’ In cocktails

The assembly of her fried chicken with lemon thyme honey (a popular dish at her Toronto restaurant, Ruby Watchco) was scattered, to say the least, and most of the actual cooking took place outside of the room and away from our prying eyes inside the Jasper Park Lodge kitchens. To their credit – we did each end up with a plate of the finished product, with a side of cornbread and slaw to boot.

I will say that Lynn did remarkably well in taking things in stride – when another class paraded into our room, music blaring, without missing a beat, she invited them all to stay for fried chicken. Given the group had just finished up their champagne tasting, she also seized the opportunity to show us a new skill she had gained that week – how to sabre a champagne bottle.

Off with the cork

It was all in good fun, but I will admit, it was a little too much of a whirlwind for me.

Mack and I had a bit of time to change before attending another session just before dinner – they definitely pack it in at Christmas in November!

Another Chinatown Transformation: Lee House

It has been a few years since my last visit to Lee House in Old Strathcona, but for a recent Korean food fix, I was excited to visit their second location in Chinatown. They took over a storefront on 97 Street that has been vacant for many years, a building that I remember from my childhood (it had the distinction of being the only grocery store in the area that offered underground parking). Earlier this year, 97 Hot Pot also similarly transformed a derelict, hollow shell into a bright spot in the neighbourhood, and I’m hoping Lee House is continuing the trend.

The Lee House owners did a great job with the interior, with the wood finishes anchoring the room with a warmth and familiarity not unlike a comfortable kitchen. Tables are inset with a natural gas burner, which spoke to the communality of much of the menu.

Interior

Having just been in Korea for our honeymoon, it was great to see some familiar items on the menu, spanning from barbecue to broth-based bowls and a plethora of small plates. Still, Maria and I let Roxanne (who had lived in Korea for a time) lead us through our choices. We ended up with the sweet ginger dubboki ($9.95), similar to one of my favourite dishes in Seoul, and the pork bone soup ($33.95), which seemed ideal on that chilly winter evening.

The dubboki, made up of rice cakes, fish cakes, cabbage and green onions in a ginger-soy sauce, was pleasantly sweet, though the rice cakes themselves were much firmer than their Seoul cousins.

Dubboki

The pork bone soup felt like the main event when it arrived, complete with accompaniments. Over the course of a few minutes, simmering in front of us, the broth took on a piercing red tone, cooking down the vegetables layered in amongst the meat. But the chilli-based soup was beautifully balanced, with just enough heat to warm us through.

Pork bone soup

It was the kind of meal you linger over, taking your time over the dredges of soup left in the pot. And unlike some other places in Chinatown, we never felt rushed; the friendly servers were more than happy to refill our tea, and gave us the time and space to catch up. It was a satisfying supper, and shared between the three of us, amounted to just over $20 per person with tip. Our only feedback for the restaurant was to consider offering dessert, as we would have been more than happy to indulge in something sweet.

On a random Tuesday night, we were happy to see that many other people had already discovered Lee House (though it should be noted their south side location is currently under renovations). And given there are many more menu items I was tempted by, I’m sure to be back soon.

Lee House
10708 97 Street
(780) 438-0790
Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm

Recap: All is Bright on 124 Street

Mack and I took in the second annual All is Bright Festival on 124 Street last Saturday. With a gentle, glistening snowfall heralding winter, the event was christened with a beautifully ethereal quality.

High Street

Sure, it was a little chilly, but organizers were prepared, with warming fires clustered around the High Street shops. There were even a handful of outdoor vendors, sheltered by custom-built WinterCity huts (these could be the start of a more permanent winter market!).

Huts

There was also a covered tent that doubled as a stage, though some performers braved the elements on the chance of gathering an even larger crowd.

Ta-da!

Food trucks were on hand also, though their numbers were fewer than last year. Street Eats is fully winterized, so it’s possible you may see them again this season! We were a little disappointed that with all of the foot traffic, event organizers elected not to close any adjacent streets. With the 102 Avenue bridge construction, we thought it would have been natural to close the avenue to vehicles for a more family-friendly set-up as was the case last year.

Street Eats

Of course, one of the best things about this festival is its close proximity to great independent shops, so we definitely took advantage of the opportunity to not only warm our toes but also a head start on Christmas shopping.

Carbon

The festival footprint extended north of 107 Avenue, with horse-drawn sleighs and ETS shuttles connecting the two ends of 124 Street. We opted to walk to Drift’s new storefront to have lunch, and were rewarded with a steaming plate of poutine and wonderfully spiced bowl of mulligatawny soup.

Drift’s new space

Poutine

Across the street, Duchess was handing out hot chocolate and freshly-fried beignets. It was also an opportunity to see their annual gingerbread cathedral still under construction (the intricate “stained glass” windows are a marvel).

Giselle all bundled up!

Beignets (seconds, please)

Gingerbread cathedral in progress

We met up with Hannah and Stephanie in the new neighbourhood Credo, which was bustling with patrons needing a break from the cold.

Geoff behind the bar

By the time we were done catching up, we realized we had missed the official light-up and fireworks. But it didn’t really matter – one of the best things about All is Bright is an excuse to acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with all of the wonderful shops and galleries in the area.

Lights!

We did hustle back to the main site just in time to marvel at the lights and closing activities. Although crowds had dwindled down, it was still a wonderful scene of Edmontonians making the most of winter.

With Steph and Hannah

Mack and I thought better of slogging away in the kitchen that night, and left the cooking up to The Bothy. We snagged the last free table, and though we had to be patient with the kitchen, it was well worth the wait. Both our dishes were well prepared.

Roasted lamb sausage pasta

Kudos to the All is Bright organizers for putting together a fabulous event – I’m looking forward to what’s in store for next year!

Relish Fest: Food on Film

There’s a new film festival in town, and it’s all about food! Relish Fest, the brainchild of Maria Iacobelli and The Tomato’s Mary Bailey, celebrates food in all its incarnations on the big screen. Running November 13-16, 2014 in a variety of locations in the city, the festival will be highlighting a number of local, national and international films.

Relish Fest organizers Mary Bailey and Maria Iacobelli with To Make a Farm director Steve Suderman

Although its inaugural year features a panel discussion and a Parmigiano & Prosecco party in addition to screenings, the organizers shared that their focus in coming year will be their “dinner and a movie” series, involving a dinner themed around a specific film preceding each screening. It sounds like a great way to spend an evening.

Relishing some wine

On Thursday night, Mack and I were fortunate enough to be guests at the opening reception. The film To Make a Farm, was screened, a beautiful homage to small family farms in Canada. Director Steve Suderman did a wonderful job capturing the difficulties of farm life – the relentless demands, the unpredictability of mother nature, the loneliness – but also the joy and the rewards that can come from working the land and contributing to the community through food. I was particularly moved by a scene where one farmer said a heartfelt goodbye to the pigs she’d reared and loved, just before sending them to slaughter.

After the movie, a moderated discussion featured an all-female panel: Rhonda Zuk-Headon from The Cheesiry, Cathryn Sprague from Reclaim Urban Farm, Jenny Berkenbosch from Sundog Organic Farm and Vicky Horne from Tangle Ridge Ranch. The panelists expressed that they could very much relate to the stories they watched on screen (Jenny called them “kindred spirits”), and in the process of bettering their techniques, have undergone similar learning journeys. When asked a question about future growth, and in particular, “How big is too big?”, the goal for most was sustainability, while always improving operations.

The panelists with Director Suderman

I felt the panel was a bit too rushed, and would have enjoyed more time with the panelists, but I recognize that the organizers were trying to keep things on time and moving along.

Although there was a second film screening to end the evening, we weren’t able to stay. Based on our first impressions, however, I think Relish is off to a great start! Congrats to Maria and Mary on this new addition to the city’s festival scene.

Check out the rest of the film line-up and ticket information here.

To Be Refined: Ampersand 27

Ampersand 27 has only been up and running for two weeks, but you wouldn’t know it. A few friends and I met for dinner there on Saturday night, and the dining room was nearly full. Not a surprise, even with the unannounced soft opening. Since his unexpected departure from the Lazia Group, Chef Nathin Bye (the youngest-ever chef to win the Gold Medal Plates competition in Edmonton) has been working on his next venture, and the community has been anticipating good things. Even the restaurant’s name, which references the now-forgotten 27th letter of the alphabet, conjures up the idea of unfinished business, of an underdog, and as the website states, “& is memorable. It’s an evening so unforgettable, you’ll want to come back again & again & again.”

Flora at Ampersand 27

Ampersand 27 replaces the beleaguered Murrieta’s in Old Strathcona, which wasn’t able to recapture the public’s attention even after personnel changes and a menu overhaul. Part of the challenge is the size of the space itself and its awkward division into multiple rooms, especially given the trend towards smaller, more intimate restaurants. But overall, I loved the updates in the main room, which makes better use of the high ceiling. Its new sparkling light fixture, placed above two gorgeous communal wood tables, conjures up images of charming backyard al fresco dinners.

Interior

The menu, however, was disappointing. While Chef Bye probably didn’t want to alienate Murrieta’s patronage, accustomed to seafood options and a wide range, without more of a focus, Ampersand 27 risks fading into the background, indistinguishable from upscale casual chains. With four distinct sections – shareables, cheese and charcuterie, large plates and flatbreads, the menu is too broad, and fails to cement an identity. And although I appreciate the restaurant’s push towards sourcing some ingredients from area suppliers, why the extensive seafood selection couldn’t have been pared down to reflect more local options is puzzling.

We chose to share several plates, and did find gems among them. The forest floor flatbread ($15) was outstanding, with a perfectly executed dense, chewy crust, topped with earthy foraged mushrooms and a slightly tangy house-made ricotta.

Forest floor flatbread

The Southeast inspired flat iron ($16) was also wonderfully prepared, with maximum flavour coaxed from the meat, served over kimchee fried rice and an assortment of pickled accompaniments.

Southeast inspired flat iron

The pig ear pad thai ($16) elicited mixed reviews – I enjoyed the ears, rendered tender and almost indistinguishable from the rice noodles, while Annie would have preferred the distinctive crunch of cartilage. The heat level was also pleasantly punchy, unlike other versions made more palatable for the masses.

Pig ear pad thai

The pressured octopus ($14) was forgettable – both of my dinner mates thought the octopus was lost in the heavy-handed tomato sauce, and would have fared better in a lighter dressing.

Pressured octopus

The confit parsnips ($11) were surprisingly firm, and I’m convinced roasting the root vegetables would have brought out more flavour. The red pepper jam helped somewhat, but it really shouldn’t have been necessary for sweetness.

Confit parsnips

The dessert menu seemed much more post-modern than its savoury predecessor, which, although inspired by international flavours, was fairly straightforward and approachable. We had a hard time discerning what to expect of each of the dessert plates, and needed help from our server to decode the menu. Ultimately we chose rocky road ($9), when we were told there would be six “rocks” to share, easy to divide up between the three of us.

Rocky road

To be sure, the dish was unique, comprised of six coated rocks, each containing a different filling. Our favourite was the fruity mango, and we agreed the bed of graham cracker “moss and sand” was necessary for the added texture and dimension.

Service throughout the evening was professional, if not particularly warm. As with most new restaurants though, those finishes will likely take some time to develop.

Given Ampersand 27 is barely two weeks old, it is still too early to judge the restaurant’s longevity based on an initial visit. I just hope in the weeks to come, Chef Bye is able to further refine the menu and shape it into the memorable establishment he hoped to create.

Ampersand 27
10612 82 Avenue
(780) 757-2727
Lunch 11am-4pm & dinner 4pm-11pm daily, brunch 10am-2pm on weekends

The Duchess Bake Shop Cookbook Launch

It’s finally here! A project nearly a year in the making, Edmonton’s Duchess Bake Shop has launched its first self-titled cookbook. Although it won’t be publically available until Wednesday, November 12, 2014, Mack and I were part of a lucky group invited to the bakery Sunday evening to not only preview the publication, but also to get our hot little hands on it first!

Duchess Cookbook launch crowd

Given how popular Duchess has become in our community, it’s hard to think back to when they opened, in the fall of 2009, with just four staff. In the five years since, Duchess has grown to eighteen staff, churning out sixty-five different products, and astonishing quantities of delicious pastry, including two thousand macarons per day.

Let them eat macarons!

Giselle Courteau, Garner Beggs and Jake Pelletier were all born and raised in Edmonton, and their vocalized desire to “put Edmonton on the map” is one of our city’s great success stories. Borne from hard work and a scratch-made philosophy, Duchess quickly outgrew their original space, and doubled their storefront size two years later. In 2012, Duchess Provisions opened, providing specialty items to help ambitious home bakers. And that same year, the National Post pointed to Duchess as possibly the best patisserie in Canada.

Giselle introduces her book

Late last year, Giselle started writing the cookbook, which steadily became a family affair. All the more astonishing, Giselle managed to complete and self-publish the book while she was pregnant, welcoming her first baby last month!

Giselle and her (other) baby!

The Duchess Bake Shop Cook Book contains nearly ninety recipes, which range from more basic cookies to the complex cakes and pastries the bakery is known for. So far, the book will only available in-store and online at Duchess Provisions (priced at $45), but a national launch is planned for next year.

Lillian and I flip through the cookbook

I picked up a copy for myself, and though I will likely remain at the beginner’s end of the cookbook, the full colour pages are a treat to flip through nonetheless. I’m also hopeful the more studious bakers in my family might want to borrow my copy for a spin (hint, hint).

Congrats to Giselle and the Duchess Bake Shop team for this accomplishment! I’m certain the book will find its way under many a Christmas tree this year.

Great Rotisserie and More: Rostizado

Rostizado, the restaurant from the boys behind Tres Carnales, opened back in August. It’s been a great addition to 104 Street, ensuring Mercer Tavern isn’t alone in anchoring the north end nightlife of the Promenade.

Rostizado

While those that were familiar with its predecessor (RIP Roast) will recognize the layout, Rostizado has enhanced the personality of the space with colourful lounge seating that acts as its de-facto waiting area and a great open kitchen with full view of their massive rotisserie ovens. They’ve also transformed the back room into a glassed-in private space, which I’m certain will see its share of Christmas functions in the coming holiday season.

Open kitchen

Having now been seated in different parts of the room, I’d recommend a table near the back – it’s a challenging space acoustically, and a conversation with my dinner date at the communal table near the entrance was difficult.

While I had the opportunity to check out Rostizado’s sneak peek in August, I’ve been back a few times since then to try even more of the menu. Most items are meant to be shared, which makes Rostizado a destination for those who love to sample multiple plates.

My favourite item at the opening reception was the sopes, a corn flour base topped with everything from their house-roasted chicken to smoked salmon. At present, only the latter has made its way onto the permanent menu, but I am hopeful this may change in the future – the crispy corn crust and flavourful meat was a great combination.

Chicken sopes

At Tres Carnales, an order of guacamole is a must – I’d also easily eat a serving of the freshly-fried tortillas on their own. At Rostizado, those addictive chips are served with their queso fundido ($16), essentially a cheese dip with mushrooms, poblano chile and onions thrown in. I thought more chips could have easily been substituted for the slightly sweet bread – their savoury, crunchy nature better paired with the stringy cheese.

Queso fundido

No question, the rotisserie is the star of Rostizado. The portions are incredibly generous – half orders of either the chicken or pork ($32), proposed to feed two on the menu, in reality would defeat a group of four. Served with their rosti-papas, potatoes that have soaked up all of the drippings, I have to wonder if “meat and potatoes” won’t have a different connotation in the city soon.

Rosti-puerco

The roasted pork is very good, moist and not overly fatty, but the tender chicken ultimately earned my vote – didn’t someone say chicken skin is the new bacon?

Rosti-pollo

I also loved the salteados verdes (half order $7), a combination of braised kale, garlic, poblano, apple cider vinegar and pumpkin seeds. It balanced out our order of meat well, and the added texture of the seeds made it a stand-out to me.

Salteados verdes

Rostizados boasts the city’s only “dedicated churros fryer”. Even with that kind of introduction, their churros ($8) lived up to expectations, crackly fried dough tossed with cinnamon and sugar served with a side of dulce de leche.

Churros

Like a handful of other local chains (Elm Café et al. comes to mind), Rostizado is also graced with a great team of staff who offer consistently excellent service. The servers were approachable about a menu full of unfamiliar vocabulary, and even on busy nights, we never felt neglected.

It’s great to see that Rostizado is flourishing – it is another option for those seeking great food in a more casual venue that doesn’t stray into pub territory. I’ll be back again, soon.

Rotizado
102, 10359 104 Street (Mercer Warehouse)
(780) 761-0911
Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 5-11pm, closed Sundays & holidays

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