Go for a Good Cause: 4th Street Promenade Al Fresco Block Party

One of my favourite summer events, the Al Fresco Block Party, will be taking over our neighbourhood again on June 11, 2011. It’s an event popular for many reasons – it not only combines the best of other seasonal festivals, including fashion, music, wine and of course, food, but also proceeds to support a good cause along the way (I wrote about it here last year).

The new 4th Street Promenade banners going up

As with 2010, all of the money raised at this year’s Al Fresco will benefit the E4C School Lunch Program, which helps provide lunch and nutritional education to over 2,000 school children every year. In addition, E4C also provides healthy snacks to over 5,500 children a year, operates the Young Chef Program that teaches children meal preparation and food safety skills, and runs a community garden.

Attendees can expect some familiar features as in past events, such as a kick-off pancake breakfast, hosted by the Downtown Edmonton Community League, a fashion show put on by area merchants, and live music. The wine tasting promises to be equally exciting (though I’d advise heading to the tent earlier rather than later; it was absolutely packed last year!).

The 2010 pancake breakfast

The outdoor movie, however, has been axed, in favour of a new food aspect. Inspired by the trend of street food overtaking cities across North America, six downtown and area restaurants will be offering their own spin on high end street food.

Sabor Divino cooks up piri piri in at last year’s Al Fresco

Participating restaurants include Corso 32, MRKT, Tres Carnales Taqueria, Elm Cafe, Pampa and a 2010 Al Fresco favourite, Sabor Divino. The full menu can be viewed on their Facebook page, and looks to be well-rounded, with fresh salads to accompany barbecued meats and sure-fire crowd-pleasers like Corso’s arancini. Three 104 Street restaurants, LIT, Blue Plate Diner and TZiN, will also be joining the fray with extended patios.

For a little more information on how the organizers came up with this concept, and what can be expected from this year’s wine tasting, I contacted Ed Fong of DeVine’s, one of the folks behind this event.

Why is E4C’s school lunch program in need of support?

There is a lack of funding and the needs are increasing with the challenging economic times. The program identifies high needs schools and there are unfortunately many of them.

How did the organizing committee come up with the “high end street food” concept? How is it different than events such as the Taste of Edmonton?

Taste of Edmonton is getting very predictable and the offers are less than inspiring. 15 years ago, maybe, but not now. Like many food offerings at these type of events, the food vendors are settling for the “lowest common denominator”. So, they do what is easy and what makes them money. The thought of doing high end street food was inspired by people’s trip to other places in Europe and the States where you can get great food at farmers’ markets, vans and such. With the success of the first years’ charcoal BBQ Portuguese Chicken, we thought we would expand the concept. We also wanted to show that street food does not have to be uninspiring. So, no street meat or meat on a stick.

How were the participating restaurants chosen or approached?

Restaurants were chosen based on the relationship the planners had with them, their vision of street food, and their willingness to execute, donate their time and part of the proceeds. We also wanted to select restaurants with buzz, reputation for high quality and a reflection of independent, locally owned businesses. We were not really interested in chains. They are hard to deal with, and we do not have the time nor the desire to cut through their bureaucracy. We wanted Hardware Grill, but they did not have the staff that day. So, they are participating by donating their entire restaurant for a luncheon fundraiser [tickets for the June 11, 2011 three course meal can be purchased online here].

What can people expect to sample in the wine tasting tent? Are there any wineries or vendors you are particularly excited about?

There will be 23 wine and spirits importers who are participating. They will be pouring 58 wines, 4 beers/coolers and 5 spirits. So, lots of choice for $25. I’m excited about the choice of wines that are suitable for summer sipping and the opportunity to introduce so many new products to the store. Patrons can try anything from Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch to Cahteau Tahbilk Marsanne. This will not be just another hohum tasting tent. But I’m really excited about all the agents who are willing to donate ALL of their product and time to help feed kids. I’m very proud of the community spirit that brings us all together.

What makes Al Fresco such a great event?

The fact that this is a grassroots fundraiser, where neighbors all chip in to support a worthwhile cause. We feel it is a great event too because it does not happen in isolation, but in conjunction with the DECL Pancake Breakfast, Farmers’ Market and Pride Parade. It is unique because we set the bar very high. So we raise the food, fun, music, fashion, art and wine quotient every year. The event has a very cosmopolitan feel, and it gets people out on the streets. Neighbors and friends can come out, enjoy the event, socialize and have fun in a responsible way. That is what downtown living should all be about.

Make sure to mark your calendars if you haven’t already – let’s help Al Fresco exceed the $23,000 they raised last year! And if you’re looking for other ways to support E4C, be sure to also check out Al Fresco’s online auction.

See you at Al Fresco!

A Block Party and Policy in Old Strathcona

The advent of summer brings with it not only warm weather, but also a plethora of activities – you should never be wanting of things to do in Edmonton at this time of year! Saturday was a poster child of event overload – perhaps you ran into frantic City Chase participants, checked out either of the fabulous Royal Bison or Handmade Mafia craft shows, or learned more about public transit at the ETS Community Fair. We wanted to do it all, but with a seat at the CHG Top Chef table that night, we aimed to narrow our scope to Old Strathcona.

We should have taken the street car instead of the bus

Four walls couldn’t contain the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market!

Entertainment

Mack and I love a good street festival, so while we were in the neighbourhood, had to check out the East Whyte Block Party.

East Whyte

It definitely had the right elements – food from the ever-popular Fat Franks and Eva Sweet, art work displays, representatives from the community league, and demonstrations of athleticism from yoga practitioners and stunt bikes.

Art

Yoga

Stunting!

It was just lacking a festive atmosphere – music to help tie it all together would have been a great addition, and perhaps more signage near the farmers’ market to help direct pedestrian traffic that way. That said, for an inaugural event, it can only grow from here. I’m looking forward to see how next year’s party develops!

We made our way back to William McIntyre Park at noon to take part in the official kick-off to the City of Edmonton’s Food and Agriculture Policy Project. It was great to see a small crowd gathered to take in the displays and be a part of the launch.

Displays

Mayor Mandel and Councillor Loken emphasized that this policy, which will look at everything from where citizens source their food from, to where it is processed, to how it is disposed of, is a natural fit with the direction of sustainability in The Way We Grow, The Way We Live and The Way We Green (The Way We Grow, for example, highlighted the importance of the pristine farmland in the north east of the city last year, for example).

Councillor Loken addresses the crowd

As with other policies, the City will be gathering public feedback to assist with its development. An online questionnaire is already available, and a forum is being planned for the fall.

Timeline

Though it will be important that policies such as urban beekeeping and backyard chickens are thoroughly considered, I do hope other hands on ideas for sustainability, though decidedly less controversial, are also highlighted. For example, the Alberta Avenue Community League offered a series of “homesteading” workshops a while back, a great initiative that really should be happening on a larger scale. Opportunities for people to learn how to garden (in a yard or containers) and to preserve what they grow (canning, pickling, etc.) should be more common – and for most, will be a gateway into more involved forms of food production.

I look forward to learning more about the development of this policy, and am optimistic that it will help Edmonton become a leader in this area.

Food Notes for May 30, 2011

The weeks are just flying by now that the warm weather is here! Hope you’re out enjoying it as much as possible! On to this week’s food notes:

EDIT: I was remiss in not including a link to the menu of high end street food that will be served at this year’s Al Fresco on 104 Street. Participating restaurants include Corso 32, Pampa, Sabor Divino, Lit, MRKT and Elm Cafe.
Every time I turn around there seems to be another farmers’ market in the city! My Mum told me about a new one in the Meadows at 4430 17 Street in the Home Depot parking lot on Tuesday evenings from 4-8pm. It runs May 17 to October 4, 2011.
Sherene blogged about the newest waffle truck in town, Wannawafel. It looks like their waffles use beet instead of pearl sugar.
See Magazine reviewed Sakana (7908 104 Street), a new-ish Japanese restaurant in Old Strathcona.
Liane wrote about some changes happening at Culina – namely, that Culina Mill Creek will no longer be serving lunch, but that Bibo next door will pick up where it leaves off.
The USDA will be replacing its food pyramid with a plate icon on Thursday – not sure a change in design will change people’s eating habits, but it is easier to visualize.
Heading to New York? Here are five restaurant alternatives to tourist traps.
Mack sent me a link about Mark Zuckerberg’s personal challenge this year – to eat only what he kills himself.

City Market Report: Week 2

Though it was a bit chilly this morning, the sun was shining on the City Market again (can we make it three in a row next week?).

Morning at the market

Mack and I weren’t able to take quite the same leisurely pace as we did last week because we had wanted to make it to a few other events this morning, but we also wanted to ensure we had our groceries for the week.

Tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouses

Sorrel from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Rhubarb from Edgar Farms

This time of the year is always so magical – every passing week brings more and more produce, and often, it’s not until a trip to the market reveals exactly what’s in season at that particular time.

Radishes from Riverbend Gardens

Spinach from Green Valley Farm

We had picked up a pot of pre-planted lettuces from Kuhlmann’s last week, but we also loved the mini herb containers from Riverbend Gardens. We bought one for someone special, who we know uses lots of fresh herbs.

Mini herb containers from Riverbend Gardens

Flowers from Kuhlmann’s

We came across a new vendor, Little Shoots Neighbourhood Farm. On a different day, I’d like to learn more about them, but it sounds like they’re doing something really interesting – growing microgreens out of one of their residences. They had pea and bean shoots for sale, as well as mixtures of kale, cabbage and kohlrabi shoots, but will have more variety next week.

Little Shoots Neighbourhood Farm

While shopping, we ran into Ben Weir, a finalist in the CHG Top Chef competition, and Valerie, who would be one of his sous chefs for the finale. We spied asparagus in their cart, so knew that would be on the menu tonight!

Ben and Valerie

The City Market started offering its veggie valet service again (where patrons can leave their purchases with the information desk, to be picked up at the end of the market day to allow them to enjoy the downtown free of bags).

Veggie valet!

Before heading to our next stop that morning, we grabbed a breakfast bowl ($6) from the Fork and Spoon Brigade. It was definitely a hearty breakfast, made with three eggs, Irvings tomato and basil sausage, baby potatoes, bell peppers, green onions, and shredded cheese. Bonus: it was very easy to smuggle onto the bus in my purse (given open foods aren’t usually permitted).

Breakfast bowl, complete with a fork and a spoon! (I am hopeful that they might consider paper and plant-based containers and cutlery in the future)

It was a bit fortuitous that we returned to our street earlier in the afternoon than we’d planned for, and thus, were able to catch a performance that was a part of the City Market’s Chinese Festival.

Lion dance

The lions then started a procession down the aisles!

Fan dancers from above

Watch for other cultural festivals in the coming weeks – they certainly add some excitement and colour to the market. See you next week!

The Cooking Chronicles: Dinner with Julie

I had mentally bookmarked two of the recipes seen on Dinner with Julie for future reference. It was a bit of a coincidence that I ended up making both of them in the same week.

Though Julie does feature some dishes that are a bit more complex, I find that a majority of them are perfect for time-conscious weekday dinners. And because she posts nearly every day, there’s always something new and interesting up on her site to be inspired by!

Poached Eggs over Warm Lentil Salad with Bacon

Julie’s recipe for a warm lentil salad with a poached egg on top appealed to me as a one-bowl dish with a little bit of everything (it wasn’t, unfortunately, a one-pot dish, however). It was also a great way for me to throw in some of my farmers’ market purchases.

While the lentils were simmering, I cooked up several slices of Irvings bacon, then, in the fat, sautéed some onions, mushrooms, Riverbend Gardens carrots, and Edgar Farms asparagus. A splash of red wine vinegar was added, then once it cooked out, I stirred in the bacon and softened lentils. The salad was topped with a poached duck egg from Greens, Eggs and Ham.

Poached egg over warm lentil salad with bacon

I overcooked the lentils a touch (fifteen minutes probably would have done the trick), and we found the red wine vinegar a little too sharp (lemon juice would likely work better). That said, the runny yolk gave the salad a punch of richness, accented by salty pops of bacon. As a whole, it was a perfect one-bowl dish to be eaten while watching the Lightning take it to the Bruins (yes, back in Game 6), and one that we will definitely make again.

Bacon, Onion, Mushroom and Fontina Pancake

More Irvings bacon found its way into a pancake recipe we adapted to make use of the ingredients in our fridge and pantry. Well, it was more like a pancake crossed with a frittata.

It begins the same way as the previous recipe, by crisping up some bacon, then cooking down onions and mushrooms. But then, a batter of eggs (we used two Greens, Eggs and Ham duck eggs instead of three chicken eggs), flour, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper was added to the pan, topped with fontina (our favourite melting cheese) and baked off for fifteen minutes. We served it with a side salad of greens picked from our balcony (I’ve never been able to say that before!).

Bacon, onion, mushroom and fontina pancake

I really liked the pancake, probably more than the frittatas that we usually make. The half cup of flour made a world of difference in texture, replacing the usually dense egg centre with that of a fluffy cake. I also loved the hint of mustard in the batter (and using the Fitz’s mustard Mack brought back for me from London studded cake with grainy gems).

It was another winning recipe that will go into our rotation. Thanks, Julie!

Walk it Off: La Poutine

Some restaurants like the Copper Pot or La Ronde draw in diners partly based on the views that they boast, but what about establishments that can play up the view en route?

All the talk of poutine at the CHG Top Chef competition on Saturday got Mack and I thinking about finally going to try La Poutine across the river (in an area apparently now referred to as “The Bridge District”). And on a beautiful evening after such a long, hard winter, we couldn’t really justify any mode of transportation besides our own two feet.

Running man!

The mosquitoes were pests to be reckoned with, but they were worth tackling in order to be reminded of how beautiful our city really is. We always mean to trek across the High Level Bridge, but it’s not something we do that often – but we should.

Coke slushees – my guilty summer pleasure

Sunbursts

Follow the trail

We arrived at La Poutine just before a long lined flowed out the door – the attendant indicated that it had been busy since they opened that afternoon. With their prime location near the University, residential towers and the Whyte Avenue bar scene, it’s not hard to think their focus on poutine would be a sure thing.

Offering over fifteen varieties in two different sizes, La Poutine joins places like Battista’s Calzones and Soul Soup that have chosen to specialize in just one item. So their success, in addition to location, also hinges on how well their poutine is executed.

Sizes

We opted to try their traditional poutine with the beef-based sauce ($5.95), as well as the Quebecois poutine featuring Montreal smoked meat with the traditional sauce ($7.50).

There are a few bar-style seats in the tiny storefront, but we opted for roadside seating. We appreciated their use of paper-based containers (instead of styrofoam), but we wondered why they didn’t continue the environmentally-friendly theme with corn or other plant-based cutlery.

Roadside dinner

The cheese curds were authentically squeaky, and the gravy actually hot enough to partially melt through them. Between the two gravies, we preferred the rich beef version; we found the traditional was too salty.

Traditional

Though both of us were hesitant about the Montreal smoked meat addition, it was a bit of a revelation for us. Paired with the mustard, it added an extra layer of flavour that elevated the poutine to a gourmet level.

Quebecois

Mack and I agreed that the Cheese Factory was more generous when it came to portion sizes and doling out of curds, but in terms of accessibility of location and hours, La Poutine can’t be beat. As Twyla indicated, walking off the poutine is highly recommended. And when the view is spectacular, all the better.

High Level

At the Legislature grounds

Bridges (Mack’s money shot!)

La Poutine
8720 109 Street
Monday-Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-2am, Sunday, 11am-8pm

Century Hospitality Group’s Top Chef: Final Four

Century Hospitality Group has been doing some really exciting things as of late. You’ve probably read about their smashing success of bringing the alley burger to Edmonton, and heard about their weekly farmers’ market dinners. But perhaps most innovative is their internal Top Chef tournament.

In order to help their young chefs grow, they’ve provided them with a creative outlet to flex their kitchen muscles and tackle cooking challenges. And really, what better outlet is there than an in-house competition modeled after the wildly successful reality programs Top Chef and Iron Chef?

It all started on May 7, 2011 with sixteen eager cheftestants. March-madness style, the competitors were reduced to eight after head-to-head battles. On May 14, those eight were cut down to four. This past Saturday saw those four remaining chefs fight for the two spots in the final. At stake: $1000 in prizes, and the title of “Century Hospitality Group Top Chef.”

Mack and I had been fortunate enough to be asked to be a part of the judging roster, who would be called upon to help narrow the field. Though Mack was remiss about the lost opportunity to judge the scallop challenge due to a schedule conflict, it did mean that we were able to sit on the panel together.

Mack is ready to judge!

On Saturday morning, we headed to Lux to join our fellow panellists, Che Bechard of Baseline Wines and Spirits, Chef Andrew Fung of Blackhawk Golf Club, and resident judge, CHG Corporate Chef Paul Shufelt. Liv Vors of Vue Weekly was on hand as well to chronicle the competition.

The judges (I suppose we really shouldn’t be smiling…)

The set-up reminded me of the Top Chef judges table – long and narrow, with several lengths between the table and where the cheftestants would stand and receive their feedback. If there was a camera to do one of those trademarked shots that sweep behind the judges table, I’m sure Lux could have easily been mistaken for a studio.

“Please pack your knives and go”

The chefs would have 90 minutes to complete 4 plates each of an entree and a dessert. They would have access to the kitchen’s pantry, but would have to use two secret ingredients in their dishes – bison striploin and chocolate. In addition, a bonus ingredient of rhubarb, picked up at the farmers’ market that morning, would also have to be incorporated somehow.

Shirley Fortez plates her entrees

Andrew, Paul, Mack and myself could award each chef with up to 20 points each, judging the taste (10 points), presentation (5 points) and creativity/use of the secret ingredient (5 points). Che would also be awarding 20 points, but specifically on the wine pairing with the entree.

Judging form

While the chefs were preparing their dishes, we occasionally popped into the kitchen to check out the action, but it was clear they were feeling the pressure, so we thought it best to let them work.

Ben Weir hard at work

John Dykeman has his eyes on the prize

Unlike the previous two rounds of competition, where chefs would receive their scores and feedback immediately after their presentation, because we would be choosing the finalists, Paul had decided that no comments would be shared until all of the dishes had been judged.

Shirley Fortez

Baseball-cut striploin accompanied with garlic roasted potato mash and a roasted tomato with truffle oil

Shirley’s sweet and sour sauce was one of my favourite tastes that day – there was something so aggressive and bold about it, and in a competition where a memorable dish can win it all, it was a great start. The steak was on the rare side, however, and the potatoes were too rustic and unevenly mashed for my preference.

Rhubarb lemon flan with blackberry rhubarb compote and chocolate sauce

Shirley’s dessert was also the most beautiful plate of the day – great composition and colour. We were told later that Shirley had spent a lot of time practicing the flan recipe, something that definitely paid off. There was consensus, however, that the secret ingredient of chocolate had thrown her off – the chocolate sauce ended up overwhelming the subtleness of the flan, instead of complementing it.

Cedric Boeglin

Mini bison striploin with a rhubarb beurre blanc

Mack and I disagreed about the cut of Cedric’s steak – I thought it was on the thin size, which resulted in overcooking in parts – but Mack thought it had been perfectly done. The rhubarb in the sauce also gave it almost a sour quality that I didn’t enjoy. However, the vegetables had been cooked well.

Chocolate crepe suzette with orange sauce

Cedric very smartly incorporated the chocolate into the batter of his crepe, which turned out nicely both in texture and flavour. He was perhaps too heavy-handed with the sauce though, and the citrus took over. Paul and Andrew also pointed out that a true crepe suzette is stewed in the sauce, and cautioned the cheftestants on their use of terminology.

John Dykeman

Bison rubbed with juniper berries, served with bernaise sauce and mashed potatoes with chives

Neither Mack or I could taste the rub on the steak, which was a bit of a disappointment. The steak also hadn’t been rested properly, which left an unappealing pool on our plates. Both of us agreed though – if the competition could have been won by the potatoes alone, John would have taken it with his creamy, smooth, and well seasoned mashed potatoes.

Rhubarb cheese cake with pastry cream and milk chocolate

John admitted that his original plan was to make a trio of balls, but because of time constraints, this was the dessert he ended up with it. It was pretty clear to everyone that John was capable of much more – none of us could understand why he separated the cheese cake from the accompaniments. As well, the dessert was much too heavy. It would have benefitted from a fruit compote or some other lightening agent.

Ben Weir

Bison shepherd’s pie with a rhubarb compote and salad with rhubarb vinaigrette

It was as if Ben knew grinding the meat would win him some extra points: his shepherd’s pie was the first non-steak entree we had seen. There could have been some improvements – a more consistent mince of meat, a sauce of some kind to bind the filling, but as a whole, I enjoyed it. I also really liked the rhubarb twist on the savoury dish – it was unexpected, and tied the pie to the vinaigrette drizzled on the side salad (which I nearly finished…I was a bit starved for vegetables by that point). Che also liked Ben’s wine pairing of the Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon best of the group.

Strawberry, rhubarb and cream cheese crepe with chocolate ganache and rhubarb compote

Mack absolutely tore through this dessert, and complimented Ben on his restraint when it came to the sweetness of the dish. I didn’t mind the crepes, though a serving about half the size would have been better for me – the cream cheese filling was undoubtedly rich. Similar to the use of crepe suzette, Paul also called Ben out for calling the rhubarb puree a “compote.”

Scores tallied, Paul let the chefs know that only 8 points separated the top from the bottom. It was a tough call, given the finalists would be tackling the task of not only cooking for a panel of judges, but also a room of sixty guests.

Drumroll please…

Shirley Fortez and Ben Weir will be continuing on to the finals, but congrats to all four chefs for a hard-fought battle! To help them in the finals, each of them were able to choose one of the non-chef judges, as well as one of the competitors that they had beat along the way. Shirley picked Che and Cedric to be her sous chefs, while Ben drafted Valerie and John.

Mack and I had a blast participating on the judging panel; thanks again to Tony for the invitation! We are very much looking forward to the finals on Saturday, because we have no doubt Shirley and Ben will be putting their best dishes forward. Good luck to both of you!

Follow along on the CHG Top Chef blog here.

Food Notes for May 23, 2011

While I enjoy volunteering for a variety of causes, what excites me most are opportunities to get involved in the community where I live. So I’m really excited for the coming year, as I’ve joined the board for the Downtown Edmonton Community League! Looking forward to getting to know my fellow board members and the work involved. On to this week’s food notes:

May 28, 2011 sees the launch of the City’s Food and Agricultural Policy Project. Learn more by attending the event at William McIntyre Park from 11am-2pm.
While you’re in the neighbourhood, make sure to check out the East Whyte Block Party, also on May 28 from 11am – 4pm. 100st from 81 Ave to 82 Ave will be closed to traffic and filled with events and vendors. Expect Fat Franks and Eva Sweet to feed the crowd, and yoga, art demos, and a scavenger hunt.
Mark you calendars for a special grand opening street party on June 4, 2011: Chai Pani, along with Lola Apparel, are celebrating their grand openings by hosting a street party on 105 Street, just south of Whyte. Festivities will include music, a fashion show, and plenty of traditional Masala Chai and authentic East Indian snack foods for sale from Chai Pani.
To meet the Father’s Day demand, Sweet Lollapalooza will be offering three chocolate making classes in the next few weeks. On the menu: Robbie Burns Scotch pave, an Anejo Tequila bonbon and a Lambic Belgian Beer truffle.
Foodie McPoon reviewed the relatively new restaurant Soda Jerks: “the restaurant conveyed a confusing concept of retro-modern, without any retro feeling at all, except for the sodas…with nothing special to the menu and without a clear concept to focus on, I’m not sure how long this restaurant will last.”
The Southwest Edmonton Farmers’ Market kicked off its season on May 18. Check out a gallery of photos here. For those interested, it will run every Wednesday, rain or shine, from 5:30-8pm at the Lillian Osbourne High School parking lot (2019 Leger Road).
I don’t normally post job openings here, but the Arbour Restaurant at the Rutherford House is one of the city’s treasures, and they’re looking for a new head chef.
If you need to see a second burst of spring (the first being the green outside your window), check out Valerie’s post on her greening garden. Just beautiful!
Two editions in, and new Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport is already stirring the pot – June’s issue will, for the first time, feature a celebrity on its cover, instead of a chef or a dish. But will it matter, asks Grub Street? “If Gourmet was ‘the magazine of good living,’ then Bon Appétit has become the magazine of fashionable eating.”
It’s always great when supermarkets start stocking local products – and I know it isn’t easy, and those that are making an effort should be recognized. But sometimes, I wish the signage marking it as “local” was more prominent and cohesive. I know Eat Local First had a good thing going (and are probably too busy focusing on their home delivery service at the moment), but I think much more can (and should) be done to help consumers easily identify local product alternatives.

The Irvings display at the Italian Centre

It was just gorgeous last week, and one of my teams at work took advantage of it by hosting a barbecue at lunch!

Dogs and patties on the barbie

“Top Chef Canada”: Not Quite There Yet

It’s always an exciting moment for Canada when we get our own version of an American reality television show. Isn’t it supposed to connote that we’ve made it into the big leagues, and that we too, in the Great White North, have our share of marketable talent too?

Some shows, like Canada’s Next Top Model, haven’t done so well, for a variety of reasons – lack of equivalent star power, poor production quality, less of a potential audience base to start with. But others, like So You Think You Can Dance Canada, have exceeded expectations. When it was announced last May that a Top Chef Canada was in the works though, I really had high hopes. Top Chef is one of my favourite programs – between the challenges, judges and cheftestant drama, I find I am drawn in, every time.

The casting seemed to deliberately draw the 16 contestants from nearly every province in Canada, likely an effort to snag viewers from across the country. Although I was disappointed no Edmonton-based chefs were chosen to compete, the two Calgary-based chefs would at least be representing Alberta (and having eaten at Connie DeSousa’s restaurant, Charcut, it would have been difficult not to root for her). Besides my home-province favourites, Dale MacKay appeared to be another strong contender, just based on his past experience and mentors.

To me then, the biggest question mark for the show’s success would boil down to the host and the judges. Without a doubt, Top Chef’s duo of Padma Lakshmi and Tom Collichio are a force to be reckoned with, and are a big part of why the show works. They are charismatic, come off (to me) as genuine, and the majority of their criticism is constructive. I recognize that editing has definitely helped them hone their television personas, but I was hoping the same magic would touch upon the Canadian equivalents.

Not so. Head judge Mark McEwan appears languid, unenthusiastic, and has barely cracked a smile since the opening episode. But at least I can understand why he was chosen – he already had a relationship with Food Network. The other resident judge, Shereen Arazm, might have seen success in the restaurant industry, but hasn’t brought anything to the table; her comments on the show are usually along the lines of “yummy” and “bad”. Perhaps she has been getting the short end of the stick from the show’s editors, but based on her blog entries, I don’t think so. Host Thea Andrews seemed at first out of place, as if she should be hosting an entertainment news show instead, but in the last few weeks, has been growing on me.

I suppose my frustration with the judges also stems from the fact that some of the guest judges they’ve had seem to be a better fit for this type of program – for example, Susur Lee, one of Canada’s other premiere chefs, has a personality that translates on screen, unlike McEwan. Or Laura Calder, James Beard Award Winning host of French Food at Home, was great to watch in the last episode – articulate and candid, I almost wish she had been the premier guest judge, as she was overshadowed by the superstar power of Daniel Boulud.

In terms of production quality, I have to say it was quite unfortunate for Top Chef Canada to air immediately after Top Chef: All Stars. Although the kitchen fixtures and space look nearly identical to the American filming space, the challenges have been mostly lacklustre so far (open ended cheese and pork challenges? cooking with vodka?) Last week’s French challenge was the most entertaining to watch, because of its difficulty and the element of team work that it promoted. Moreover, in several of the quickfire challenges, not all of the dishes are shown – how else is the audience supposed to get to know the style and skill of the chefs? I realize there is still more than half the season to go, so I really hope that these aspects improve as the show progresses.

So, while Top Chef Canada isn’t quite the appointment television that its American counterpart is for me (yet), I’m optimistic that with the room to develop, the show can inch closer to the standard set by Top Chef.

Sherene has been conducting exit interviews with all of the Top Chef Canada contestants; read them here.

City Market Opening Day 2011

I suppose the title of this post is not quite accurate, given the City Market has been running indoors at City Hall since mid-March, but I know many people (myself included) feel the market just isn’t quite the same unless it’s out on the street.

Back with a vengeance

Mack and I made were on hand for the opening celebrations at 9am (and really had no excuses given the market is right out our front door!). Edmonton Eskimo Aaron Fiacconi was on hand as the bell ringer to kick things off.

Aaron Fiacconi signals the opening of the market

Things were a bit overcast, but save for a sprinkle or two, the skies held up. I’m sure that was part of the reason why the crowds were massive today – both Mack and I remarked that neither of us had seen the aisles quite so full before. It’ll be interesting to see what the final attendance estimate will be, given last year’s equally jubilant start.

Packed street

So many people!

We did find there was a lack music early on at the market, though. One of our favourites, Capital Sax, came out to play around 11 – hopefully, they’re out a little earlier next week.

Capital Sax

There was also an impromptu dance performance!

There did seem to be an inordinate number of dogs today, with one tweeter remarking, “Unsure if downtown #yeg market is actually farmers mrkt or dog show.” Though it did mean watching where you walked to some extent, I’m a sucker for puppies, especially when they’re as cute as Dave and Kyla’s dog!

Hi Max!

The organizers changed up layout, meaning we had to do some hunting for our usual vendors. We had to think some of the adjustments had to do with the fact that the construction on the north end of 104 Street, just before 103 Avenue, still hasn’t been resolved. Given the fenced-off area has been pretty dormant in recent weeks, it’s puzzling why the City wouldn’t have ensured the project’s completion before this date. It impacted at least one vendor, who was positioned away from the foot traffic, adjacent to the fence – hopefully the vendor will be relocated next week.

Construction at the City Market

Other than that, we had a great time perusing the stalls, visiting with vendors, running into friends, and of course, picking up groceries for the week!

The always smiling Patty Milligan (aka Lola Canola) – she’ll only be at the Market for the next few weeks, so load up on honey now!

Alan of Irvings Farm Fresh is always a good sport about pictures

We also had to start our day off with waffles from Eva Sweet

Marianne shows off her fabulous shopping basket that attaches to the back of her bike!

Cameron Hancock and Christy Menzies of Dreamin’ Green Farm are new City Market vendors. Located near Pigeon Lake, they describe themselves as the “home of the happy chicken”, and provide chemical-free pasture for their birds to roam around in. Their pens are moved on a regular basis, and at night, they are shut into a mobile pen for protection from predators. Look for them the next time you’re at the market!

Christy and Cameron of Dreamin’ Green Farm

Transcend Coffee was also out on the street selling their beans, and handing out free samples of coffee. Although their downtown cafe is literally just around the corner, it’s handy to be able to pick up beans along the way!

Transcend Coffee

Although cellared root vegetables made up much of the produce offerings today, I was still surprised at the amount of other vegetables available today, so early in the season.

Tomatoes from Gull Valley Greenhouses

Edgar Farms asparagus (they had about 30 cases today, about half of what they would normally have)

Rhubarb and pea tendrils from Sundog Organics

Gerda of Green Valley Farm helps me pick out some onions

Bedding plants were also out in full force; though we didn’t pick up any decorative flowers for our balcony, we did buy one of those salad bowl starters from Kuhlmann’s that we had been eying up last week (I guess we should have jumped on it last week though; 7 days later resulted in a $5 increase in the price).

Beautiful display at Riverbend Gardens

A sea of hydrangeas from South Cooking Lake Greenhouses

Tomato plants galore from Sundog Organics

It was a great first day at the market – I’m looking forward to next week already. See you there!

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