Breakfast Value: Madison’s Grill

I’ve raved about lunches and dinners at Madison’s Grill, but there was still one meal they serve that I hadn’t yet sampled – breakfast. A birthday brunch with the girls provided a good opportunity to finally do so, on a sunny morning in June.

When I initially looked at their breakfast menu online, I just couldn’t believe what they were charging. Just $10 for a customized omelette? $12 for French toast? $14 for Alberta beef hash? What made the low prices even more incredulous is their use of local products – from eggs to bacon to cheese. And in their well-appointed dining room, I would think brunch at Madison’s offers one of the best values in the city.

The only downside was their limited hours (being a hotel after all) – they only serve breakfast until 11am. May and I arrived just after 10, and after settling in with beverages, awaited Annie’s arrival. We called her half an hour later, and it turned out she had our meeting time confused, and asked me to order something for her. Plates were served to May and I not long after, while the kitchen tried to keep Annie’s dish warm in her absence. They ended up having to make her dish again because they deemed it not fit to serve – a testament to how accommodating and understanding Madison’s is as a whole.

In terms of the food – both May and Annie enjoyed their dishes. May had asked for one each of their crab cake and smoked salmon Benedicts ($14; which our server happily combined), while I had ordered Annie a regular eggs Benedict ($12).

Crab cake and smoked salmon Benedict

Eggs Benedict (I love the cups bursting with fruit)

My omelette ($10) included three fillings of my choosing from a list of ten options – Irvings bacon, mushrooms and Sylvan Star Gouda. Though the eggs were prepared quite nicely – fluffy and light – the fillings were distributed inconsistently throughout, with the cheese concentrated on one end and the bacon on the opposite end. Also, this was personal preference, but the mushrooms were chopped a little too finely for my taste. I did like the pan potatoes, however, flavoured with some fresh herbs.

Omelette with bacon, mushrooms and cheese

There are several other dishes I’d like to try off the Madison’s breakfast menu, and with their fantastic service and demonstrated value, I know I’ll back in the future.

Madison’s Grill (in the Union Bank Inn)
10053 Jasper Avenue
(780) 401-2222
Weekday breakfast served 7-10am, weekend breakfast served 8-11am

Food Notes for July 12, 2010

Sometimes it feels like I’m going to be back-blogging for ages. I know one day I’ll catch up, but until then, thanks for being patient with me! On to this week’s food notes:

Some of the Fork Fest menus have been released – hopefully the rest will follow fairly soon! The pre-fixe food festival runs July 18 – 22 and July 25 – 29, 2010.
Advance tickets to the Taste of Edmonton, which runs July 23 – August 1, 2010, are now on sale (they will save you 10%, and time in line).
I’m not sure how long these hours have been in effect, but Tree Stone Bakery has new hours (they’re open at 8am on weekdays now!).
We spotted a new festival food vendor at the Works and at the Street Performers Festival called Twice as Nice. May said they have a new storefront location as well, offering Caribbean cuisine (10049 156 street, 780-757-7550).
Marianne reviewed the new location of Padmanadi – it looks gorgeous inside! Also, a sign up in the window of the original location on 97 Street states that it should have re-opened today, July 12, 2010.
Marianne also wrote about the revamped Parkallen Restaurant, as did Sarah (though I’m linking to it a little late) – I want to see that wine case in person!
On the subject of closures, Kabsa on Jasper Avenue and 104 Street has now closed – no notices, but all signs of life has evaporated from the storefront. I had the chance to visit them for the first time earlier this year, and had enjoyed my meal.
Jennifer Cockrall-King has a great post on community gardens in Edmonton, and an interesting piece on the rooftop hive on the Royal York in Toronto. She’s also taking registrations for the 2010 Okanagan Food and Wine Writers’ Workshop.
This is pretty cool – the new Kingsland Farmers’ Market in Calgary offers free coffee to the mayor of FourSquare!
I’ve never heard of Where to Eat in Canada, but Liane posted that the book just released their 2010 edition, which seems to feature a random smattering of restaurants in Edmonton. I’m glad she’s following up to see what the criteria is.
Vancouver just announced the winners of their food cart lottery – insane to think they received 800 applications for a coveted 17 spots. The carts are to be operational on July 31, 2010.
The Opener, David Adjey’s new show about first time restaurant owners, is looking for interested Edmonton restauranteurs who would like some assistance with their opening. Take a look at the trailer here.
Ben & Jerry’s released the finalists in their contest to name their newest ice cream flavour. You can vote for your favourite here.
Eater posted their round up of the 5 biggest bar and cocktail trends – Treasury, the vodka bar and eatery on Jasper Avenue, would fall into their trendwatch…if it were to ever open.
A forthcoming restaurant called 4Food opening up in New York is right up Mack’s alley, featuring crowd-sourced burgers, a giant screen highlighting relevant Tweets, and iPads replacing traditional pen and paper systems. Wonder if it’ll survive the novelty, in spite of their claims of quality food.
Mack snapped a photo of a Breyers ice cream truck that stopped on Jasper Avenue and 103 Street on Friday. They were handing out free ice cream samples – better than coffee for an afternoon break!

We all scream for ice cream!

Our agency held its annual “Kick Off to Summer BBQ” on Tuesday, having been rescheduled from a blustery day in June. Nothing says summer like a parking lot cookoff, right?

Free lunch!

Not related to food at all, but timely – I helped organize a soccer game at the office, to help commemorate the World Cup final. We had an awesome turnout, and though the skies poured a half hour before our game was set to start, the sun appeared just in the nick of time. It was a wonderful way to spend a lunch hour, soaking up the rays as a spectator (to have played myself would have equalled death by cardio).

I love it when the weather cooperates

Slow Food Edmonton’s 2nd Annual Wild Boar & Beer Scavenger Hunt!

Slow Food Edmonton’s 5th annual Wild Boar and Beer BBQ is a celebration of local food and drink! It is a chance to sample Mayerthorpe’s Hog Wild products, as well as several local and regional side dishes. In addition, there will be beer tastings and tours of Edmonton’s award-winning microbrewery, Alley Kat.

When: Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 1-4pm
Where: Alley Kat Brewery, 9929 60 Avenue
Cost: $40 for Slow Food Edmonton members, $50 for non-members

For your chance to win two tickets, on behalf of Slow Food Edmonton, I’ve put together our 2nd annual scavenger hunt of local producers, restaurants, and independent businesses. Your objective is to collect as many points as possible! From now until July 25, take photos of yourself posing with as many of the items below as you can. Some items on the list will earn you more points than others. Remember to ask permission before taking photos with individuals!

Upload your photos to a photo sharing site such as Flickr or Picasa, and send the link to boarandbeer@gmail.com by 11pm on July 24, 2010. In the event of a tie, the name of a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be announced on July 26, 2010.

Have fun with this – the scavenger hunt is meant to encourage exploration of some of the best Edmonton has to offer. Perhaps you will find a new favourite in the mix!

I would like to acknowledge the Amateur Gourmet, and their Great New York Foodie Scavenger Hunt as the inspiration for this challenge.

Good luck!

Take a picture of yourself…

In the Indian-inspired room at Cafe Haven (5pts.)
Eating gelato at Leva Cafe (5pts.)
With a wild mushroom of your choice from Mo Na (5pts.)
With a copy of We Eat Together (5pts.)
and a prepared recipe from the book (an extra 15pts.)
With a container of Pinocchio ice cream (5pts.)
With latte art in Transcend (5pts.)
Holding a bottle of Alley Kat beer (5pts.)
in a restaurant that offers Alley Kat on tap (an extra 10pts.)
dressed as a cat (an extra 20pts.)
With Nate Box at Elm Cafe (10pts.)
Holding as many different issues of The Tomato/(Edmonton) City Palate as you can (3pts. each, up to a maximum of 30)
next to Mary Bailey (an extra 10pts.)
and a copy of The Food Lover’s Trail Guide (either volume 1 or 2; an extra 15pts.)
With Patty Milligan/aka Lola Canola (5pts.)
wearing a beekeeper’s suit (an extra 20pts.)
With a baguette at Tree Stone Bakery (5pts.)
Enjoying an Eva Sweet waffle (5pts.)
In the Secret Garden at The Dish (5pts.)
Juggling three tangerines in front of Wild Tangerine (10pts.)
Eating a macaron at Duchess Bake Shop (5pts.)
Cooling off with an iced drinking chocolate at Kerstin’s Chocolates (5pts.)
Holding a package of Hog Wild Specialties (15pts.)
Holding a Slow Food membership card (10pts.)
Donating a non-perishable item to the Edmonton Food Bank (5pts.)
With a half-dozen duck eggs from Greens, Eggs and Ham (5pts.)
Holding an Original Fare VIP membership card (10pts.)
Touching the ball in the lion’s mouth (for good luck) at Lucky 97 (5pts.)
Perusing the deli options at Careit (5pts.)
In front of a community garden (5pts.)
Checking out the dessert case at Vi’s for Pies (5pts.)

City Market Report: Week 9

It was our second weekend at the condo, but it still feels surreal to have the City Market at our doorstep. So it was a little funny on Friday when this was literally true – five vendors from the market had set up in front of our building that morning to be interviewed by Lorraine Mansbridge during the morning news. Though they weren’t selling any products, we lucked out when Bamir of Eva Sweet Waffles started our morning off with a complimentary waffle (thanks, Bamir!).

The Friday City Market

Bamir being interviewed by Lorraine

A day later, the market was on in full swing. Though a little rain started off the day, it didn’t seem to dampen attendance much.

Our balcony view of the market

It’s hard not to be inspired by the fresh vegetables available, and more than that, to limit what I buy because everything is just so vibrant and tempting!

Beautiful pepper plant from South Cooking Lake Greenhouses (this was their last week)

Garlic scapes from Sundog Organics

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Green beans from Doef’s/Gull Valley Greenhouses

Kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens

Stone ground wheat from Halwa Farms

Peas were out in full force on Saturday. We picked up a bag from Edgar Farms, but decided one pound was just not enough, and attacked the heap of peas at the Kuhlmann’s booth too.

I just can’t get enough peas

In addition to the peas, carrots from Kuhlmann’s, spinach from Sundog Organics, potatoes from Greens, Eggs and Ham, onions from Green Valley Farms (the producer actually calls me the “onion girl”, heh) and a bell pepper from Doef’s filled up our bag.

We also decided to treat ourselves to a pretzel from Schneckels (their slogan is a mouthful – “If you’re going to ‘schnack’, schnack on a Schneckel). Maria told me to watch for them a few weeks ago, but for whatever reason, I probably walked right past them several times. It turned out to be their fourth week at the market, selling savoury and sweet hand-rolled pretzels. The vendor said he had sold upwards of 400 a week, so he seems to be doing quite well! We picked up a salty pretzel ($3), and though would have preferred to eat it warm, found it to be well-made, with the slightly crunchy exterior and chewy interior. It was a bit too salty for us, however. I’d be willing to give the chocolate version a go next time!

Pretzels from Schneckels

Hope to see you at the market next Saturday!

Off-Menu Extravaganza: Lux Steakhouse

Birthdays provide me with a yearly excuse to try something new, in a price category that is normally out of the question (particularly in light of having recently taken on our first mortgage). Last year, we checked out the decadent Sunday brunch at the Hotel MacDonald. This year, I wanted to do something a little different.

It was at the Grilled Cheese Olympics back in March where Mack and I first met Tony Le, the Executive Chef at Lux Steakhouse (he and his colleagues at Lux are undoubtedly the most active chefs on Twitter in #yeg). It turned out he was an avid reader of our blogs, and at that time, he generously offered to prepare an off-menu meal for Mack and I.

I had pocketed his proposition until I started thinking about where I wanted to celebrate my birthday this year. A posh steakhouse seemed perfect – it would be a nice break in between packing and cleaning. We provided Tony with a price per person ($75), and confirmed the date. I couldn’t wait.

It was a quiet Saturday evening in the restaurant – the perfect atmosphere to relax after a busy day (and of course, meant that Tony would have the time to prepare our dishes). Also – I’m not a fan of the dim, masculine, almost gothic nature of traditional steakhouses, so Lux’s open room with wood paneling and visually intriguing glowing red portholes was a welcome change.

Our server Robin was great throughout the evening. Attentive without being overbearing, he gave us the space we needed to enjoy such a meal. After we were settled, he drew our attention to the half-price wine promotion Century Hospitality is currently offering this summer (with Lux’s turn on Saturday nights), which applies to all bottles of wines available by the glass. We took his recommendation of the Quails’ Gate Reserve Chardonnay, which would pair well with some of the meatier dishes Tony had in store for us that evening.

In addition to our purchased wine, however, Tony was kind enough to provide us with a bottle of Sumac Ridge sparkling wine to start us off (Robin asked if we would be driving; as public transit users, we were safe). He said when he first tried the wine, he thought it would pair perfectly with truffled bacon popcorn, and set off to experiment.

Cheers!

He was right. I love dishes that taunt the nose first, and this was definitely one of them, with the almost earthy notes of truffle a harbinger for the savoury flavours to come. The addition of bacon fat (from Irvings bacon) made for an irresistible combination, each tasty morsel leading to another, in between sips of the sweet bubbly. Pretty soon, I found myself staring at an empty basket (and I finished before Mack did, which almost never happens).

Truffled bacon popcorn

As each course was served, Tony came out of the kitchen to explain the dish, something we really appreciated (the opportunity to hear the creator describe his piece firsthand really enhances the product). The second course, he said, was inspired by the fact that we are avid market shoppers. He went to the City Market that morning to shop for some ingredients, many of which ended up in our heirloom tomato salad – including tomatoes from Doef’s Greenhouses and bee pollen from Lola Canola (two of our favourite producers!). It was an undoubtedly beautiful dish, with the tomatoes sliced mandolin-thin, with the white balsamic reduction and ancho chili oil subtly highlighting the freshness of the produce (I love that the tops were left on the tomatoes). The bees pollen had an interesting, almost malted texture to me, which Mack really enjoyed.

Heirloom tomato salad with white balsamic reduction and ancho chili oil and bees pollen

The lamb salad rolls that followed helped showcase Tony’s range of inspiration. The shredded, perfectly cooked (rare!) rack of lamb had been rolled up with soba noodles and apple kim chi for a bit of heat – I adored the different textures. Served with a watercress and dill salad with an amazing pickled ginger mirin, I can’t see why this course shouldn’t become a regular appetizer on the Lux menu.

Lamb salad rolls with pickled ginger mirin

Next, the pan-seared halibut reminded me that I am but a humble cook – no halibut I’ve ever made has tasted like that, so flaky and moist. Served with a bacon broth that had been cooked with sea asparagus (from Mo Na), the broth took the salty edge off the sea asparagus, but left them with that signature crunch. I requested a spoon to make sure no part of the dish was left unconsumed.

Pan-seared halibut with sea asparagus in a bacon broth (I’m a terrible food blogger – I was halfway through the dish before I realized I hadn’t yet taken a photo…it just looked that good)

We were a little disappointed that the duck used in the subsequent dish wasn’t sourced from Greens, Eggs and Ham, but we understood Tony had his shopping limitations. The Brome Lake duck had been finished with a cab demi glaze, and was served with a grilled apricot and potato gratin. The breast had been well-prepared, and I liked the accompanying sauce. The apricot was a nice touch too, ensuring our palate wasn’t overpowered by the protein and cheesy starch.

Duck breast with cab demi glaze, grilled apricot and potato gratin

Our final entrée was an espresso bison shortrib with a peppercorn glaze and topped with potato frites. While it’s difficult not to enjoy any meat tender enough to fall off the bone, I have to say the bison was overshadowed by the bed of corn. The grown-up cousin of our starter, this was decadence at its finest, the kernels just danced in my mouth with a coat of sumptuous bacon fat and truffle oil (thanks, Matt!).

Espresso shortrib with a peppercorn glaze, potato frites and truffled bacon cream corn

As we readied ourselves for dessert, we couldn’t believe that we were already into our second hour of dining. The time warp was attributed to the skill of the kitchen that ensured the courses were properly paced so our stomachs weren’t overwhelmed.

The first of two desserts (you read that right) was a flaky pastry with sour cherry compote, poached pears, champagne sorbet with raspberry coulis (the raspberries and pears were sourced from the City Market). It was the perfect plate to follow several dense courses – funny how fruit can help settle an ailment of overeating, no? Both Mack and I agreed, however, that the best thing on the plate was the light and refreshing champagne sorbet.

Flaky pastry with sour cherry compote, poached pears, champagne sorbet and raspberry coulis

What was the final course, you ask? A birthday cake in the form of cream cheese and chocolate cupcakes, accompanied by coconut and walnut chocolate truffles.

Cream cheese and chocolate cupcakes and truffles

We were really happy that Tony was able to sit and chat with us for a while at the end of the meal. Though we’ve had conversations in passing, it was great to finally have the opportunity to get to know him a little better. It was easy to see his passion for Edmonton, and he stated his intentions to remain here, in order to continue to contribute to the community. I think the city is lucky to have such a talented and committed chef in Tony!

All smiles

Thanks again to Tony and the rest of the staff at Lux for a wonderful night, and for one of the best birthday meals I’ve ever had.

Lux Steakhouse and Bar
10150 101 Street
(780) 424-0400
Steakhouse hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11-2:30pm; Dinner, Monday-Thursday 5-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11pm, closed Sunday

The Cooking Chronicles: Salads for Supper

Salads are definitely one of those things I know I should be eating more often – instead of being relegated to a side, and in place of some worse-for-me things like white rice. I’ve only made the recent discovery that salads don’t have to involve greens (read: lettuce, arugula, spinach) of any kind, and moreover, don’t have to be served cold. Imagine that!

Rice Noodle Cucumber Salad

A rice noodle cucumber salad from Rose Murray’s A Taste of Canada seemed like a great way to combine Asian pantry essentials (fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, vermicelli noodles) with fresh farmers’ market produce: I had picked up a red pepper and a cucumber from Doef’s Greenhouses, as well as ground pork from Irvings. While not as dish consuming as our asparagus and poached eggs recipe from a few weeks back, we still ran through a few pots and pans to pull everything together.

Rice noodle cucumber salad

The result? An interesting combination of flavours and textures – from the heat of red chili flakes to the salty punch of the soy and fish sauces, and the sweet crunch of the cucumber and bell pepper – it’s definitely not your typical green salad. In hindsight, I would have included more pork and vermicelli for additional protein and balance – while the salad made a light meal great for a hot summer night, by late evening, we were both looking for something to nibble on.

Warm Spinach Salad with Yankee Fish Cakes

Okay, this is a green salad. But it’s served warm! I used the balsamic dressing from Company’s Coming that I have made before (balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, honey, mustard, salt pepper), as well as the idea of adding sautéed mushrooms (this time, meaty Portobello from Mo Na). They warmed – but didn’t wilt – the Sundog Organics spinach nicely.

What really made this a meal, however, were the Yankee fish cakes. Many of the recipes in Saveur’s June/July market issue caught my eye, but this one most of all. I’ve never made fish cakes before, but with such an easy and delicious recipe, I know I will be making them again soon.

While the haddock (from Ocean Odyssey) cooked down with cream, onions and celery, I was able to pull together the flavourings and binding agents – minced pickle, Tabasco, dill, mayo, lemon zest, lemon juice, an egg and breadcrumbs. We added the cooled fish mixture, combined the mixture, and formed eight fish cakes. The last step was to coat them in cornmeal, and let them set in the fridge for half an hour.

Fish cakes for the fridge

Frying them in a hot, butter-coated skillet was the easiest part…or was it eating them? Mack and I both declared the recipe a winner – I loved the cornmeal coating, for its grainy sweetness, and firm, yet textured interior (the celery, for example, retained its crunch). And the haddock definitely came through it all.

Yankee fish cakes on warm spinach salad

Eaten with the warm spinach salad, it was a really satisfying meal. Thanks, Saveur!

A Little Redemption: Lit Wine Bar

Before the Energy game, Amanda and I planned to grab a bite to eat downtown, then hop on the bus to NAIT. It’s a little amusing – with all my harping about unnecessary television screens in bars, we almost ended up at The Hat so we could watch the Oilers draft Taylor Hall. Fortunately, my hankering for a post-work glass of wine was greater than my draft viewing desire, so we ultimately settled on Lit Wine Bar.

I had been unimpressed with Lit up until that point. When the City Market kicked off its 2010 season back in May, Lit was offering free samples – the cannoli I sampled could have chipped a tooth. Worse – at Indulgence, their wild mushroom-stuffed arancini was so salty it was inedible. I was hoping the full kitchen experience would be a better one.

Lit was completely empty when we sauntered in, just past 5pm on a Friday. Still, the hostess/waitress asked if we had a reservation. We said no, and asked if it was possible to sit upstairs. She indicated that some of the tables in the loft space had been reserved, but led us upstairs anyway. Though no other parties joined us on the second floor during our stay, props to our server for traipsing up the stairs to serve an isolated two top without showing visible signs of resentment.

The décor in Lit is minimal and clean – black leather banquets, a bubble light fixture, interesting art (which is also for sale) – but isn’t the kind of room that wows at first glance. Still, I love the fact that they decided to acknowledge the high ceiling and build an additional seating area, and one that would work quite well for a small private party. I did think it was a bit strange for such a posh spot to have to rely on the radio for mood music though – I hope that changes soon.

Interior

The glass of wine definitely hit the spot. I wasn’t hungry enough to want a full main, so instead, chose plates Amanda and I could share. The arancini rustico ($9) seemed interesting – deep fried arborio rice filled with melted cheese. And with a full line of flatbreads (they seem to be a menu staple for lounges and wine bars in the city, do they not?), I figured that would be a good benchmark dish as well, and chose the pollo pesto ($10). Amanda opted to round out her meal with the insalata fresca ($12).

The arancini came out right away, as promised. Not uniform in size, they nonetheless appealed to the eye, fried to a golden crisp and ready to plunge into one of the two sauces alongside. Amanda and I both agreed the marinara was the better of the two – a little tart, but added that extra something to the arancini, which were a little under seasoned in my opinion. The cheese sauce was a little thick for its purpose, and just too rich for us.

Arancini rustico

Amanda’s salad looked like a snapshot of summer, with strawberries, greens, and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. I don’t often order salads at restaurants, so I’m not the best judge, but she said it was a bit small and not creative enough for the price. She also isn’t a fan of goat cheese, but as the menu indicated the dish came with mozzarella, wasn’t able to alert the kitchen in advance.

Insalata fresca

The flatbread was surprisingly large, to the point where it moved beyond an appetizer and into entrée territory – our waitress said it had expanded in recent weeks. My sister and I had two different responses to the bread base – I didn’t like how crispy it was, resembling the texture of pita chips, while Amanda quite enjoyed the crunchy texture. However, we both thought the toppings were great, a well balanced combination of pesto, chicken and surprisingly delicious bruschetta (with mellowed, non-biting onions).

Pollo pesto flatbread

We had no quibble with service – our server was friendly, and everything was fairly efficient. It was also a relief to know that my initial impressions may not be a true representation of Lit. I’d be interested to check them out again in a few weeks, once they’ve settled and had some time to finalize the menu. I guess it helps that I’m in such close range now!

Lit Wine Bar
10132 – 104 Street
(780) 757-6688
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11am-2pm (Lit closed for lunch for the summer); Dinner: Tuesday-Wednesday 4-11pm, Thursday-Saturday 4pm-2am

Food Notes for July 5, 2010

Though we still have numerous boxes scattered throughout the condo, I feel more settled now than I did on the weekend. We even cooked our first meal last night in the kitchen! And I have to say, nothing’s better than being able to walk to the office in less than fifteen minutes – beats waiting for the bus any day! On to this week’s food notes:

Doors Open Edmonton takes place this weekend, with numerous events celebrating Edmonton’s “built history”. Of note is their Speakers’ Studio, a new series for this year’s festival, which features a talk titled “Incarnation of the Edmonton City Market” on July 10.
Ever want to know what goes down at a barista competition? Transcend is opening up their internal barista competition, where the top two winners will earn the right to compete in the Prairie Regional Barista Competition. Check out the action July 11 at 2pm at the original Transcend.
Look for Original Fare’s semi-annual Fork Fest July 18 – 22 and 25 – 29. I’d prefer it didn’t coincide with Taste of Edmonton/Capital Ex, but then again, it’s difficult to avoid double booking with a festival in the summer.
Tickets to Slow Food Edmonton’s annual Wild Boar and Beer BBQ, taking place on August 8, are now on sale! I’m a little biased because I’m one of the co-organizers this year, but I think it’s going to be a great event – Hog Wild is supplying the boar; Tree Stone Bakery, Cafe Haven and Leva Cafe will be providing the sides; and of course, Alley Kat beers will be on tap. Look for a scavenger hunt to be released later this week on my blog for a chance to win two tickets!
From the City Market: “The City Market is launching a recipe blog and is looking for local recipes that celebrate the City Market’s great vendors and delicious products. A blog will launch on July 31, 2010 as a part of their celebrations marking Food Day Canada.” E-mail your recipes here.
Speaking of the City Market – Vue Weekly wrote a profile on Eva Sweet Waffles this week (I love that they are at the market every Saturday now).
BruleeBlog (aka Sherene) reviewed mrkt, which should become a destination lunch spot for the core crowd.
Chris posted about a second Crepeworks that will be occupying the space vacated by Le Papier on Whyte Avenue.
The second location of DeLux (on Bourbon Street at West Edmonton Mall) opened its doors on June 30. It’s bigger and better, according to those who have been, and even has a take-out window.
A second Twisted Yogurt location is set to open in Southpark (along Calgary Trail) soon.
Eat and drink al fresco: Avenue Magazine published a spread about the city’s best patios this month.
It was only a matter of time before urban beekeeping was given the same profile as urban chicken coops (which was covered in Vue this week) – some are hoping the City will allow for a small pilot to allow for urban beekeeping.
I still can’t believe I missed Valerie’s epic taste tripping party last week, but reading the recaps from Chris, Sherene, LeQuan and Lea, among others, was a bit of a consolation prize. And, well, Valerie was nice enough to provide us with two miracle berry tablets for our own use…
On the heels of Tea Desire closing, David’s Tea is opening up their second Edmonton location in Southgate.

David’s Tea

I took a break from the moving madness on Monday to have dinner with Valerie at Wild Tangerine. Wilson took good care of us, though I probably should have mentioned to him how cold I was – I must have been sitting under an AC vent on full blast!

Crispy pork spring roll

Judy’s famous Thai Green Curry with Prawns & Tortiglioni (loved the use of pasta instead of a traditional rice starch)

Asian Chili with Tofu and Rice Cracker (Valerie loved it)

We’ve were eating out a lot last week, between late nights and a lack of kitchen equipment. One day, we stopped for lunch at the Italian Centre for one of their hunger-busting paninis. The best thing about the sandwich? The bread.

Giant panini @ the Italian Centre

While Mack’s dad was in town this weekend, he wanted to take us out for dinner. Satisfying his request for Indian food, we directed him to Origin India (we think their naan is the best in the city). Martin loved it.

Plate #1 at Origin India

After the gluttony, we took a walk around downtown to help the digestion process along. It was a good opportunity to check out the progress of Shaw Conference Centre’s garden.

Great use of space!

On Canada Day, we were invited to Mack’s friend Reg’s house. His penthouse suite overlooking the Legislature allowed for fantastic views of the fireworks, but even more notable were the appetizers he served hungry guests. He had concocted a Big Mac salad roll, which to our surprise, tasted exactly like a Big Mac encased in rice paper (complete with special sauce and sesame seeds). Bravo, Reg!

Beautiful view

Slow Food Edmonton’s Wood Fired Solstice Supper

I first joined Slow Food Edmonton just over a year ago. In that time, I’ve attended Indulgence twice, participated in learning activities, watched a grilled cheese smackdown, put together a scavenger hunt, and am part of the team organizing the upcoming Beer & Boar BBQ. What I’ve found most engaging, however, have been the potluck suppers.

Mary’s annual wrap-up potlucks have been a running Slow Food tradition, and we were able to attend our first last November. I thought it was a great, informal way to get to meet others interested in local food. In January, Valerie kicked off the first in a series of solstice suppers, another excuse to get together and enjoy great eats with Slow Foodies. She generously hosted the party in her home, and at that dinner, it was announced that a second solstice supper would take place at Colleen and Vince’s residence, also home to Sophia, their wood burning oven.

Sophia, their “hot and tempestuous wood-fired oven”, heh

It was to be an intimate affair capped at thirty people, to ensure there would be enough food, as everything would be cooked inside the oven. So instead of a straight potluck with attendees bringing completed dishes, everyone was assigned an ingredient (locally sourced) to be cooked on site. Ingredients ranged from salad greens to potatoes to fowl. Mack and I were one of four groups chosen to bring enough ingredients for three pizzas.

Valerie prepping her pizza ingredients

With Colleen and Vince taking care of the pizza dough (they are exceptional bread makers – I had to restrain myself at the last solstice supper from consuming the crusty bread they had laid out), our job was easy. We picked up some crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spicy capicollo and prosciutto from the Italian Centre for starters, and planned to round out our toppings at the City Market the next day.

Perfectly formed pizza dough

We reached the market later than we had originally planned, however, and our selection was limited. We ended up substituting pea tendrils instead of arugula for fresh greens (from Sundog Organics), fresh oregano instead of basil (also from Sundog Organics), Portobello caps from Mo Na (Michael’s recommendation), tomatoes from Gull Valley, and a container of goat feta from Smoky Valley.

Getting the ingredients ready

Our pizzas were first up, to serve as appetizers for the hungry crowd. So just after our arrival, Mack and I joined Valerie, Wendy and Teresa in the kitchen. Vince showed us how to work the dough – stretching it and ensuring enough flour was between the pizza peel and the pizza to allow for easy transfer into the oven. He also advised us not to heap too many ingredients on top.

The pro at work

The first of our pizzas, with fresh mozzarella, Portobello and capicollo, ready for the oven

The dough was perfectly crispy and chewy, and tasted like no homemade pizza I’d ever had before. The oven, as Vince explained to us, reached temperatures of up to 900 degrees (he had a nifty electronic thermometer to measure its internal temperature).

The first of our pizzas, out of the oven, topped with pea tendrils

Mack and I were clearly the most uncreative when it came to pizza toppings, which became evident when we saw what Valerie brought – pestos, roasted tomatoes and red peppers, duck confit, roasted chicken among them. They were delicious, and undoubtedly gourmet.

One of Valerie’s tasty creations, before baking (Mack’s favourite)

Valerie’s roasted tomato pizza with basil chiffonade

Once our last pizza was served, we were off kitchen duty for the rest of the night. That allowed us ample time to explore Colleen and Vince’s backyard oasis, built for entertaining. Between the large deck (featuring mounted external speakers), a small wooden house (for rainy days) and a lovely garden with lined paths, it was a pretty space to pass the time.

Enjoying the sun

View from the garden

The second half of the meal took several hours to prepare – Vince said it was difficult to control the temperature for such a lengthy period of time – but it allowed us plenty of time to catch up with familiar faces, and get to know some new Slow Food members.

Photo op

Though it was a shame that Mary Ellen and Andreas (of Greens, Eggs and Ham) weren’t able to make it, their products were well-represented at the dinner and included their salad greens and potatoes, and geese, guinea fowl and Cornish game hen (it turned out Mary Ellen helped coordinate the fowl somewhat, and prevented duplication).

Almost ready

When the fowl were crispy and cooked through, it was time to roast the asparagus and potatoes.

Seasoned and ready to go in the oven!

Crisp tender asparagus

The cold sides were prepped, and the eating began!

Beautiful greens with lilacs sprinkled on top

Roasted vegetable salad (it tasted every bit as good as it looks)

Someone had made a delectable morel cream sauce to pair with the asparagus, but I have to say, the sauce paired well with everything. Mack loved the potatoes – tossed in a bit of duck fat, salt and pepper, the oven crisped them up like a dream. The fowl also did well in the oven, and as expected, the skin was the best part!

My plate

There was enough food left over for people to have seconds, but most were saving room for dessert. Roasted rhubarb was spooned over a ginger-spiced panna cotta (made with Bles Wold yogurt). It was the perfect cap on a fantastic meal.

Panna cotta with roasted rhubarb

Thanks again to Colleen and Vince for being such amazing hosts. We were all well taken care of, and though I know dinner took longer to serve than Vince would have liked, we all had such a great time mingling that it didn’t matter. I’m looking forward to the next potluck already.

You can see our photoset here, and read Valerie’s post about the Solstice Supper here.

City Market Report: Week 8

Today was our second official day in the condo, and was one that I’ve been looking forward to for some time. I’ll be writing more about what led to our eventual decision to live downtown, but I can tell you that the City Market, and convenient access to local food, was an important factor for us.

We had intentions to be down at the market for the 9am start time, but the week of moving had taken its toll on us. The funny thing was, as soon as I heard the ringing of the market bell, I bolted awake and ran to the balcony. Peering down below, I could see Jon Hall leading this week’s bell ringer up and down the street. Our life on 104 Street had officially begun!

Our balcony view of the City Market

Our coffee maker was still out of commission, tucked in a box somewhere, so we started our market day at Credo. There, we ran into Valerie and Marianne, who were enjoying their morning coffees out on the glorious patio. Mack’s Dad (in Edmonton for the weekend) and Thom soon joined us, and we set out to show them the market.

Thom and Martin (we had to get them an Eva Sweet waffle!)

It was a fabulous day for market shoppers – not only was the weather cooperative, but vendors are starting to have a greater variety of summer produce.

Sorrel and chives from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Lush lettuce from Sundog Organics

Ranier cherries from Steve & Dan

Beautiful carrot bunches from Riverbend Gardens

It was great to see Halwa Farms back for their first City Market date of the season, with plenty of fresh goods. I couldn’t resist a bag of snow peas – a great addition to any stir fry! Halwa is also doing several other markets around Edmonton, so be sure to look for them at Callingwood, St. Albert and Leduc markets as well!

Swiss chard

Snow peas!

Dill and cilantro I wanted to run my fingers through

Strawberries so red I could taste them with my eyes

There was also quite the commotion around Kuhlmann’s booth – they had the first peas of the season! Asparagus might be the sign of spring here in Edmonton, but I think peas usher in summer’s bounty.

Super sweet peas

Beets

We filled up our empty fridge with the basics – eggs from Sunshine Organic, carrots from Kuhlmann’s, tomatoes and bell peppers from Gull Valley Greenhouses/Doef’s, onions from Green Valley Farms – and our freezer as well, with bacon and sausage from Irvings Farm Fresh (we were happy that Alan still had a package of Indian masala mild curry sausages left – they will go great in a jambalaya this week).

Alan’s always smiling!

Both Martin and Thom bought some fruit from Steve & Dan’s, and Martin refreshed his supply of Mighty Trio Organics cold-pressed canola oil (we gave Martin & Patti a bottle of the oil in a gift basket at Christmas time). He also picked up a jar of dandelion honey from Lola Canola.

Martin decides between dandelion and buckwheat honey

It was great to be able to visit the market with Martin and Thom and introduce them to some of our favourite vendors. Of course, it also became apparent how lucky we are to have this market at our doorstep. Looking forward to next week already!

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