- The biggest food news this week was undoubtedly the announcement that The Blue Pear is closing on December 23, 2012 after 12 years of operation. In an interview with the Journal, co-owner Jessie Radies said, “I think restaurants have a lifespan, and we’ve hit the end of Blue Pear.” On the bright side, it will be replaced by RGE RD, another locally-inspired restaurant by former Madison’s Grill Executive Chef Blair Lebsack in mid-2013.
- Also in the news – Smokehouse BBQ, which just launched their Edmonton location in October, was badly damaged by a fire on Wednesday. This coincidentally on the heels of a very positive review in the Journal. To get your Smokehouse fill, you can still head out to their Leduc location!
- Nomad teased the twittersphere with the following tweet: “we’ve teamed up w/
@theVolsteadAct and have some big news about our brick and mortar space TBA shortly! we are so excited!!”. Great to hear another food truck is heading indoors – looking forward to finding out more. - I know your December calendar is probably chock full, but if you have time, stop by NextGen’s outdoor patio party at Public House on December 8, 2012. Don’t you think we could use more outdoor opportunities in the winter to sit back and soak up our city? (and yes, there will be heaters).
- Earls Tin Palace reopens to the public on December 9, 2012 after a $5 million dollar renovation.
- Liane wrote about T.H.I.S. Place’s new hot chocolate pops – real chocolate on a stick meant to dissolved into milk or water for hot chocolate. I’ve been meaning to try them myself, and they look like they would make great gifts!
- Maki took some beautiful pictures of her meal at The Makk.
- Vue Weekly published a good profile on Shovel and Fork last week.
Category: food
Weekend in Calgary: Sushi Club, Zoolights, Vendome Cafe and Devonian Gardens
I had the pleasure of catching up with my friends Annie and Andres in Calgary over the weekend. It was nice getting to spend some time with them and getting to know their new neighbourhood a bit better!
The view from their apartment
Sushi Club
Living in the walkable Kensington, Annie and Andres have the advantage being surrounded by a wealth of amenities, including restaurants serving easily a dozen different ethnic cuisines. They took me to one of their favourites on Saturday night – Sushi Club.
Interior (with incredible chalk art!)
Non-descript, but extremely popular (given their reservation roster was completely full for the night), the small restaurant seems to pride itself on fresh product and creative rolls. Knowing my aversion to raw seafood, Annie and Andres were gracious enough to set aside their usual order in favour of several platters of cooked rolls. The server was extremely helpful, pointing out their most popular dishes, as well as her personal favourites. She was also great in explaining exactly how many pieces came with each order.
The odd cod roll was my favourite – a take on fish and chips with battered and fried cod and a pickle encased in seaweed and sushi rice and drizzled with tartar sauce. The cod was hot and freshly fried, and paired with the tart pickle and salty seaweed really did work as a two-bite taste.
Odd cod
The crunchy calamari jalapeno roll was similar, though also featured the additional kick of heat from the peppers.
Calamari jalapeño roll
Annie’s favourite of Hawaiian shrimp katsu rolls were served last, likely because they could almost be mistaken as dessert sushi. Topped with crushed pineapple and a coconut cream, they were the sweetest and lightest roll I had ever tried, and were definitely unique.
Hawaiian shrimp katsu rolls
Obviously, I didn’t try their sashimi, but Annie and Andres can vouch for the quality of the seafood. And based on our overall experience, I wouldn’t hesitate in returning again if I’m back in the neighbourhood.
Zoolights @ the Calgary Zoo
Annie thought it might be fun to be tourists after dinner and visit Zoolights at the Calgary Zoo. Every holiday season, the Zoo transforms into a winter wonderland after dark, lit up with over 1.5 million lights. Adult admission was $10, though because none of us had ever been, we didn’t really know what to expect.
It turned out to remind me very much of a cross between the Alberta Legislature at Christmastime (with holiday music being piped through the grounds), and a walkable Bright Nights, the festival that used to take place at Hawrelak Park in years past.
Although the temperature during the day was above zero, when night fell, the temperatures quickly did as well. Combined with high humidity, it ended up being a rather chilly night. Thankfully, organizers prepared for this, with various fire pits located throughout the walking trails, and some indoor reprieves from the cold. The cafe was also open, so we took advantage of that and picked up some warm drinks to accompany our walk.
Pit stop
One of the indoor greenhouses (aka warming places)
Most of the displays were grouped by theme. Although I didn’t have my sweetheart with me, “lovers lane” was a favourite, complete with Cinderella and her Prince Charming.
Annie and Andres in lovers lane
Candyland was also a whimsical attraction, lined with coloured lollipops and candy canes.
Of course, there were a number of animal-themed displays as well. Some of them were animated, but all of them made great photo opportunities.
Swinging monkeys
Pet giraffes
In addition to the light displays were other activities for kids as well – a carnival area, and even Santa’s Village, where children were able to video conference with Santa.
Top of the evening to you
In all, we were impressed by how expansive the sights were – it was a great way to spend an evening outdoors. It’s really a win-win – patrons get into the holiday spirit, and the Zoo is able to generate more income in the off season. Check it out if you’re in Calgary over the next few months – Zoolights runs until January 5, 2013.
Vendome Cafe
Hoping to find a brunch spot within walking distance of their Kensington home, Annie did some researching and came up with Vendome Cafe, about five minutes away from their place in the neighbourhood of Sunnyside. I’m always up for trying new brunch spots in Calgary, so Andres, Annie and I walked over on Sunday morning.
Upon entry, we found a well-worn, charming cafe, anchored by a wooden counter and towering chalkboard menus. But the quaint surroundings couldn’t make up for the experience as a whole.
We joined the queue (a typical sight for Calgary brunch spots), but were confused by the fact that half the patrons did not have coats on – was this line for ordering or for tables? We had to ask the counter attendant (there was no staff responsible for managing the line), who explained that guests were expected to snag their own table, then line up to order at the counter. When asked why not all people in the line seemed to follow this system, she responded that “They must not have been here before.” A posted sign reading “Please seat yourselves and order at the counter” would have alleviated all of the confusion. It was almost as if they convinced themselves that they were a cafe, when in fact, they were a full-service restaurant. The endemic theme of Vendome expecting patrons to learn the system without guidance continued with the restrooms – they were simply a cluster of unmarked doors.
We put in our order at the counter at 10:30, and no joke, our food did not arrive until 11:30. Most of the parties around us didn’t seem to mind the similar wait, chatting over their morning coffee, but had we known such a delay would be imminent, we would have chosen a different establishment. We did spy a couple who had clearly been here before – as they wisely ordered from the pastry case for a pre-brunch appetizer probably knowing their main meal would take some time.
The food was actually quite well prepared, though nothing would have made up for the lack of service and wait at that point. My open faced sausage and egg sandwich ($9.95) was tasty – the perfectly fried sunny side up eggs dressing up the focaccia, lettuce, tomato and breakfast sausage nicely. Annie and Andres both ordered the blue crab eggs benedict ($14.95), which had quite a kick for a breakfast dish, and again, featured perfectly poached eggs.
Open faced sandwich
Blue crab eggs benedict
The complete indifference to service was something I’ve never before experienced in a city ripe with some great brunch establishments. Given this wealth of fabulous brunch restaurants in Calgary (with Blue Star Diner being at the top of my current list of favourites), I’d be hard pressed to ever return to Vendome without good reason.
Devonian Gardens
Anytime I’ve been in Calgary over the past six months, I’ve tried to keep on top of when the Devonian Gardens was to re-open. It’s been under renovation for the last two years, and given it is such a green oasis in an urban setting, I was keen to see what the refurbished gardens would look like.
I was finally able to check it out this weekend. The koi were still around, delighting children and adults alike.
Koi
But the big change was how open it now was – instead of doors closing off the gardens from the connected mall, the food court just flows right into the gardens. Given the number of visitors that Sunday afternoon, perhaps this integration is helping to remind people that it does exist.
Water feature
The garden is lined with seating, and we were sure on most weekdays would be packed with lunchgoers seeking to enjoy a bit of green on their break.
Love the living wall
Thanks again to Annie and Andres for having me – I’m looking forward to my next visit already!
Food Notes for November 26, 2012
I spent the weekend in Calgary, visiting with Annie and Andres who moved there over the summer. It’s always nice to get away, especially when it involves catching up with old friends! On to this week’s food notes:
- Have a foodie on your shopping list? 124 Street is hosting a bazaar on November 29, 2012 at The Roxy Theatre which will feature quite a few food vendors with great options for gifting.
- Mark your calendars: the businesses on 104 Street are hosting a Customer Appreciation Day on December 4, 2012. Check out the deals to be had here.
- Chop’s Downtown location in the Sutton Place Hotel (10235 101 Street) opened today.
- Sounds like the Italian Centre’s restaurant venture, Massimo’s Cucina Italiana, will open the first week in December.
- Karlynn reviewed Creole Envie this week – sounds like their muffalatta is a must-try for olive lovers!
- Haven’t been to Knifewear’s Edmonton pop-up shop yet? Cindy gives you a peek of their inventory.
- Vue Weekly profiles Chef Andrew Fung and his newest venture XIX.
- The Shaw Conference Centred hired a new executive pastry chef this month. Welcome, Arthur Chen, to Edmonton!
- A report came out this week criticising the enforcement of Canada’s organic standards.
- I’d been meaning to check out Zocalo’s new glassed-in space, and was finally able to do so on Friday. It feels grand, with high ceilings and bright lights, anchored by their long wooden table (coffee, anyone?). They also had the spaced dressed and ready for the holidays – I know I will be returning for some gift shopping in the coming weeks.
Zocalo
Ready for the holidays!
- While in Calgary, I had the chance to stop by Oliv in Kensington, very similar to Edmonton’s Evoolution. The shop focuses only on olive oils and vinegars (while the scope in Evoolution is a bit broader), and though their olive oil selection was much smaller, they definitely had more vinegars to choose from. The 18 year balsamic was delectable!
O
liv
- Also in Calgary, I was so happy to find a pop-up Phil & Sebastian’s cafe in Holt Renfrew of all places! It turns out it is their second holiday season inside the luxe boutique (Crave also has a small counter on the same floor) – it’d be neat to see more of these kinds of interesting partnerships in Edmonton!
Phil & Sebastian’s pop-up cafe in Holt Renfew
- If you can believe it, we’re already planning for the 2013 What the Truck?! season! Mack and I were able to meet up with a majority of the vendors last week to gather feedback on our 2012 events and start talking about the calendar for next year. Thanks to Terry and Sherry of Smokehouse BBQ for hosting us!
Mack’s pulled pork mac and cheese
- I was lucky enough to be invited to De Dutch’s media event tonight, which showcased some of their signature pannenkoeken and other Dutch treats. The “Abby” Perogie was delicious (how can you go wrong with hash browns, bacon and onions wrapped inside a pancake?), though the fried bitter ballen meatballs stole the show for me. I hope to check out De Dutch this week for lunch, but Phil has reviewed it already.
Bitter ballen
Strawberry cheesecake pannekoeken with cream cheese, strawberry topping and whipped cream
Food Notes for November 19, 2012
I finally feel like myself again, but it took a week! Funny how being sick and without energy really narrows down that task list to absolute priorities only. On to this week’s food notes:
- Evoolution is offering a guided tasting on November 20, 2012 from 7-9pm, where they will cover the history and chemistry of olive oils, in addition to a formal tasting of Southern Hemisphere oils. Sign up in-store or email.
- A reminder that the Knifewear pop-up in Old Strathcona (8422 109 St) opens November 20, 2012, and runs until December 31.
- Need an excuse to check out Jacek’s new boutique in Sherwood Park? How about a chocolate tasting on November 29, 2012?
- If you’re hungry, don’t click on Valerie’s post capturing her experience as a judge for Northlands’ first annual BBQ Challenge at this year’s Farm Fair. Love the photos of the tasting sheets!
- As the Italian Centre gears up for its third location in Edmonton, it is also casting its eye southward for future expansion to Calgary.
- Congrats to Kinnikinnick Foods for their production plant expansion in Edmonton. Always great to see a local success story!
- Speaking of successes, Duchess was singled out by the National Post in a glowing feature with the following headline: “Edmonton may just be home to the best patisserie in Canada.”
- Are you wondering what will happen to the farmers in the northeast now that the Food and Agriculture Strategy has been adopted? Have a look at Elise Stolte’s piece.
- This isn’t quite as bad as pink slime videos, but if you were ever curious to see how hot dogs are made…
- Mack’s Dad was in town on the weekend, so we decided to have dinner at The Bothy’s new-ish location on 124 Street. With the half hour wait for our food, it was evident the kitchen and serving staff were being run off their feet. Thankfully, our dishes did arrive hot and delicious, and the chicken and vegetable pie (our favourite) did not disappoint.
Chicken and vegetable pie and French onion soup
Food Notes for November 12, 2012
I had so much I wanted to accomplish over the long weekend: getting a leg-up on my Christmas shopping, catching up with family, chronicling our fall travels. But instead, I’ve been sidelined with a pretty bad flu, so I haven’t been doing much of anything besides huddling in front of the television with bowls of chicken soup and tea. Hope you had a better weekend! On to this week’s food notes:
- Liane posted about a “breakfast for dinner” pop-up that will be taking place at The Common on November 20, 2012 with Chef Jesse Morrison Gauthier.
- De Dutch (10030 Jasper Ave), noted for their pannekoek, opened on November 6, 2012. Based on their Facebook page, it looks like they have received a warm reception so far!
- The Makk, the new restaurant in the space formerly occupied by D’Lish, opened last week. They are hosting a launch party featuring a sampling of menu items on November 15, from 5-9pm. Liv blogged an early review of The Makk here.
- Creole Envie held a VIP opening last week. Cindy covered it here.
- Vue Weekly published a review of Smokehouse BBQ’s new Edmonton location on 124 Street.
- The Journal reviewed Cafe Amore last week. Mack and I will have to make it back there some day – the last time we tried, the restaurant was closed for a private function.
- Liane wrote a very interesting piece about “freegans” – those who dumpster dive for food and other necessities. I had no idea it was such a subculture in Edmonton.
- Eat St. is launching a cookbook of food truck-inspired recipes, due out next spring!
The Cooking Chronicles: Bits and Bites
To be honest, I haven’t really tried all that many new recipes as of late. In between our travels this fall, we’ve fallen back on tried and true dishes when at home – mostly due to a lack of time to bookmark new recipes, but also because there are more than a few wintery soups I’ve been inkling to revisit.
That said, there have been a few experiments here and there – one that recalls fall memories and a second perfect for our current season.
Tomato-Basil Bread Pudding
Who among us hasn’t turned to fridge staples of eggs and bacon for a crunch-time evening meal? For that reason, I love that Giada’s newest book, Weeknights with Giada, devotes an entire chapter to breakfast for dinner, but offers alternatives to that basic combination.
We made her tomato-basil bread pudding several weeks ago. It’s a savoury take on bread pudding that incorporates tomatoes, basil, and parmesan in place of sweeter flavours. We used Dauphine’s onion and sage bread as a base (one of my favourites), Greens, Eggs and Ham duck eggs and tomatoes and basil from Gull Valley Greenhouses.
Tomato-basil bread pudding
The result was pretty good, though I probably would have preferred a bit more bread and tomatoes. Giada recommends using a multigrain bread, but given how fragrant the onion and sage loaf was, I can’t imagine choosing any other bread to use.
Pulled Pork & Beans
When I first flipped through Spilling the Beans, Julie and Sue’s recipe for pulled pork & beans was one of the first that caught my eye because I knew it would be right up Mack’s alley. I don’t have any explanation for why it took me so long to get to it, however.
We purchased a boneless pork shoulder from Irvings Farm Fresh, and cheated a little by using canned beans, having run through my freezer inventory. Topped off in the slow cooker with ketchup, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, mustard and a bit of sriracha (my addition), we let it cook low and slow for eight hours.
When we arrived home tonight, the house smelled marvellous, sweet and porky. The meat was moist and easy to pull apart, and we served the pork and bean concoction over toasted multigrain buns.
Pulled pork & beans
This recipe definitely earned Mack’s seal of approval. He thought it would be too sweet, but found the beans mellowed it out a bit, as did the bread. We probably could have put in a dash or two of Tabasco though, something we will keep in mind for next time.
South West Sophistication: XIX
Restaurants are made up of many factors. The ones most often referred to include menu, service, decor and ambiance. But location is frequently left off that list, in spite of the fact that it contributes to the overall experience of the establishment. Convenience, ease of access, and neighbouring attractions do determine, to an extent, the frequency with which a diner returns.
That’s why it was curious to me when it was announced that Chef Andrew Fung’s new venture, Nineteen, would be located in the far-flung southwest neighbourhood of MacTaggert. Although Nineteen is located within the same quadrant as his most recent restaurant, the Blackhawk Golf Course, there is probably more to be said about being first to the post. Nineteen is breaking new ground in an area of the city dominated mostly by chains, and brings more sophisticated dining to suburban residents who may be accustomed to commuting for a refined meal.
Still, in anticipation of a complimentary preview event on Monday evening, I was most looking forward to how Chef Fung would “redefine dining” (Nineteen’s catchphrase). Without much in the way of surrounding street life or a critical mass of restaurants, the expectations for Nineteen are high – in order to attract patrons outside of the immediate area, the restaurant has to be considered a dining destination.
For us, it was a bit of a harrowing journey to Nineteen. From our downtown home, it took us over an hour’s drive to reach the restaurant, the Whitemud at a crawl due to two accidents. It was a reminder of why we generally don’t venture beyond a certain perimeter in a vehicle, especially at rush hour, but we recognize that it was an experience isolated to us among the diners that evening. As a result, we were late for the start of the tasting, but happy that we fortuitously ended up seated with Edmonton Sun columnist Graham Hicks and his lovely wife, Maria.
Our first impressions of the restaurant were positive. The dining room connotes warmth, achieved through a combination of the incandescent light fixtures and the organic, leather material throughout the space – in wall panels and gold-coloured chairs. It felt almost like a smoking lounge, comfortable, but polished. Nineteen also has a lounge, dressed similarly and separated by a wall.
Dining room
That said, my favourite feature of the dining room was the open window into the kitchen. It’s always great to have a visual connection with those preparing your food, and at Nineteen, clearly they have nothing to hide.
Peek into the kitchen
The menu sampling was generous, with ten separate courses served over a span of three hours. The dishes were to give us an idea of the breadth of the menu, though the final version for the restaurant’s opening night of November 7, 2012 was yet to be finalized. We were told that the menu would likely change on a bi-weekly basis, to allow for the inclusion of seasonal and rotating dishes. At least on the menu presented, there weren’t any local suppliers highlighted, though I didn’t have a chance to ask Chef Fung if this would change.
Our favourite dishes were served in the first half of the meal. Among them was the one-bite ahi tuna twist, with a surprisingly fiery finish, and gloriously fatty blueberry duck sliders with chipotle aioli.
Ahi tuna twist
Duck sliders
Chef Fung also showcased quite a bit of his flair for seafood. His miso marinated Atlantic salmon was bright and briny, a flavour carried on in the wasabi miso dressing on the accompanying spinach salad. Mack really enjoyed the ahi tuna & scallop ceviche, gorgeously presented on a pedestal with fresh thyme crackers. The ponzu and wasabi pea foam were subtle but ideal enhancements.
Miso marinated Atlantic salmon
Ahi tuna & scallop ceviche
The Japanese baby back ribs were also a hit around the table, glazed with sake soy. They had just the right amount of sweetness for my palate, and the meat easily flaked off the bone, textured with the right amount of fat.
Japanese baby back ribs
Less successful was the confit chicken waffle. The sweetness of the grilled peppers were the highlight among the muddled flavours of chicken and the quinoa-potato waffle. As well, the duo of Alberta pork featured an overly dry tenderloin, and an undercooked, chewy king oyster mushroom.
Confit chicken waffle
Duo of Alberta pork
Without a doubt, Chef Andrew Fung has crafted a menu that plays to his strengths, which include incorporating Asian ingredients in inspired ways. But what I guess I was hoping to find at Nineteen was a more defined identity, one that would occupy an upscale niche not yet found in Edmonton to help make it the destination restaurant in an otherwise bleak independent dining district. For example – Corso 32’s obsessive approach to Italian cuisine, or the refined interpretation of a steakhouse by Charcut in Calgary. Of course, as I mentioned above, perhaps it doesn’t matter – Nineteen’s niche may simply be serving upmarket cuisine in an area starved for it. Only time will tell.
Thanks again to Chef Fung and the staff at Nineteen for the invitation. Best of luck in these opening weeks!
Nineteen
5940 Mullen Way
Check out some other perspectives of the evening from Linda and Chris.
Food Notes for November 5, 2012
I was hoping things might slow down a bit at work, but the pace has kept up, which leaves me feeling like I haven’t been as on top of things for this blog as I would like. I’m doing my best to juggle things though, even though with the pending holiday season I’m sure life will just get a bit crazier! On to this week’s food notes:
- Underground Edmonton, billed as the city’s “first authentic craft beer lounge” celebrated its grand opening on November 1, 2012. Anyone been?
- Chef Andrew Fung’s new venture, Nineteen, opens on November 7, 2012. Mack and I were lucky enough to preview the menu tonight, which I will write about more this week.
- The North Edge Business Association is celebrating a launch of its new website and directory from 5-7:30pm on November 13, 2012, with an event called Taste of the Edge. There will be samples of food from the area’s restaurants, as well as an Eritrean coffee ceremony. Check it out at the Queen Mary Park Community Hall (10844 117 Street).
- Central Social Hall has taken over the revolving door storefront on Jasper Avenue and 109 Street, and is set to open in mid-December.
- Jacek Chocolate Couture, having freshly christened their new boutique store, was featured in Vue last week.
- It was great to see a familiar face gracing the Journal Food section last Wednesday. If you didn’t have a chance to read all about Karlynn (aka The Kitchen Magpie), check it out here!
- There were quite a few food personalities included on the list of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40, released on Thursday. Congrats to Amy Beaith, Kevin Kossowan and Andrew Parker!
- Speaking of Kevin, his new venture called Shovel and Fork, with fellow local food enthusiasts Jeff Senger (of Sangudo Meats) and Chad Moss (formerly of Transcend), among others, sounds amazing. They will be leading classes in topics such as butchery, foraging and cob oven construction.
- Executive Committee accepted the Food and Agriculture Strategy at a vote on November 2. I’m disappointed they did so without pointing out the document’s lack of teeth.
- Jacquie Lycka, a blogger who writes the blog Garneau Home Kitchen, participated in a project that helped raise food donations for the MacEwan Food Bank by picking apples with Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton. The video they made to summarize their work is worth a look.
- We were in the neighbourhood of Wine & Beyond today, so took the opportunity to check out Western Canada’s biggest liquor store in Windermere. It was indeed massive, almost overwhelmingly so, though their tasting bar area was pretty impressive. We tried our best to locate an Alberta-made wine, but didn’t find one at a cursory glance. We did find an Eskimo-branded wine, though!
Wine & Beyond
- It’s back! Mack and I are suckers for Starbucks’ annual “red cup” campaign. We had our first Christmas drinks this weekend.
2012 Red Cup
- On tour at West Edmonton Mall was the Tim Hortons Tassimo crew. We are bringing more and more of that commercial convenience home, so I guess this was the next logical step for Tim Hortons…
Tim Hortons Tassimo
- While at WEM, we came upon a new-to-us cupcake kiosk called Once Upon a Cupcake. I have to say, I know Liane’s been taking about the downward trend of cupcakes for a while, but I think I have to agree that they’ve finally plateaued.
Once Upon a Cupcake
- I’ve really been craving pho since the weather started turning south. That craving led us to Pho Hoan Pasteur last week. As much as I love Pho Tau Bay, it’s nice to be able to order a side of green onion cakes on occasion.
Pho Hoan Pasteur
Date Night: Highlands Kitchen and Carriage Ride
I feel a bit sheepish posting this so late, especially because the restaurant has since changed hands. But Mack encouraged me to do so anyway, as it does provide a snapshot of a great neighbourhood-based date. Plus, the restaurant has turned over to another independent company, so the bones of the evening are still very much a possibility.
At the end of July, Mack and I took the bus over to the picturesque neighbourhood of Highlands, the only community in Edmonton that we know of where you can have dinner followed by a carriage ride.
We started our evening at Highlands Kitchen (which has since become the location of Creole Envie). This was our first visit since its transformation from Culina Highlands, but we understood the menu preserved the Eastern European comforts that had been its hallmark.
We chose to sit outside on the charming patio, lined with herb planters and shielded from the bustle of 112 Avenue. For dinner, as has become custom for us, we decided to share several dishes, all of which we enjoyed.
Patio
Mack’s favourite was the bacon wrapped dates ($10), swayed as he was by the sweet-salty touchstones. My favourite were the pork crepes ($12), featuring tender pulled pork in a Saskatoon berry BBQ sauce.
Bacon wrapped dates
Pulled pork crepes
The quinoa salad ($12) was also noteworthy, as it became the inspiration for several subsequent salads of my own. I loved the different textures in every bite – from crispy chickpeas to sweet cranberries and crunchy seeds.
Quinoa salad
For dessert, a simple but delicious pound cake topped with berries and a scoop of Pinocchio ice cream. Perfect for two to share.
Eating it too
After dinner, we headed up the block to Mandolin Books to pick up our reserved tickets for the horse-drawn wagon ride with Anjl Horse & Carriage Company. Those who have frequented the Alberta Avenue and Highlands Farmers’ Markets might be familiar with the proprietor behind Anjl – Arie Jol is a resident of Highlands, and vends meat and eggs under the banner of Ma-Be Farms.
The rides start from the bookstore on the last Friday of every month, approximately every half hour between 7-9pm. They take place year round, so long as the temperature holds above –15C. Our adult tickets were $10 (teens are $8, and seniors and children 12 and under are $5).
Anjl Horse & Carriage
The ride was a leisurely one, though perhaps not as educational as we would have hoped for. Arie isn’t a historian, but given he had been conducting these tours for some time, we thought he would have been able to answer more of our questions about the neighbourhood.
Sharing the road
Still, he did point out some neat features, such as plaques that had been put up on buildings in the area by the Highlands Historical Society, indicating the home’s original residents or business.
Plaque on Mandolin Books
As well, Arie made sure we were able to get a good look at the homes of Highlands’ founding fathers. One in particular, the Macgrath Mansion, is absolutely stunning.
Macgrath Mansion
That summer night, with the canopied streets in full bloom, Mack and I marvelled at how unique it was to be riding through the streets of Edmonton in a horse and carriage. Only in Highlands.
Horses!
2012 Sturgeon Valley Food & Wine Festival
The newest food and wine festival on the scene is the Sturgeon Valley Food & Wine Festival, held this past Saturday for the very first time. Given the rising number of these types of events, it was very important that the Sturgeon Valley edition differentiate itself somehow. At first glance, it definitely edges out the others in terms of venue. The Enjoy Centre, with its glass ceiling and gorgeous sconces, outdoes both the Shaw and Expo Centre.
Sturgeon Valley Food & Wine Festival
Mack and I were invited to attend for free, and were also lucky enough to receive $20 in sampling tickets. That said, I am not sold on this model (which is the same as the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival), which charges admission cost and additional dollars for sampling tickets. As a patron, I’d much rather pay a steeper ticket price for an all-inclusive event.
For our admission period of 4-6:30pm, we found the crowds a bit sparse, but this was to our advantage – no lines, ample seating, and we felt we had more time and space to converse with the reps. I know at the Rocky Mountain Festival in the past, I have felt a bit claustrophobic at times, and somewhat rushed at certain tables with others jockeying in for samples.
Enjoy Centre (can you spot Phil and Robyn?)
There were about two dozen liquor and food vendors, but only three tables sampling wine. This was likely due to the fact that the festival ran over the same weekend as Co-Op’s Grape Escape, which featured sixty wine and spirits producers.
Because wine was not as prominent, it definitely drew our attention to the range of beers and spirits highlighted. Notably, this was our first encounter with Ribstone Creek Brewery, which, although no longer Alberta’s newest beer (that distinction probably belongs to Hog’s Head now), we were happy to learn about. It seems the founder wanted to build some sort of business in his hometown of Edgerton, Alberta, and settled on a brewery. It has already won some awards (silver for best domestic lager at the Calgary Beer Fest), and based on our taste, did find it to be quite a light beer (even for me, as a non-beer drinker).
Ribstone Creek Brewery
We were also introduced to Solstice Botanical Vodka, a new vodka distilled by Yukon Brewery, which makes it the first craft brewery in Canada which is now also a craft distiller. The company wanted to make a unique spirit that combined herbs and berries available in the area, and with the guise of a local herbologist, steeped raspberries, rosehip and sage with the vodka to create the final product. It was noticeably smoother than more mainstream vodkas, though still probably a bit too harsh for me to sip straight up.
Solstice Botanical Vodka
The first of the two wine vendors we patronized featured BC wine blends from Backyard Vineyard under the name Nosey Neighbour. Both the red and white we tried were pretty easy drinking wines.
Nosey Neighbour
On the other side of the spectrum was Chinese Happy Wine. A blend of white wine and Osmanthus flower, the vendor described it as a dessert wine. While it was sweet, the lingering aftertaste was not a memorable one (I also had to wonder at the price point – I’ve never seen a dessert wine priced at $8.70 a bottle).
Chinese Happy Wine
Of course, we were also able to try some of the food offerings. Most of the restaurants represented are located in St. Albert, great for us given we don’t often frequent eateries in that area. First up was a teaser of mac and cheese and baked beans from La Crema Cafe and Smokehouse. Mack commented on the Velveeta-like consistency of the sauce, but we both really enjoyed the smoky-sweet beans with bits of bacon stirred in.
Mac and beans from La Crema Cafe and Smokehouse
Darcy’s Meat Market enticed us with their display, and we chose to try their applewood smoked pulled pork slider and handmade beef jerky. Neither was the most elegant to consume at an event like this, though we did our best. The slider could have used more sauce to bind and flavour the meat, while I prefer my jerky a little more dehydrated.
Honey garlic jerky and pulled pork slider from Darcy’s Meat Market
The star of the food samples was from The River House (though I don’t have a usable photo, unfortunately). Their braised short rib was hot, tender and delicious.
As a whole, we had a great experience. The Sturgeon Valley Food & Wine Festival has ample room to expand, both in the areas of food and drink. That said, hopefully they can manage their growth and maintain their great hospitality and the intimate nature of the event. Thanks again to the organizers for the invitation!
Only Here for the Food 