Food Notes for January 12, 2015

Lots to cover this week (everyone’s back at it), so let’s get right to this week’s food notes:

Join the High Street Social Club for a “Farewell to Boardwalk Empire” 1920s cocktail party on January 18, 2015. Tickets are $55.
In case you thought it was too late to enter the Signature Winter Drink competition, you’re in luck – the deadline has been extended to January 20, 2015.
For you planners out there: Jacek and Credo are teaming up for a special Valentine’s Day tasting of champagne, chocolate and coffee. Tickets are $60.
Great to hear that another coffee shop is joining the fray downtown – look for Coffee Bureau at 10505 Jasper Avenue in February!
It’ Dog (8621 109 Street), replacing the Bad Ass Jack’s, is open and serving up Asian-inspired hot dogs and Korean fried chicken. Both Andrea and Cindy have early reviews.
Twyla is the first to file a review on Solstice.
The Journal reviewed the revamped Café Mosaics in Old Strathcona.
Liane checked out Passion de France on Alberta Avenue.
Congrats to Pampa on opening up their new restaurant in Calgary last week! It is located at Centre 10, 521 10 Avenue SW.
Look forward to Burgers Priest opening in Edmonton in March.
Where Magazine named North 53 Edmonton’s best new restaurant of 2014.
I missed linking to Vue Weekly’s yearly wrap-up of their top 2014 eats and forward-looking pieces last week.
Where to chefs eat? Check out Chef Paul Shufelt’s favourites in the city.
Vinomania’s Gurvinder Bhatia also shared his list of the 100 best things he ate in 2014.
Karlynn and Phil’s new (renamed) podcast is up – listen to episode #5 of Sweet Tooth and Meat Tooth here.
Speaking of Phil – you might remember his epic “burger odyssey” last year. This year, he will be undertaking a quest to find Edmonton’s best pizza. He’s already taking suggestions!
Sam Wok has been fined $30,000 for kitchen violations.
Starting on July 1, 2015, New York will be banning foam cups and containers.
Although it certainly lived up to its name yesterday, Mack and I headed out to Deep Freeze. The cold didn’t deter the crowds, and folks were out in full force to enjoy the festivities. As always, the atmosphere was fantastic – kudos to the organizers!

I couldn’t resist Olaf, who has become winter’s unofficial mascot

Culinary Highlights: 2014 Edition

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

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

Tavern 1903

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

Brunch at Elm's Dining Room

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

The Parlour

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

Route 99

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

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

River Cafe

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

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

Edgar Farms' Asparagus Festival

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

Sharon with the Olsons

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

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

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

Eat Alberta 2014

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

What the Truck?! on 104 Street

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

97 Street Night Market

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

Blink ImMACulate Garden Party

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

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

Making gnocchi at Seasoned Solutions

Sharon's Bridal Shower

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

The beautiful brides!

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

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

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

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

Authentic bo bun hue in Ho Chi Minh City

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

Japchae and fried rice at South Korea’s Namdaemun Market

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

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

Christmas in November: Make-Ahead Entertaining with Chef Michael Allemeier and Final Thoughts

The whirlwind didn’t stop on our last day at Christmas in November. Mack and I were atypical early risers that morning on the promise of a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour. And even when we discovered that we had been misinformed (no tour had been scheduled on the final day), like dialing 55 for any other need, we were soon met by one of the chefs to make it happen regardless.

The cooking never stops

It was a quieter time, to be sure, with preparations for the final brunch buffet yet to be underway. Still, the staff we encountered were contributing to the well oiled kitchen machine.

One man controls all of the alcohol and foodstuffs

We were surprised to learn that the capacity of the hotel dropped so significantly after the departure of the last Christmas in November guests, but in a way, it explains why they pull out all of the stops for the event in what would otherwise be a very slow period.

How about some stock?

It was a brief peek behind the curtain of a kitchen that did a wonderful job over the course of our stay – bravo!

And did someone say wine?

Our last session of the weekend was with Chef Michael Allemeier of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. It was obvious that Chef Allemeier was not only comfortable in the teaching role, but excelled at breaking seemingly complex dishes down into a series of manageable steps.

Chef Michael Allemeier

His entertaining philosophy revolved around preparing as much as possible ahead of time. In his ninety minute demonstration, he managed to work through an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. Although each dish was composed of multiple components, most could be made ahead of time and reheated just before serving. A little planning can go a long way!

Unlike some of the other menus we’d encountered over the weekend, Chef Allemeier’s was much more finessed, with restaurant-quality touches and plating suggestions. The fennel-cured salmon with horseradish mousse, creamy beets and pickled quails eggs sounds fussy at first, but it was definitely a starter with a wow factor.

Fennel-cured salmon with horseradish mousse, creamy beets and pickled quails eggs

Some of his tips:

Using previously frozen fish is fine, and even recommended as the idea is to dry out the filet, and in the process of thawing out, it will continue to lose moisture;
Keep the skin on, as the layer of fat helps with the development of flavour, and makes it easier to carve;
When the fish feels like a medium-rare steak to the touch, it’s done;
This process could also be used with halibut, but it will require a few more days.

Chef Allemeier’s recipe for cardamom clove glazed ham with ginger snap crumb was much more familiar, but was paired with a unique twice baked souffle instead of the usual scalloped potato. His trick for hams (the majority of which are already cooked and more easily dried out) is to keep the temperature low and to build a delicious glaze.

Cardamom clove glazed ham with ginger snap crumb

The blueberry sour cream cake and chantilly sour cream, lemon curd and sponge toffee featured recipes that could be replicated individually and work equally well paired with other sweet endings. Chef Allemeier called the sour cream cake the “unsung cheesecake”, and said that it was a dessert that reminded him of Manitoba.

Blueberry sour cream cake and chantilly sour cream, lemon curd and sponge toffee

Some tips:

By lightly flouring the blueberries before mixing them in the batter, they won’t sink;
The cake is even better the next day – let it sit in the fridge overnight before serving.

Chef Allemeier was keen to answer questions all throughout, but never seemed condescending. It was clear he was used to working with audiences who ranged in knowledge and abilities, and even factored in the need for the crowd to snap photos of the final product – each dish was plated, garnished and put forward for the paparazzi.

Thanks to Chef Allemeier for a thorough and informative session; I felt inspired to try at least one of his complex dishes at home!

After the final session, we returned to the main reception hall for our farewell brunch. Talk about overindulgence – in addition to the dozen chafing dishes overflowing with breakfast and lunch favourites, there were omelette and carving stations to choose from.

Omelette station

It was a good chance to wind down, and enjoy the last meal with those we had befriended over the weekend.

My last Christmas in November meal!

As a whole, Christmas in November provided a great opportunity to get away from the city. No question, it’s a luxurious trip, but one that combines learning and food in a wonderful setting. I could see why it has been a formula that has been successful for twenty six years.

Wildlife in Jasper

It’s hard to argue against the option of a Friday to Sunday package, especially to accommodate those who could only take one day off work (myself included), but given we only had about two hours of “free time” not spent in sessions or in meals, if we returned, we would definitely opt for a three-day package. It was really only on Sunday afternoon after the last meal that Mack and I had the chance to go for a walk and enjoy the surrounding outdoors.

One of the picturesque paths around the Jasper Park Lodge

Based on the current website, and the desire for the event to attract a younger demographic, I’d recommend organizers release a detailed presenter and session list in advance. For those unfamiliar with the quality of the event, it would be difficult to justify the expense without knowing the content of the sessions. Also, the one page in the program that listed the names of the presenters for each of the packages would have been a great summary to refer to online – although information on each presenter was available, it was cumbersome to navigate.

It was also not clear to us beforehand just how much food and drink would be included over the weekend. The evenings featured free flowing alcohol (wine and sponsored spirits), and we were never in want of food. Between the lavish meals and the samples provided in the cooking sessions, it felt like we were eating non-stop. The extent of that value was definitely not apparent in the website description of the packages.

For small parties looking for a joint escape (like many of the ladies groups, stagettes or coworkers we encountered), Christmas in November is a timely way to do so before the season takes over with other engagements. The cost for an individual or couple would definitely have to be weighed against another similarly-priced trip to other destination, but as I’ve described over this series of posts, those who enjoy food and love to entertain will see the value for their dollar.

Thanks for the memories, Jasper Park Lodge!

Thanks again to Gastropost for sponsoring a lovely weekend, allowing Mack and I to experience the magic of Christmas in November firsthand.

To learn about some of the other Christmas in November sessions, and for more recipes, check out the Gastropost CIN site.

Food Notes for January 5, 2015

Happy New Year! Although I didn’t originally intend to take a blogging break, it was nice to step back over the holidays to relax with friends and family and complete our mandatory Christmas viewing (which for Mack, involves the Die Hard quartet). Hope you had a restful time as well! On to this week’s food notes:

You have until January 7, 2015 to vote for your favourite alcoholic and non-alcoholic concoctions in the City’s 2nd Annual Winter Signature Drink Competition.
Miss Sailin’ On? Check out their pop-up at Earth’s General Store on 104 Street on January 9, from 10:30am-3pm!
A reminder about this weekend’s 8th annual Deep Freeze Festival, taking place January 10-11, 2015 along Alberta Avenue. It’s one of my favourite winter events; not to be missed!
The first YEG Coffee Week event has been announced: a screening of A Film About Coffee and panel discussion about the city’s coffee culture. Early bird tickets for the March 7, 2015 event are $15.
The Tomato’s annual list compiling the “best things to eat or drink in Edmonton 2015” is accepting entries January 5-23, 2015. You can see the 2014 list here.
Denizen Hall received two thumbs up from the Journal. Can’t wait to try it ourselves!
Liv blogged about her visit to Passion de France, the newest French bakery on 118 Avenue.
Eat Your City checks out Café Blackbird in Crestwood.
What comprised Edmonton’s best eats in 2014? Three CBC reviewers share their opinions.
Most cooking classes that have sprung up are all evening affairs, so Gail Hall of Seasoned Solutions is offering a shortened, two hour alternative, priced at $49.95 per person. Perfect for those still seeking a second act to the evening afterwards.
Liane polled some chefs to gather their food predictions for the coming year.
I can definitely get behind Omar’s last resolution – “just say no to Q water”. I’m surprised more people aren’t making a fuss about the increasing number of restaurants charging for water in a city known for its water treatment system.
Nature’s Green Acres posted that they will no longer be at farmers’ markets, and instead, will be focusing on bulk sales. Sign up for the newsletter to stay in touch with Danny and Shannon.
It looks like the space that formerly housed Niche is now Tapavino (11011 Jasper Avenue). No details to speak of, as their website doesn’t seem to be functioning.

Tapavino

Construction on The Burger’s Priest location on Jasper Avenue is now underway!

The Burger’s Priest

I didn’t end up doing as much baking as I had planned this holiday, but I did manage to make Mack’s new favourite cookie – he couldn’t get enough of Gwendolyn Richard’s recipe for chewy lemon cookies.

Chewy lemon cookies

For my sisters’ joint birthday dinner, they decided on Rostizado. Great service, as always, and we learned that even –30 temperatures won’t stop Edmontonians from enjoying fantastic rotisserie.

The platter of two at Rostizado (love the board itself, too)

I was fiercely craving Izakaya Tomo, so we made sure to hit it up before the end of the year.

I love me some carbonara udon

Mack’s pick is the chicken kara-age

Epicureous in Edmonton: 2014 in Review

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

Burrow Central Station

Here are a few other notable food happenings in 2014:

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

Looking forward to what 2015 brings!

You can check out previous year in reviews here.

Food Notes for December 22, 2014

It’s nice to be off from work this week so Mack and I can focus on getting the final few things ready for Christmas. And though I’m enjoying the more moderate temperatures, it would be nice to see more snow in the next few days! On to this week’s food notes:

Edmonton’s inaugural Resilience Festival will be taking place February 7-8, 2015 at Boyle Street Plaza, with workshop topics including canning, beekeeping, gardening and cheese making, among others. Tickets are now on sale for one of thirteen streams, made up of three workshops each, ranging in price from $65-80.
Solstice, the new restaurant that took over from Somerville Wine Room & Bistro, opened today at 10723 124 Street. Chef Jan Trittenbach, formerly of Packrat Louie, is at the helm of a menu that promises seasonal cuisine.
Linda is the latest to review Ninja Club in Old Strathcona.
Massimo’s has closed for the holidays, but will re-open in January with a new grab-and-go concept.
Want to be a part of the gingerbread cathedral demolition party at Duchess? Bring a pair of socks to the bakery by December 31, 2014 (they will be donated to the Bissell Centre) for your chance to do so.
I had to make sure to get one last bowl of pho in before 2015!

My usual at Pho Tau Bay

Mack and I had dinner with Grandma Male at Tropika. It’s been some time since we’ve been there, but we appreciated their efficiency (we were done within an hour) and the quality of the food. The roti canai was especially scrumptious!

Dinner at Tropika

I tried out Anna Olson’s recipe for bacon cheddar shortbread last week, and they turned out close to what I remember from Christmas in November! They made a great edible gift, and with their savoury nature, was contrary to what some people expected of a homemade treat.

Bacon cheddar shortbread

I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season!

Christmas in November: Cocktails with Bob Blumer and a “Chopped” Reception

Before our gala dinner, we joined a small group inside the clubhouse kitchen for a VIP session with Chef Bob Blumer. Known as the energetic host of shows such as Glutton for Punishment and World’s Weirdest Restaurants, we were hoping Bob’s humour and enthusiasm would come through. In the end, we thought he had planned the perfect cocktail hour session, featuring recipes for both a drink and a nibble.

Bob’s caesar twist

Bob’s cocktail of choice was a caesar, made with a lemon vodka and a special rim. For additional kick, Bob recommended using honey and freshly grated horseradish. Mack, who is definitely a caesar fan, gave it a thumbs up.

Mack eagerly accepts a taste

For his cheeky shrimp on the bar-b, Bob continued the spicy theme with pan-fried chipotle-rubbed shrimp. Served with a cilantro dipping sauce, it was a tasty one-bite appetizer. And how is the dish related to its name, without reference to a grill, you ask? Simply serve the shrimp accompanied by what else – a Barbie doll.

Shrimp on the Bar-B

For his final trick, Bob attempted to sabre a bottle of champagne, a trick he had taught fellow presenter Chef Lynn Crawford earlier in the week. Unfortunately, he must have had a faulty bottle, as his several attempts failed. It was a little nerve wracking to watch – a few of us were convinced the bottle would shatter before the end.

1…2…3!

Thanks to Bob for a fun start to our Christmas in November evening!

We headed back to the main lodge for the gala dinner. With everybody dressed up, it was a good time for photo ops.

Gorgeous Christmas decorations

Santa was even on hand to make sure adults weren’t left out of the seasonal pose.

With Diana, Vincci and Brittney (aka the Gastropost crew)

Jasper Park Lodge had pulled out all of the stops, decking out the reception hall in sumptuous linens and holiday colours.

Gala décor

They had also organized great entertainment. The Willows, a trio based out of Toronto, sang a series of retro-inspired Christmas songs that lent a classic lounge feel to the room.

The Willows

Dinner, unfortunately, was a little less consistent than our banquet lunch earlier in the day. The mountain foraged mushroom ravioli was pretty good, topped with braised beef short rib, but the buttermilk brined Alberta pork tenderloin was dry for most around our table (though I recognize tenderloin would be a difficult cut to prepare well for such a large crowd).

Mountain foraged mushroom ravioli

Buttermilk brined Alberta pork tenderloin

Dessert was an elegantly presented callebaut milk chocolate cup containing vanilla panna cotta.

Callebaut milk chocolate cup

Before the dance closed out the evening, guests were treated to an “impromptu” Chopped-style competition, with teams drawn from attendees and presenters.

Chef Dale MacKay advises his team

Chef Lynn Crawford (dressed as Santa) was the judge, and as the competition progressed, she narrated the proceedings for the crowd’s amusement. As you would guess, it was more than a little chaotic, but I had to respect the contestants. Cooking under the tenure of celebrity chefs isn’t easy, and they did it with good humour and grace under pressure. The winner of the contest was the team led by Charcut Chefs John Jackson and Jessica Pelland (the latter of which has actually won Chopped Canada).

Chef Corbin Tomaszeski works with his team

A live band came on to close out the night, but Mack, Brittney and I had other ideas. We had spotted a games room in the basement of the lodge, and had time for a few rousing games of air hockey.

Brittney vs. Mack

Back in our room for the night, we realized the staff of the hotel had been by for turndown service. It was the first time we’ve experienced this service, and though it wasn’t necessary, the Jacek truffles were a sweet surprise.

Sweet dreams

It was a fun day full of learning, food and big personalities. We were glad to rest up for the last day of sessions.

Food Notes for December 15, 2014

Just over a week until Christmas, folks! It’s probably something you don’t want to be reminded of if you’re feeling far from ready, but I know I’m looking forward to the gatherings with loved ones to come over the next few weeks. On to this week’s food notes:

Another fun showdown between Chef Levi Biddlecombe of Atilla the HUNgry and Chef Daniel Huber of The Pourhouse is going down on December 16, 2014 at The Pourhouse at 6pm.
A reminder that the 104 Street Customer Appreciation Day is taking place this Thursday, December 18, 2014. Check out the great deals to be had, and at the very least, it will be a good excuse to check out the festive lights on the street and the redeveloped pocket park.
The big news this week was the unexpected closure of Tavern 1903. Although the landlord is optimistic the dispute with restaurant runners Larry and Melinda Stewart can be resolved, the silence from the Stewarts doesn’t seem to be a good sign.
Café Mosaics, freshly renovated, is open for business again. They’ve doubled their capacity, lengthened their hours, and have added new menu items.
How about some ramen to temper the cold? Andrea checks out Ninja Club (10324 82 Avenue), now open in Old Strathcona.
There’s a great piece in Avenue Magazine about Denizen Hall, the newly-transformed bar in The Grand Hotel. Denizen Hall also started serving food this week – for an idea of what the “Alberta homestead”-inspired pub menu contains, check out Nate Box and Chael MacDonald on Global.
Arcadia Bar, offering a fully vegan menu, is now open at 10988 124 Street.
The Journal reviewed Café Beirut’s relatively new 124 Street location last week.
Karlynn’s latest Where I Ate Wednesday podcast is now up, where she discusses some of her recent meals at a few of the newest additions to Edmonton’s food scene.
The 2nd annual Winter City Signature Drink competition is back, with an Edmonton staycation up for grabs! The deadline to enter is December 31, 2014.
Still searching for a gift for that special someone? Robyn shares her ideas on what might appeal to the foodie in your life.
I didn’t know Earth’s General Store carried crickets. Stocking stuffer, anyone?
After a meeting in the area, I ended up having lunch at the nearby Sabzy. I haven’t been to the restaurant since they moved from Whyte Avenue, but based on the experience, I’d be looking forward to returning for dinner. The lunch special of ground beef kabobs ($13) wasn’t anything to look at, but the flavour was good, and the serving size deceptively filling.

Kobeedeh at Sabzy

Mack and I finally made it to The Culture Collective (as guests – thanks, Thomas!). This particular event was organized as an Arts Market, featuring a number of local vendors. We picked up some gifts, enjoyed a drink, and ran into some familiar faces. Fun night! Their next event, a variety showcase, is taking place on January 29, 2015.

Culture Collective at the Yellowhead Brewery

We met up with Amanda at 97 Hot Pot over the weekend. Service wasn’t as top-notch as my first visit, but we were hidden in the corner. The food, however, was consistent, and I love the atmosphere. Worth considering for gatherings of picky eaters over the holidays!

Mack especially loved the unlimited spring rolls

Honest Dumplings: The Pop-Up

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

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

Dumpling anticipation

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

Busy kitchen

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

Meat dumplings

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

Vegetarian dumplings

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

Dipping sauce

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

Learn more about Honest Dumplings in this Journal article.

Christmas in November: Tres Carnales and the Olsons, too

After breakfast, we started off our second day at Christmas in November with Edgar Gutierrez and Dani Braun, two of the three men behind Edmonton’s Tres Carnales and Rostizado. They shared their holiday traditions with the crowd, as a means of providing Mexican-inspired Christmas ideas.

Edgar Gutierrez and Dani Braun

Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration observed in Mexico. Preceding Christmas Day, Dani explained that Las Posadas recreates the experience of Mary and Joseph being turned away. After “actors” dressed as the couple are declined at two residences, they are welcomed into a third home. At that final destination, friends, family and neighbours would then gather and enjoy food and libations, which often would include ponche de frutas (traditional Mexican fruit punch) and tamales.

The ponche de frutas was relatively simple to make, with the only complicating factor being the need to source ingredients at a Latin American supermarket (such as Tienda Latina in Edmonton). The dark ruby colour of the punch was extracted from sorrel flowers (better known as hibiscus), which was described as a more versatile ingredient than I expected – Edgar often adds the hydrated petals into marinades, blends them into vinaigrettes, or adds them into quesadilla fillings. The punch was delicious, with a flavour deeper and richer than seemed possible. Mack especially enjoyed his rum-spiked version!

Ponche de frutas

Consumed more as a snack than a meal, tamales can be sweet (filled with fruit) or savoury (filled with anything from potatoes to chickpeas or meat). Because they do take time to assemble, Dani and Edgar recommended doing so with others to make enough for the freezer – for them, tamales are a family affair!

Some tips:

Take time to soak the corn husks to rehydrate them – don’t be tempted to light them on fire!
The corn husks can also be used in place of parchment paper for en papiotte dishes to steam fish or pork.
If sourcing dried corn husks are difficult, banana leaves are a good substitute.
To determine if the dough mixture is ready – drop a tablespoon of dough in water. If it floats, it’s ready!

If the process sounds daunting, not to worry – Rostizado serves them with salsa roja and queso fresco.

Assembling the tamales

For dessert, the flan de queso was introduced as a great make-ahead dessert, intended to be served cold from the fridge. A cream cheese flan, the velvet-smooth custard was topped with a beautiful caramel, sure to wow your guests.

Flan de queso

Ever the enthusiastic hosts, the hour or so with Dani and Edgar flew by. It was clear they were both passionate about their food, and were so proud to share some of their family traditions with us. It was a fun way to start off my Christmas in November experience!

There was no question I was most looking forward to seeing Chefs Anna & Michael Olson at Christmas in November. Back when the Food Network featured more cooking than competitions, I loved Anna Olson’s shows Sugar and Fresh with Anna Olson. She always made daunting dishes seem straightforward, even when they weren’t so on paper. I was hoping she was as lovely in person as she seems on TV – as it turns out, she was even sweeter (heh, heh).

I didn’t know much about her husband beforehand, but after watching Michael ham it up on stage, it’s obvious he’s the life of the party. That said, the two together would make great television, playing off one another, telling stories and exchanging bad jokes.

Anna & Michael Olson

The theme of their session was a winning menu – because, as Anna mused, “Isn’t Christmas about winning and showing up your sister-in-law?” In conjunction with Alberta Pork, they had developed four recipes ideal for entertaining.

The Olson’s mini pork schnitzel sliders could easily fit on the menu of any upscale casual establishment in Edmonton. Designed as an appetizer which holds (crispy, I might add!) in a warm oven, it would be a definite crowd pleaser for adults and kids alike.

Slices of pork tenderloin were pounded, then seasoned, breaded and fried (make sure to salt and pepper the fillets directly instead of using seasoned flour, to ensure each piece is seasoned well). The schnitzels were then topped with a creamy ranch dressing (which could double as a veggie dip) and served on dinner rolls.

Mini pork schnitzel sliders

The sliders were so good, Mack ended up eating two!

Amy and Tiffany enjoy their sliders

Next up, the three most practical tips to come from Anna’s classic tourtiere recipe were:

Make it in a springform pan, making it easier to disengage and serve;
Let your butter sit out for half an hour before making the pastry – it will combine better than ice cold butter; and
Following her pie dough recipe, which, instead of factoring it in negatives (e.g., “don’t put too much water”, “don’t over knead”), she has written it in positives (and for those looking for a gluten-free crust recipe, click here).

The tourtiere can be made ahead and reheated, which would certainly make life easier during the busy holiday season. The final product was stunning, and though I didn’t get a chance to taste it, given how approachable the recipe was, I will definitely try my hand at it this Christmas.

Classic tourtiere

Michael’s recipe for a brie and cranberry stuffed pork loin with maple onion cream was his alternative to a more standard roast. His method of stuffing the pork was also free from twine, and instead involved making a deep cut inside the loin and spooning the cheese and cranberry mixture in the crevice.

We sampled the finished roast and enjoyed the combination of the moist pork and its creamy centre. For smaller family gatherings this would definitely work well in place of a turkey.

Brie and cranberry stuffed pork loin

Lastly was Anna’s bacon cheddar shortbread, a recipe she developed specifically for Christmas in November (the gluten-free version substitutes a 1/2 cup of tapioca flour and 1 cup of quinoa flour for the all-purpose). I’m not the keenest baker, but given the ease in which the dough came together in the food processor, I will definitely be trying my hand at these – they would make a great hostess gift!

Anna recommended making and rolling dough in advance, saran wrapping them and labeling them with the name and temperature at which they should be baked. Then, when they’re needed (as a gift or cocktail hour treat), you could simply thaw the dough and bake them off – genius!

Bacon cheddar shortbread

We had a great time learning and laughing with the Olsons. The couple celebrated their tenth anniversary as Christmas in November presenters this year, and I could see why they’re welcomed back again and again – their warmth and knowledge makes them great ambassadors for Canadian food. I hope they will return next year!

Doing “the Olson” with Anna and Michael

If the pork appetizers weren’t enough, the festive luncheon certainly did us over. Banquet meals for several hundred guests are not often executed well, but the kitchen did a fantastic job with lunch. I could have easily had a second bowl of the Twin Meadows red kuri squash soup (I loved the roasted pumpkin seeds incorporated for texture).

Red kuri squash soup

The salt-brined Alberta free range turkey was equally delicious, served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and a dried fruit stuffing.

Salt-brined Alberta free range turkey

The pumpkin cheesecake was perhaps a little too deconstructed for most at our table, but was beautifully plated.

Pumpkin cheesecake

As full as we were, an afternoon nap wasn’t an option – we had several more sessions to attend before finishing up the learning portion of the day.

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