Shop Local 2012: Favourite Gifts to Give or Get

If you are like Mack, you probably won’t think about holiday shopping until approximately December 22, but if you are like me, you are probably starting to feel that creeping feeling of stress that seems to go hand in hand with this time of the year.

Although I recognize that the holidays are about more than material goods, the reality for most of us is that we want to show our loved ones how much we appreciate them with a thoughtfully-chosen gift.

So in honour of Shop Local First Month, I’ve again compiled some gift recommendations from local personalities. I hope you find their answers to the question below as helpful as I have!

What is your favourite locally-purveyed item to give or get?

Mary Bailey, Publisher of The Tomato

We are fortunate to have several top-notch chocolateries in Edmonto: Cococo, Sweet Lollapalooza, Chocolate Exquisite, Chocophilia bars, Peter Johner and Jacek. But, if I had to pick only one sweet gift it would be the chocolate-covered cherries by Cococo. The combination of high-quality dark chocolate with spirity syrup surrounding the slightly chewy cherry on the stem is a seasonal favourite. Fresh BC Bing cherries are shipped from the Okanagan in season, then immersed in brandy for about two months. The spiked cherries are dipped in fondant, followed by a coating of Cococo couverture chocolate. During the curing, the brandy dissolves the fondant, leaving the cherry surrounded by sweet and mellow brandy. Delish!

Edmonton-based research and development chef Brad Smoliak has introduced an addictive condiment called Bacon by Brad — a sweet/savoury blend of bacon made from Alberta-raised pork, onions, maple syrup and spices, similar in texture to a jam or marmalade. Slather on a burger, layer puff pastry for a quick and easy hors d’oeuvre, or eat it on your toast. Find it on the deli counter at Save-On Foods, and at kitchenbybrad.ca.

Amy Shostak, Artistic Director of Rapid Fire Theatre

One Christmas, my baba asked for a corn broom to sweep the snow. I searched high and low, and finally found some from the Holden Colony at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market. Their brooms are seriously sturdy, with some old-school charm (not to mention the vendor asked me if I was a witch and needed it to fly away). They also have beautiful deerhide mittens for sale, and I picked some up for my Dad.

I have an awesome hand-dyed bag from Veekee Workshop (artist Victoria Wiercinski) that I found at The Royal Bison Art and Craft Fair. It is practical, yet flashy, and I think any of her hand-dyed objects are beautiful gifts to give and to get.

Ed Fong, owner of deVine Wines and Spirits

Being a person who loves and appreciates food, cooking and wine, I tend to surround myself with people who share the same passion. So, I would gladly give or happily accept gift certificates from the following locally owned businesses:

Tops on my list would be sending someone or dining at Corso 32. Just the thought of sinking my teeth into one of Chef Daniel Costa’s arancini filled with mushrooms, fontina cheese and red cabbage is enough to bring me closer to heaven. Second on my list is a trip to the Red Ox Inn for their decadent pork belly appetizer followed by the bacon wrapped pork loin. Double pork!

For the people on my list looking for cool kitchen supplies, I would give them a chance to check out my friends at Call the Kettle Black. I would send cookbook lovers over to the shelves of Audrey’s Books.

Food would not be the same without bottles of great wine. Hate to blow my own horn, but I’d send all my wine loving friends over to see me at deVine Wines & Spirits. We can help you find some great vino to pair with your special meal, cool beers and premium spirits.

Bruce Bevan, Economic Development Officer with the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

You should never give what you wouldn’t be happy to get and you can never go wrong with good food or wine. The Italian Centre in Little Italy is part of my regular Saturday morning shopping routine and the Beemster’s Extra-Aged Gouda is to die for; a great gift to go with port during those cold winter evenings. deVine Wines and Spirits (which is located in my favourite part of Edmonton – 104 Street downtown) is where I purchase my holiday libations and my latest discovery is a Portuguese Sparkling Rosé called Fita Preta “Sexy”; goes great with turkey.

Jeanie Andronyk, Co-organizer of The Royal Bison and metalsmith

I always recommend The Royal Bison for unique gifts (natch) but there are a billion awesome places all around Edmonton. You can never go wrong with music. Listen Records has everything for even the pickiest of music lovers; most of which you can buy on vinyl. Sweets are also a win, so if someone you love has a sweet tooth, buy them some roasted coconut marshmallows from Duchess Bakery. For the minimalist who is not a fan of presents, I recommend going to Padmanadi‘s Vegetarian Restaurant for a delicious I-can’t-even-tell-it’s-not-actually-meat treat!

Graham Hicks, Weekly Dish Columnist for the Edmonton Sun

Christmas drives me a little nuts as I don’t like shopping but like to give useful, meaningful gifts to the special people in my life, but can never think of a useful, meaningful gift to give.

Solution: Buy a bunch of one or two cute little gifties, to which can be attached gift certificates for favourite, locally-owned, community-minded restaurants (I’d send anybody to Tzin, Dadeo’s, Parkallen or New Asian Village).

For cute little gifties in the $10 to $15 range, I head to farmer’s markets for inspiration, or gift shops at public institutions like The Art Gallery of Alberta, Muttart, Royal Alberta Museum or TELUS World of Science.

I’m thinking this year of small bottles of gourmet oils, specialty salts or unusual vinegars – from Evoolution, Italian Centre, high-end canola from Mighty Trio or truffle oil from Mo-Na, Sunterra or Planet Organic. That’s the kind of gift I like to get!

Janis Galloway, Fashion Blogger

One of the best gifts I ever received was a custom-made dress from local designer Bridget Smatlan of Fridget Apparel. It was a truly thoughtful present that allowed me to be included in the process of making something I absolutely cherish today. It wasn’t just an item, it was an experience too. This is great gift idea for the real fashionista in your life and a fabulous way to support local entrepreneurs.

I also love perusing the local craft/artisan markets that are plentiful this time of year. The Royal Bison is my fave and great for finding made-with-love gifts such as the beautiful crocheted scarves of The Pretty Knotty Sweatshoppe, uniquely flavoured treats from Heritage Baked Goods (perfect for the vegan in your life), and the charmingly crafted jewelry and vintage finds of Chaos and the Dark.

Happy Shopping!

Brittney Le Blanc, Capital Ideas Community Champion and all-around superwoman!

When I’m shopping for friends, I really try and embrace the November Shop Local trend! If you need some sassy cards and unique items, look no further than The Artworks, which I’m lucky to be located close to for work. Know someone who likes to display photos, send mail, journal, or more? Notables is the greatest when it comes to stationary. Know someone who likes kitchen supplies? You really can’t go wrong with Call The Kettle Black. Hop across the parking lot to the Tin Box on High Street for two floors of jewellery, funky hats, awesome toys for children and adult children in your life and some great Christmas decor as well! Looking for more knick knacks or home decor? You should cross the street and talk to the ladies at Henry’s Purveyor of Fine Things. Have a geeky friend? Stop by Wizards Comics on 109 Street and talk to Brandon. He can find a comic for anyone. You’ll also find a great selection of board games too! Although, if you have a really big board game fanatic I suggest heading to Mission Fun and Games in St. Albert – as an added bonus, their new location looks like a castle. And if you want to find unique items from local Edmontonians – head to The Carrot on Alberta Avenue. Grab a warm drink and look through the jewelry, crafts, and artistic works – and on November 24th they’re having an Arts Bazaar from 9:30 – 4:30pm. I realize I have listed a lot of places, but if you’re like me there aren’t very many one-stop-shops for your variety of gift-giving needs. Luckily, there’s a whole month left before the holiday arrives.

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!

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

2012 Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up

The weather was actually pretty cooperative for Saturday’s Christmas on the Square, with temperatures holding out at a very reasonable –5C. It was a far cry from last year’s event, where the crowd was all dancing to keep warm.

Crowds gather

There were several vendors on hand to round out the festivities. It was good to see Big City Sandwich and Eva Sweet, but the biggest line was easily awarded to the mini doughnut trailer (I have to say I consider mini doughnuts a summer food, but given the salivating crowds, perhaps the WinterCity Strategy should specifically name this treat as a method of drawing crowds outdoors).

Big City Sandwich

A new addition to the program this year was Booming Tree, a Japanese drumming duo. Although their act was mostly only tangentially related to the holidays (festive lights around the drums can only go so far), I really enjoyed their act. It was a pleasant change from the usual Christmas music.

Here’s Santa

Speaking of music, when Mayor Stephen Mandel eventually retires, he should become a stage crooner. He was more than comfortable with the microphone in his hand, belting out a carol to welcome Santa to the city.

Though it has been a few years since they brought out the giant switch that “turns on” the lights on the Christmas tree, I kind of miss that over-the-top kitsch. Still, it’s also nice to be a part of a group to collectively marvel over the lovely displays.

And it’s on!

As usual, the fireworks were timed to music, emphasizing style over the quantity of poppers. I’ve said this before many times, but I really wish other fireworks shows took a cue from this production – it is always so much more enjoyable than a seemingly random smattering of sparklers.

Fireworks!

The tree will be lit until early January – so even if you missed the light up, you have several weeks to pay it a visit.

Christmas is near…

Kudos to the organizers for another great event!

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!

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