Category: Edmonton

Day 1 – Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference

The Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference kicked off this evening at the Barnett House. The roads were sleek, and the icewalks (I mean, sidewalks) even more so, and though regretting my decision to walk to Barnett from Westmount Centre, I made it there soaked but in one piece.

Two things of note with this conference – they are striving to be a “paperless” conference, so attendees were not given any paper agendas (with organizers opting to project it onto a screen for everyone to see), and were expected to bring their own notepads for notes. Also, the majority of the keynotes and sessions will be filmed, so those who weren’t able to make it to the conference can see what they missed on the website.

Thomas Pawlick, author of nine books, including his most recent The End of Food, was the Conference’s opening keynote speaker. I have to say, one’s reception of his address has as much to do with the perspective of the listener as much as his words.

Thomas Pawlick

Having been introduced to the world of food security through Michael Pollan, I have to say that I probably wasn’t as receptive to Pawlick’s anecdotal-based speech. He talked a lot about small farmers he knew personally facing hardships due to competition with corporate industrial farms, and not being able to comply with provincial health regulations geared at shutting them down. He called it the “collectivization of Canadian agriculture”, and compared the current situation with what happened in the Soviet Union during Stalin’s reign.

He did bring some statistics into his lecture, including a brief overview over the “food tables” he had looked into – lab results analyzing the nutrients in everyday food items over the last 50 years. 100g of a whole tomato now, for example, has 22.7% less protein, 30.7% less vitamin A, 16.9% less Vitamin C and 61% less calcium than compared with the same quantity in 1963 – due largely to industrial farming methods that, among other things, do not breed for nutrients, do not allow time for optimum growth, and use only very basic fertilizer missing several essential nutrients (this really summarizes his point; Pollan elaborates much more in The Omnivore’s Dilemma on this latter subject).

Pawlick ended his talk with a call for action in the form of membership in two specific organizations – the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and the fairly new Landowner’s Association. Non-farmers can join the NFU as an associate member to show support for their farming counterparts, and start city-wide chapters. The Landowner’s Association is meant to be more inclusive, but the scenario he described (which involved almost one hundred shotgun-wielding farmers surrounding police that had threatened to shut down a neighbouring farm) sounded too activist-oriented for my tastes.

As a whole, I was looking for something more concrete than stories. The Canadian context was great, but having Pollan and his statistics-based rhetoric in my head didn’t help matters either.

Next, we were invited downstairs to the cafeteria area for what they called a “Taste of Alberta”. It turned out to be an assembly of Alberta-based producers and food companies, all offering samples of products. The organizers had warned attendees that it wasn’t a full dinner, and to ensure that a meal was had elsewhere, but I am certain I could have filled up on the samples alone.

enSante Winery was there, offering five different samples of their wine. I tried one of their raspberry varieties, and it wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting – perhaps I will stick with their Adam’s Apple for a sweet glass. Le Cafe Entres Amis was offering a chocolate-orange crepe – one slice was definitely rich enough for me. 2 Greek Gals from Calgary offered an entire plate of food – Greek salad, spanakopita and chicken souvlaki. I’m not usually a fan of feta cheese, but I didn’t mind it at all in their salad. D’Lish and Sandy’s Country Kitchen were also offering samples, with the latter offering to pack up her homemade cinnamon buns for attendees to take home! My favourite dish of the night went to Rose Ridge Land & Cattle for the Beef on a Bun – so tender, I should have returned for seconds. My only quibble with the tasting event was that reusable cutlery, instead of plastic cutlery, should have been used to continue with the conference’s environmentally-friendly mission.

We ended the night with one of three simultaneous film screenings. I chose The Real Dirt on Farmer John (based on the title and nothing else). It turned out to be a documentary about John Peterson, the founder of Angelic Organics, an Illinois-based Community Supported Agriculture farm. It tells of his life growing up on the farm, his family’s history tending to the land, and his own struggles with supporting a farm in the current market. Being an eccentric person with an interesting life history definitely added some spice to the film, but what I enjoyed most was seeing how John related to the land, his community, and most of all, his mother.

Based on the first day, I am optimistic for how much more I can learn at the rest of the conference!

Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference

It seems the extremes of Edmonton’s winter weather has caught up to me, so I will make this short and sweet. Tomorrow evening, farmers, food activists, concerned citizens, and everyone in between will be gathering at the Barnett House for the Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference, running January 29-31.

I jumped at the chance to immerse myself in the topic and have an opportunity to be surrounded by those knowledgeable about the field of food security – something I’m only starting to learn about.

The sessions I am most looking forward to are the ones titled “The Capacity of the Alberta Food System” and the “Realities of Farming” – two topics that I would appreciate a local context to draw from. Of course, the Taste of Alberta on Thursday will also be a welcome palate pleaser, I’m sure.

I will do my best to blog each day after the conference, but it will depend entirely on the state of my cold.

Food Notes for January 26, 2009

  • There’s a new Original Joe’s set to open in the new 23rd Avenue complex – their expansion is slow and steady, but I think their brand of casual fare is getting recognized.
  • Foodie Suz received a tip on her blog about a second Careit Urban Deli opening up in March in Crestwood.
  • Liane Faulder profiled the Prairie Mill Bread Company over the weekend (I have to agree with Mack about the poor usability of the Journal website – you would think a natural link in the above article would be to the bakery’s website).
  • Sabor Divino garnered its first review in the mainstream media in See Magazine. It’s a thumbs up (guess I shouldn’t give the Journal too much flack; See doesn’t link to the restaurant either).
  • Courtney and Brooke from Take it and Like it were profiled in last week’s Saint City News. Congrats!
  • I perused the Edmonton section of Urban Spoon the other day, and it reminds me a lot of Yelp. Anyone started actively using it? Perhaps the iPhone app makes the site useful, but I have to say I still prefer Chowhound; there’s something about the message board format that appeals to me.
  • This would be so useful, particularly if your office lunch room is equipped not with a toaster oven, but with a toaster: reusable Toastabags that help obtain the right crispy texture for everything from cookies to pizza.
  • Andree over at are you gonna eat that wrote a thoughtful, balanced entry about dog meat that she tried on her recent visit to China. Worth a read.
  • There is a bright lining in belonging to a smaller food community – not having to pay $10-12 for Vietnamese subs (as is the trend in New York right now).
  • Of course, there are some trends that I hope land in Edmonton soon, like chocolate chip cookie dough shooters available at a coffee shop (for just $1!).
  • Annie had a food-filled birthday party on Friday. Thanks to Mike and Virginia for the feast, and happy birthday Annie!

 

Hong Kong-style potato salad (my favourite dish of the night, featuring apples, celery, red onion, tomatoes, shrimp and potato)

 

Mike’s famous chicken wings

 

Beef and vegetable skewers, roasted on the Foreman Grill

 

Annie dishes out her Chestnut Cake from Garden Bakery

Fork Fest Frenzy: Red Ox Inn

My original plan was to try and snag a Fork Fest reservation at the Red Ox Inn (9420 91 Street NW) for Monday, January 24 (fitting, it seemed, to eat in a restaurant named for this Chinese Zodiac year). But after a particularly maddening day at work on Thursday, I called Mack before entering into a late meeting to see if he could look into what might be available that night. We were lucky enough to obtain the last seating of the day at 8:45pm.

 

Fork Fest!

I had been to Red Ox Inn before, but was hoping that this occasion would bear an entree better suited to my tastes. We entered an absolutely packed restaurant, and were promptly greeted by a server and directed to a table. It turned out we were seated next to the authors of Loosen Your Belt and Eat Around Edmonton, Marriane and Zed – the last in a series of online food writers that have patronized the Red Ox this week (perhaps the restaurant should receive some sort of award for blogger attraction). It’s always nice to meet local culinary counterparts in person – I’m sure it won’t be the last time we run into them!

As I commented in my previous post, the Inn is a tiny, boutique-style restaurant. Space and intimacy are definitely two things they cannot offer though, and between the hardwood floor and tile-like ceiling, the Red Ox ends up having one of the highest sound levels of any restaurant in Edmonton. At the same time, as laughter and conversation echoes through the venue, it’s hard not to loosen up and feel like a part of one large group, dining and enjoying the experience together. Just don’t head to the Red Ox if you’re looking for a quiet evening out.

 

Red Ox Inn interior

We settled in with both the Fork Fest and a la carte menus, though like everyone else in the restaurant, would be ordering from the former only. Mack and I both decided on the puree of wild mushroom with maderia and gruyere-mushroom rye crostini to start, but deviated in choice on the rest of the meal. He chose the fish (seared Arctic char with ratatouille, roast garlic butter sauce and mashed potatoes) as his main, while I opted to stay away from their char and ordered the pork (marinated pork rack chop, Moroccan BBQ sauce, tropical fruit chutney, savoy cabbage and herbed rice) instead.

We aren’t very accustomed to late dinners, so the pacing of the meal didn’t quite match our appetites that evening. Still, we found the service to be attentive and gracious overall, though Mack commented that he could have done without the overemphasized “sir” at the end of seemingly every sentence.

Our first course arrived without a moment to spare, a wide bowl containing a thick grey-brown “paste”, in Mack’s words. My first spoonful of soup was the best, as the flavour somehow seemed to dull over the course of the bowl. The floating crostini was actually the best part, as the puree was made to be eaten with a bread accompaniment, to soak up the savoury goodness. 

 

Puree of Wild Mushroom with Maderia and Gruyere-Mushroom Rye Crostini

Our entrees took a bit longer than we would have liked, though I’m sure being the last table of the night didn’t help. My plate was stacked, my pork chop sitting high atop a bed of rice, vegetables, and garnished with a healthy amount of chutney. The Moroccan BBQ sauce was lovely (even though it tasted slightly like my Mum’s own sweet and sour base), and complimented the juicy, perfectly-cooked pork well. I made sure to soak up the rest of the sauce with my rice!

 

Pork

Mack was also happy with his char, though he said it was a tad over seasoned for his liking. The green beans were well-cooked as well.

 

Arctic Char

Dessert for me that evening was the warm chocolate cake, the same dessert I ordered on my other visit. It was the same as I had remembered – rich and sweet, my only wish was that raspberries were in season to accompany the cake.

 

Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Mack’s blueberry and white chocolate bread pudding turned out to be better than both of us had expected. Not overly sweet, it appealed to Mack and ended his meal nicely.

 

Blueberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

I’m happy I had the opportunity to try a three course meal at the Red Ox for a very reasonable $35 per person. As the server indicated to us that they only had one time slot remaining until next Thursday, we are sure many others will be treated to a great meal as well. Fork Fest runs until January 29, but many of the tables at choice restaurants will likely be booked solid (I would recommend taking a look at availability on Open Table, but calling to see if they have any cancellations if you really are intent on one particular restaurant).

Red Ox Inn
9420 91 Street NW
(780) 465-5727
Tuesday-Sunday 5pm-close, closed Mondays

My Wish List for Edmonton’s Food Scene

There are always things to be grateful for, and Edmonton’s burgeoning restaurant scene is definitely one of them. While I can’t say I’m actually a part of its development (commenting about it just isn’t the same as more active participation), it’s been wonderfully rewarding as a lifelong Edmontonian to see independent eateries and other food establishments successfully compete with chain restaurants.

At the same time, I know there are things in our dining scene that I would love to see – perhaps things that are percolating and forthcoming, but haven’t yet bubbled to the surface. In no particular order, here are some things I want to see more of:

  • One-note restaurants: It may be gimmicky, but places that serve one dish really well, such as Soul Soup or The Dawg Father, do attract attention. They are typically introduced to tourists as providing the “best” of something, and at the very least, force people to concentrate on one type of food, which may draw them away from their comfort zone.
  • Single word restaurant names: I was a bit disappointed with the recently opened Kai Asian Grill. I was really hoping the restaurant would grab “Kai” by the balls and just go with a single word to sell themselves to the world, but no, they copped out by adding “Asian Grill” to all of their signage. Yes, I know Edmonton has a number of restaurants that have one word names (Culina, Viphalay and Spago come to mind), but they don’t generate the same kind of excitement or mystery based on the name alone. Examples: Rouge (a contemporary French restaurant), Rush (a contemporary American restaurant) and Cilantro (which offers southwestern fare) in Calgary.
  • Food establishments as the hook for exploration: Beyond Chinatown and Little Italy, there are areas in Edmonton that should be explored on foot. Though food establishments generally become the bait to lure potential visitors to particular areas, they should not be the be-all-end-all of a visit. In April of last year, I wrote about a few walkable day trips that included food stops along the way – it was only a sample; I’m sure there are many others that I failed to include.
  • Innovative concepts: I was really excited when TZiN opened nearly two years ago. I really thought it would usher in a new age in Edmonton’s restaurant scene that would involve small, trendy establishments offering their own spin on dining. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still optimistic. Perhaps this means a charcuterie wine bar for Edmonton in the near future, but I’m sure the imagination of the city’s restauranteurs is greater than mine.
  • Year-round Farmer’s Markets: Summers in Edmonton are ripe with farmers’ markets (including my favourite one – the City Centre Market on 104th Street), but it’s a fairly depressing scene in the winter. There are only two approved farmers’ markets in metro Edmonton that operate year-round – Old Strathcona and Westmount – and one unapproved one at the Salisbury Greenhouse in Sherwood Park. Farmers’ markets are great places for people to learn about food and to feel a little more connected to the people who produce it, so it would be great to have more opportunities to do so, even in the winter.
  • Community gathering places: The Carrot, a volunteer-run coffeehouse on 118 Avenue, will be looked upon years from now as an inspirational model. Arts on the Ave, the organization behind The Carrot, has helped attract attention to the beleaguered neighbourhood by acting as a hub for community members to connect with one another, and by promoting local artists and causes. Edmonton could use more such initiatives.

What is on your wish list for Edmonton’s food scene?

Food Notes for January 19, 2009

  • Many of my food blogging cohorts have already sounded the Fork Fest horn, but I figured I’d echo their sentiment: $20 or $35 will get you a great pre-fixe meal at one of the city’s fabulous independent eateries under the umbrella of Original Fare. Check out the menu selections here.
  • I had the opportunity to interview Miles Quon of The Lingnan a few weeks ago before Family Restaurant started to air – my article was published in Vue on Thursday. I watched the second episode, which contained nary a coherent storyline. I am hoping the rest of the season doesn’t develop like this.
  • Liane Faulder published a great article this past week – the start of many “that will see local chefs lead Bistro through their favourite food haunts.” Kevin Ostapek, of Flavours Bistro was up first. Even better, Liane and Kevin travelled with a photographer, which meant there was a small online gallery associated with their trek – I always love seeing more visual representations.
  • The Journal also featured Eric Ng’s veggie donair in a piece about “fake food” on Saturday. Great to see Eric’s efforts recognized in mainstream media – I attended the world premiere of his creation back in November.
  • Ted Tsenekos, the owner of It’s All Greek to Me on Rice Howard Way, passed away last Sunday. My condolences to his family.
  • I passed by Sabzy Cafe (10416 82nd Ave) on Friday, personally noting for the first time that it was open, and lo and behold, a review came out in the Journal on Saturday. The family-run Persian restaurant focuses on fresh, healthy fare (including quinoa, the current “it” food of the moment), and got a thumbs up from the reviewer.
  • Culina’s temporary website is finally up, complete with links to their menus! I love the font and the coloured text on black, and the fact that the phrase “Culina Family of Restaurants” disguises the corporate nature of the establishments to some degree.
  • Poul Mark of Transcend Coffee wrote an intriguing blog post last week, musing about the “anti-wine model” that must be applied to premium coffee stores – instead of making a high-end product more accessible to the average consumer, premium coffee must convince customers to pay more for a fairly common (and cheaply obtained) product.
  • On a related note (from Mack), the St. Albert Gazette wrote about both Transcend and St. City Roasters, two locally-based coffee roasters. It’s a good introductory article that discusses some of the techniques they employ, but essentially, the conclusion is that home baristas will never be able to duplicate a fine espresso at home (at least not without intense training and months of practice).
  • More on coffee: via the Starbucks Gossip Blog, an article in Advertising Age that published the results of an online survey that says 60% of Americans have decreased their fancy coffee consumption in the last six months.
  • Diane Twittered her experience at a cooking/demonstration class called Culinary Date Night at Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert this weekend – it’s $115 per couple, but might be an interesting alternative for a special occasion dinner.
  • I’ve been poking around Dollarama every now and then to see what they have in their food aisle (being the cheapskate I am), and it always surprises me with some of the “brand name” goods they offer. This last trip saw Uncle Ben’s rice, Wheat Thins (organic, nonetheless), and Honeycomb cereal. The following, however, I was skeptical about:

 

Poutine sauce in a can is frightening enough, so “poutine” sauce? Makes you wonder…

All-American Hot Dogs: The Dawg Father

I happened to be in the Alberta Avenue area on Thursday for work, and having read Liane’s article about The Dawg Father (8654 118 Avenue), chose that as my lunch destination that day.

Knowing that the joint specialized in hot dogs, I was expecting The Dawg Father to be somewhat similar to Tubby Dog, which serves up unusual condiments on a carnival favourite. In actuality, The Dawg Father reveres traditional toppings like onions, sauerkraut, cheese and relish. When I asked the proprietor Tom Stefura if he would ever experiment with things like wasabi and peanut butter, he said it wasn’t his intention to waver from classic, All-American flavours (partial menu here).

Order counter

The interior of the restaurant reminded me of a cleaner, modified Chicago Deep Dish – meant not for lingering, but to quickly satisfy one’s hunger. There are three new, glass-topped tables to provide those who need a place to stay, but it seems The Dawg Father also does a mean take-out business.

Tom greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. I asked for his recommendation, and after finding out that I wasn’t a fan of spicy foods, he said that the Baltimore Dog ($7.50) would be my best bet – topped with fried onions, cheese, and bacon. All dogs are served with coleslaw, ‘Ruby fries’ and a pickle. He asked if a ten minute wait would be all right, as all meals are made fresh. I had time, but I had to wonder – if several large groups came in all at the same time, the restaurant may not be able to accommodate everyone in a timely fashion.

I wasn’t keeping track, but I’m pretty sure my order took less than ten minutes to reach my table. I’ve never really considered a hot dog as anything beyond a snack, but The Dawg Father made me reconsider this, as my plate was definitely a meal in itself. The dog was drenched with a generous topping of sauteed onions, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and (unfortunately) mustard. Thankfully, the onions and cheese managed to negate the sharpness of my least favourite condiment, and I appreciated the heartiness of the all-beef wiener. The bread was fresh (they use buns from Handy Bakery just a few doors down), which is always a nice touch. The fries were a cut above, and made the overall price of the hot dog easier to reconcile. The potatoes had been freshly prepared with an aromatic mixture of garlic, parsley and salt – I was beyond full by the end, but I couldn’t imagine turning in a half-eaten plate that had obviously been lovingly prepared.

Baltimore Dog with coleslaw and Ruby fries

Before I left, I asked Tom why he had chosen 118th Avenue to open his restaurant, and whether or not the reputation of the area had deterred him at all. He replied that the media helped perpetuate the negative image of Alberta Avenue, and “if people think this is bad, try living in Newark, New Jersey.”

The Dawg Father
8654 118 Avenue
(780) 477-7947
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, closed Sunday & Monday

The Netty Series

My original intention at the Holiday Stop and Shop was to pick up an Ugly Doll to give as a gift. Of course, by the time I brought Netty home, I knew I had to keep him.

Inspired by this photo, I decided to have some fun with my new toy, and satisfy the twelve-year old in me. After taking the photos below, I found that Belua Designs’ creator, Sarah Bourque, has travelled with her own Ugly Doll, snapping photos along the way. You can check out Fremlys Big Adventures here, and keep up to date with Netty’s own shenanigans here.

Having breakfast

At work

Watching TV

Building a Kinder Surprise toy

Finished with  Kinder toy

Taking down the Christmas tree

Pointing out where he lives

Playing with dinosaurs

Reading a bedtime story

Sleeping

Starch Overload: Happy Garden

Due to a dumpling craving, Dickson and I ended up at Happy Garden (6525 111 Street NW) for dinner instead of a pre-planned trip to Il Forno. He had heard from a coworker that their servings were quite generous, and after being unsatisfied with Western interpretations of dumplings at Brewster’s, convinced me to come along for the ride.

I remember reading a review of this off-the-beaten-track Chinese restaurant in the Journal last year, and was happy to hear that it hadn’t shut down, which was a possibility hinted at in the article. It took us long enough to find the place, after a few wrong turns and not having the slightest idea what we were looking for to begin with. We finally ended up at a tiny strip mall in the middle of Parkallen, with every storefront dark with the exception of the restaurant.

Wandering in, I spotted a sign near the door that requested patience from patrons – staff turnover meant the kitchen might still be on training wheels. That wasn’t a good sign – we had tickets to a show across the city, and time would be tight as it were. But in spite of my hesitations, we followed the waitress to a table in the back corner.

Happy Garden was surprisingly busy – for a restaurant that I hadn’t heard much about, it was nearly full, and provided the lively ambiance I have always associated with Chinese establishments. The decor was dated, with a few haphazard Chinese “artifacts” added to the interior as seeming afterthoughts – a lantern, a scroll. Twinkle lights hung from the ceiling – had they been on, I’m sure they would have given the space a touch of charm. The pink vinyl tablecloths were a bit off-putting – I know they meant to assist staff in the clean-up phase, but they were sticky and probably should have been replaced.

I let Dickson do the ordering, based on his friend’s recommendations: Pork Dumplings ($7 for 12), Mu Shu Pork ($9 for 6 “thin cakes”), and Steamed Buns ($7 for 10). I wasn’t expecting to find samosas and “Thai wings” on the menu, but as I was about to find out, Happy Garden specializes in plates meant to be shared.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before our first course arrived – the Pork Dumplings were absolutely massive. Their comparison on the menu to perogies were spot on, though quite frankly, they were larger than any perogy I had ever come across before. Pan-fried to a crisp on the outside, the dough contained a flavourful concoction of meat. I managed to work my way through four before crying for mercy, but Dickson likely could have eaten more than the eight he finished.

Pork Dumplings

The Mu Shu Pork was next – warmed crepe-like wraps accompanied a plate of steaming stir-fried pork and vegetables. Assembling the dish was half the fun, which including drizzling hoisin sauce to taste. It was definitely my favourite of the three courses – the texture of the filling and the sweetness of the sauce had me at my first bite.

Mu Shu Pork

We received our Steamed Buns last. A mixture of pork and crab meat awaited us inside, as did quite a bit of oil that pooled along the bottom of the dough. If we hadn’t already gone through the plate of dumplings, I’m sure we would have been more receptive to the buns, but in the end, we felt as if we had exceeded our starch content for the week.

Steamed Buns

My introduction to Happy Garden was brief but positive – I hope to be able to linger (and order seconds of Mu Shu Pork) on future visits.

Happy Garden
6525 111 Street NW
(780) 435-7622

Food Notes for January 12, 2009

  • I registered for the upcoming Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together Conference running January 29-30 this past week. I hope to get some blogging in during the conference, so watch for posts at the end of the month! If you can’t make it to the entire event, there is a public keynote by Carol Off, author of Bitter Chocolate, on Friday evening.
  • From Vue Weekly: Culina Highlands is now open for lunch, Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-2pm. I hope their new website debuts soon!
  • From City Palate: there’s a new bakery in town called Prairie Mill Bread Co. (14253 23 Avenue, 780-436-0920). They recently opened their first location in Edmonton after finding success in Calgary.
  • Liane was back this week from a brief hiatus, and covered Edmonton’s burgeoning scene of meal assembly studios. I had no idea there were nine in the city.
  • Food Network Canada’s third season of Family Restaurant, this time featuring the Quons of Lingnan and Chicken for Lunch fame, began on January 8. The 10-episode run got off to a good start, with the frenetic energy of the family on display.
  • Mack tipped me off to some interesting discussion on Connect2Edmonton about the upcoming Downtown Dining Week, an annual event that encourages patrons to dine in the core by offering set-meals at a “discounted” rate. I have to agree with IanO – Edmonton’s independents do themselves a disservice by offering two competing dining weeks (something I’ve said in the past) – why not combine Downtown Dining Week and Original Fare’s Fork Fest?
  • I saw commercials advertising Boston Pizza‘s new “10 for $10” feature on television this week (dine-in only from Sunday to Thursday, until February 8). I wonder which will be the next non-fast food chain to push value-for-dollar meals?
  • Speaking of advertising, I love the current Tim Hortons campaign, which pushes their coffee into the spotlight. Like Starbucks should be doing (instead of say, diverging to tea), the spots focus on the 20 minute freshness of each pot – simple, but effective.