Date Night: 124 Grand Market and Cococo Chocolatiers

Mack still hadn’t been to the 124 Grand Market, the current darling of the local food scene, so we decided to make it a date – why do dinner and a movie when you can do dinner at a market?

124 Grand Market

We hopped on a bus after work and joined the hoards gleefully enjoying another perfectly clear night out at the market (we joked with 124 organizer Kirsta Franke that this number of rain-free market days must be some sort of record).

Kirsta and roommate!

As expected, the seating area was jam packed for the dinner hour – Nomad and Drift had been mobbed early, and they were each already sold out of a few items (Mack and I kicked ourselves a little for missing Drift’s buttermilk fried chicken sandwich). Still, we were more than satisfied with a farm egg and pork belly sandwiches and a shared poutine.

Dinner time!

Mack loves egg sandwiches

Drift’s poutine with red wine beef gravy

One of the great things about farmers’ markets in Edmonton is the inevitability of running into someone you know! Among them tonight was the Walters family, who enjoyed the poutine as much as we did.

Michael, Kara and their sons

We didn’t buy much (not having our reusable bag really hindered my shopping impulse), but enjoyed perusing the vendors, especially those who don’t vend at the City Market. The first week out, there weren’t too many grocery vendors (meat, produce), but it would now be possible to fill one’s fridge quite nicely with their current mix.

Steve & Dan’s

Victoria Farm (they had some gorgeous kale)

Mojojojo Pickles (Jo’s turnip pickles are to die for!)

We did pick up a box of greens from Lactuca (grown in a yard just two blocks away from the market), and some doughnuts from Heritage Baked Goods – when else have you encountered a pink lemonade doughnut?

Heritage Baked Goods

As we watched the crowds go by, Mack and I tried to find out the reasons why this market has taken on such a life of its own so early on (especially given there are a number of long-standing Thursday evening markets, as well as newer ones). Is it 124th’s proximity to downtown or to Oliver, Edmonton’s most populous neighbourhood? The eclectic mix of farmers, handmade goods and prepared foods? The food trucks? The thoughtful marketing and publicity? Or its location on Edmonton’s up-and-coming street, anchored by hip tenants Duchess and Cafe Tiramisu? Regardless of the reason, Kirsta has definitely made the 124 Grand Market the place to be! Between the food and good selection of vendors, it’ll be worth your while to check it out yourself.

After the market, we walked over to Cococo Chocolatiers (the rebranded company that purchased Bernard Callebeaut out of receivership). They relocated a block south into the old McElheran’s discounted furniture storeroom at 10103 124 Street, and have transformed the unremarkable space into a bright and appealing retreat.

Cococo Chocolatiers

We weren’t too interested in chocolate today, but there’s no doubt on another occasion we would take the time to look through the vast display cases. Instead, we made a beeline for the gelato, which in my opinion is among the best in the city.

Refreshing raspberry gelato

We opted to cool off in the air-conditioned space, but some patrons enjoyed their treats outdoors on Cococo’s limited patio. With such a vast (and unnecessarily large) parking lot, I hope Cococo considers expanding their outdoor seating with a proper, attractive patio. It definitely would help grab the attention of passersby – at the moment, the signage is small and it isn’t clear a chocolate oasis awaits within.

Comfortably cooler, Mack and I decided to walk home, enjoying the evening breeze. All in all, a great date night – thanks, Mack!

Eat, Drink and Be Early: Toronto Highlights

I’m still amazed at how much we managed to pack in during our short trip to Toronto back in May. It helps, of course, that on one of the days, we were already up and at ‘em by 7 a.m. Vacation? What vacation?

Aunties and Uncles

Mack and I only had one occasion to take in brunch during the trip, and we probably picked the absolute worst day to do so: Mother’s Day. Getting a reservation was near impossible, so after some research, we chose the walk-in only Aunties and Uncles (voted best brunch by Blog T.O. last year).

By the time we arrived, the line was forty-five minutes strong. It is a small restaurant, but in the summer, the patio seating easily doubles the number of tables.

The Mothers’s Day line

We were fortunate to get an al fresco seat, shaded by a large umbrella. In the early afternoon warmth, it was outdoor dining that wasn’t yet possible in Edmonton at the time.

Mack on the patio!

The food was well worth the wait. My omelette was chock full of rapini, tomatoes and smoked gouda, and the hash was nicely charred. The sweet and springy sesame-crusted challah was no doubt the start of the plate, however. Mack equally enjoyed his breakfast burger, with a homemade beef patty topped with brie, bacon and (his favourite), a fried egg. It was served on the same challah.

Omelette

Breakfast burger

Service was better during the first half of our meal – our coffee refills dropped off after that. Even still, I’d recommend Aunties and Uncles for brunch in Toronto– those lines don’t lie!

Steamwhistle Brewery

Besides Alley Kat’s Charlie Flint, the only other beer consistently in our fridge is Steamwhistle. Made in Toronto, we didn’t have the time last year to visit the brewery, so we made sure to include it on our itinerary on this trip.

The Roundhouse

Located in a former locomotive roundhouse, the area surrounding the facility is beautiful, a swath of green in amongst high rises and skyscrapers. There was even a small playground behind the building, situated just beneath one of the country’s busiest roadways. We eventually learned that the City at one point had wanted to demolish the historic building to make way for a convention centre parkade. But Council had the foresight to prevent this, and compromised– the parkade was constructed underground, and the building reconstructed brick by brick over top.

Freeway/playground

We managed to get tickets for the day’s final tour. At $10 a pop, the ticket included not one, but two beers, plus a souvenir glass or bottle opener. While waiting for the tour, we explored the event space, which is used often for concerts, weddings, and food truck events. I loved its raw, industrial edge, and while I haven’t been inside the Mercer Tavern yet, I am hoping it has a similar vibe.

In the tasting room

I enjoyed hearing about the history of the brewery, including its origins. Steamwhistle was started by three fired guys from the Upper Canada Brewery after it was purchased by Molson (etched on the bottom of each bottle is “3FG”as a reminder of its beginnings).

Free sample

Steamwhistle brews all of its beers in this building, with a volume of approximately 81,000 bottles per day (interestingly enough, our tour guide wasn’t able to compare this with the volume produced by a multi-national company).

Bottling area

We also learned that they had an actual working steamwhistle, which two lucky tour-goers got to pull. The beer’s namesake relates to the steamwhistle sound they wanted to echo through the streets of downtown Toronto to trumpet quittin’ time.

Whee!

It’s always interesting to see how a product gets on the shelves, and it gives us a bit more appreciation for our fridge staple.

Centre Island

Mack and Amanda will tell you that it was a not-so-pleasant wakeup call the day we intended to check out the Toronto Islands. Because Mack had to be back downtown for his early afternoon conference start time, we knew our window of opportunity was short, and hence, planned to catch the first ferry out. Our walk from our hotel to the ferry stop was a frantic one, dodging commuters on busy streets and narrow sidewalks. But, our tale ends well and we reached the dock in time to catch our ferry.

On the ferry

The Toronto Islands, with its limited real estate, vehicle ban, and need for ferry access makes it a bit of an idyllic, if isolated, community. Though we didn’t make it to the residential side of the islands, the number of bike-toting individuals that poured off the first ferry was astonishing. Here we were, in Canada’s largest city, with a sort-of hippie commune within arm’s reach!

Loved this sign!

The blessing of that first ferry was that we were among a very small group. As a result, once on the other side, it felt like we had the island to ourselves.

Mack also particularly enjoyed the city’s skyline as viewed from the Toronto Islands

The downside of visiting in May instead of June through September, however, is that many of the attractions, including the amusement park, were closed. Still, wandering the serene and lush, dew-sprinkled grounds were an attraction enough.

Centre Island

We did wander over to the beach on the other side, but still early, the mist and fog wouldn’t have made it an ideal time to spend on the sand or in the water.

We were also amazed at the amount of “wildlife” present all around Centre Island, from aggressive sparrows to fearless ducks, graceful swans and innumerable geese. And let’s not forget Amanda’s favourite – snakes!

Geese

Amanda’s pet

Even the inanimate animals were fun, the highlight found in Franklin’s Garden.

Mack confronts Franklin

Amanda found a better pet

Toting a picnic basket and swim gear, visiting Centre Island could easily take up an entire day – children in tow or not. The few hours we spent were good enough for us though, especially since our wait for the return ferry saw at least a hundred people pile off – and we weren’t in an island sharing mood.

Guu

Guu came to us recommended by a random Toronto blog I came across. Edmonton is bereft of izakayas, and friends of mine who have lived in Japan constantly bemoan this fact. And while I don’t eat sushi, cooked Japanese tapas are right up my alley, so I was curious to see what a Japanese pub was all about.

That said, I wasn’t expecting the raucous welcome that we received. Anytime a guest entered, all staff turned to the door with a loud greeting of welcome. Similarly, anytime a guest was leaving the establishment, hollers of goodbye and thank you travelled with them. It took us a while to get used to the noise, but there is no doubt it creates a very spirited, joyful atmosphere. Mack commented that it really drew attention to how many parties come and go in a given night.

Mack and Amanda at Guu

The interior was made up of low wooden tables and stools, warmed by Edison bulbs and a bustling open kitchen (flames were seen on more than one occasion).

Interior

The sharing menu is perfect for large groups, and was great for first timers like us, as it gave us the chance to sample numerous dishes. Our server recommended seven dishes for a three top. The standouts included the sweet and spicy fried calamari and pan-fried pork cheek.

Sweet and spicy fried calamari

Pan-fried pork cheek

I expected the okonomiyaki to be crispier and less wobbly, and the agedashi tofu to have had a firmer exterior, though the dashi broth was great.

Okonomiyaki

Agedashi tofu

Service was brisk, but matched the pace of the restaurant. I could definitely see myself returning on future visits, though it is the sort of place I would love to see in Edmonton. With the runaway success of Three Boars, other true small plates-focused eateries should be in the works. I think Edmonton is ready.

A Walk through Wolf Willow and the Fort Edmonton Footbridge

It probably wasn’t the best idea to go for a walk during the peak of the afternoon heat, but at least we got some sun! Mack and I spent Sunday afternoon in the Wolf Willow neighbourhood on the city’s west end. The impetus was to try to take part in the advertised block party on the Fort Edmonton Footbridge, but we ended up missing the festivities by about a half hour (we’ve also never encountered a block party planned for just two hours on a Sunday).

Fort Edmonton Footbridge

Regardless, it was a good excuse as any to return to one of our favourite places in Edmonton. The breeze off the river was great, and we saw many people lounging not only on the bridge, but on the water as well.

Although we encountered a few more signs this time around, the walk from their designated parking lane to the bridge was still a bit of a guess and test, almost as if it is meant to be a hidden gem not easily discovered (Mack’s written about it before – the City’s webpage doesn’t make it easy). And though the bridge is in theory open to the public, walking by rows of large three and four-garage homes on the way down, it was hard not to think of this as a neighbourhood exclusive (especially when compared with other more accessible and visible pedestrian bridges such as the Cloverdale Pedestrian Bridge in Louise McKinney).

Part of the City’s “ribbon of green”

Instead of returning the way we came, we decided to loop around the long way, and explore Wolf Willow on foot a little further. One of the features of this neighbourhood is definitely its back lane trails – so many of the homes in this area open into wooded paths, and gave the impression that backyards were extended right into nature.

One of the many “hidden” trails

With the help of Google Maps (great that the trails are included in the walking directions!), we made it back to our starting point. When Mack’s parents (and puppies) are in town later this summer, we hope to take them to this bridge –we think it should be a destination for Edmontonians and tourists alike!

Made it to the top!

Food Notes for July 9, 2012

This heat wave is a bit unreal! It makes me appreciate the air conditioning at my office much more, heh. Hope you’re finding ways to stay cool! On to this week’s food notes:

One way to stay cool for free: 7-11 is handing out free slurpees on July 11, 2012 to the first 1,000 guests.
Get ready frozen yogurt fans: Pinkberry opens in Edmonton at West Edmonton Mall on July 12, 2012. Free samples will be handed out from 6-9pm.
Gleaned from the July/August 2012 issue of The Tomato: Chef Andrew Fung (most recently of the Blackhawk Golf Course, and 2010 Gold Medal Plate winner) is opening up a restaurant in MacTaggert. Also, Fat Franks will be opening up a diner-style restaurant.
The Italian Centre is also planning a restaurant to open in the fall called Massimo’s Kitchen, named after Teresa Spinelli’s son.
Capital Ex has introduced a number of new dishes at this year’s festival, including cricket pizza, flavoured mini doughnuts and a grilled cheese burger – where the bun of a typical burger is replaced by two grilled cheese sandwiches.
Liane wrote a great story about a trend of local restaurants serving up staff dinners.
Vue asks, “How does Edmonton stack up as a beer town?” It sounds like we have a long way to go, but it’s interesting to find out that two of Calgary’s successful beer destinations are heading to our fair city.
Addie’s article on the Next Gen blog about a few restaurants trying to keep it local is worth a read.
I love lists – Jay Palter, “newish in Edmonton”, made a list of his favourite dishes in the city.
I was sad to have missed the supertaster sessions offered by Sobeys, but at least I was able to read about the opportunity on Kelly’s blog.
The community some want to create in Mundare sounds a bit like a local food utopia. One mile diet, anyone?
Jonathan Waxman, who competed alongside Hubert Keller in our favourite season of Top Chef Masters, was another contestant we were cheering for. Great interview with him in Eater this week discussing seasonality and trendiness.
Sad news in the food world today: Chef Anthony Sedlak of Food Network Canada’s The Main, was found dead on Friday in his Vancouver home.
Food competition shows are going mainstream: Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson are hosting The Taste to air on ABC this fall.
Mack and I were happy to have been asked to participate in Next Gen’s food-focused DIYalogue last week at The Black Dog. It’s always fun to talk food, and there was no shortage of enthusiasm and love for the subject in the room! I mentioned that day that one thing missing in Edmonton’s scene is southern comfort food, but neglected to also say that we could also do with what Grub Street calls “Asian hipster cuisine”.

DIYalogue

Representing What the Truck?!

ilistix served up some fine Moroccan tagine

It’s been a while since we’ve been in the food court at West Edmonton Mall, since I had no idea we had a Freshii in the city. Mack and I tried them for the first time on the weekend. The Asian noodle bowl ($7.29) had a good variety of texture, and more chicken that I was expecting, while Mack thought his chicken club wrap ($8.29) tasted light and fresh.

Asian noodle bowl

Chicken club wrap

I can’t tell you how much we were craving Route 99’s poutine last week.

Poutine!

What’s better in +30 degree heat than a hot bowl of pho? I met Mack at Pho Tau Bay today for just that at lunch, and good thing too – they will be closed from July 16 – August 15, 2012. Get there while you can!

Pho

City Market Report: Week 8

Weekends like this are just glorious, and reminds us that there is no better place to spend the summer than Edmonton. The City Market was a hub of activity today; I wouldn’t be surprised if they reached some of their highest attendance numbers for the season so far.

High traffic area

The Feats Festival of Dance (which runs June 29 – July 14, 2012) was on hand with different demonstrations throughout the day.

Clogging

There was also an abundance of carrots today – almost everyone we passed down the aisles had bunches of cheerful green tops poking out of their market bags.

Kuhlmann’s carrots

Carrots from Jen’s Organic Garden

Of course, there was a ton of other fresh produce this week as well.

First week for peas from Kuhlmann’s

Dill from Kuhlmann’s

Swiss chard from Kuhlmann’s

Flowers from Kuhlmann’s

Pak choy from Sundog Organic

Mustard greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Sprouts display at Greens, Eggs and Ham (they currently grow nine different kinds)

I had no idea Doef’s sold strawberries until today

Cherries from Steve and Dan’s

Raspberries from Steve and Dan’s

We also picked up some cookies from Bloom Cookie Co. We met Ashley Benson, owner and baker, at the DIYalogue on Wednesday, and it was about time we tried her cookies (the vegan chocolate chip was delish)!

Bloom Cookie Co.

We ended off our market day with lunch on the balcony – Eva Sweet waffles and cool drinks (a milkshake made with Pinnochio ice cream for Mack and a smoothie made with Bles Wold yogurt for me).

Lunch

Hope you had a great Saturday too!

A Perfectly Pleasant Patio: Viphalay

Resembling more of a house than a restaurant, the second location of Viphalay on 99 Avenue and 105 Street is easy to miss. I never did visit any of its previous occupants, so the building was never familiar to me as an eatery as it was to Mack. But on a lazy Friday, when our kitchen was the last place either of us wanted to be, we wandered over to Viphalay, its patio beckoning.

Viphalay

When we arrived, we were surprised to find the patio empty. Sure, the clouds were looming in the distance, but right then, the evening sun was warm and the air calm – the perfect conditions for al fresco dining (that said, about a half hour later, the patio filled right up). Viphalay’s patio features a number of brightly coloured flower baskets, and though it isn’t on the best street for people watching, the quiet, mostly car-less setting suited us just fine as we unwound after a full week.

Although the McCauley-based Viphalay remains closed (the family shared that they were in need of more kitchen staff), the menu here looked identical. Mack and I didn’t stray too far away from our tried and true favourites, and we weren’t disappointed.

I will say that we think our spring roll ($8) order got mixed up, as we were served the vegetarian version instead of the requested pork. But our pad thai ($15) and green curry ($14) were exactly what we were looking for that night. The noodles were slightly sweet, integrated with a generous amount of chicken, shrimp and tofu, while the curry had just the right amount of heat, dissipated by the creamy coconut rice.

Spring rolls

Pad Thai

Green curry

We had plenty of leftovers for the days ahead, but better yet, Viphalay got us in the right frame of mind for the weekend. We look forward to many happy returns.

Viphalay
10523 99 Avenue
(780) 756-8118

A Whirlwind Sampling: Toronto Food Trucks

Back in May, Mack and I headed to Toronto – I was the tagalong as Mack was attending a conference. It was great because I could hang out with Amanda during the day, and the three of us would hook up for dinner each night. I can say that I really am starting to appreciate their food scene, and look forward to even more visits!

While Edmonton’s policies surrounding food trucks could be much improved, I’m sure Toronto’s trucks would consider themselves lucky if they were governed in the same way. At present, groups like Food Truck Eats are trying to lobby the City to allow new trucks to vend curbside downtown, but brick and mortar restaurants are stifling change. As a result, we found that most trucks were restricted to private land and parking lots – to the point where it can actually be an income-generator for these owners. Or, most trucks seem to simply vend outside of Toronto in more hospitable towns like Hamilton.

Parking lot seeks trucks

Though we were in Toronto for less than a week, we were able to hit up five trucks. It definitely helped that there was a small gathering of trucks our very first day in town!

Amanda alerted us to an event at the University of Toronto that was taking place that Saturday afternoon. After checking into the Hyatt, Amanda met us at the hotel and we walked over to the campus, eagerly anticipating our first taste of Toronto food trucks.

Food trucks!

There were three trucks set up alongside a science expo for children. To our surprise, though several hours of service had already passed, most of their menu items were still available (I will say that the generators seemed noticeably loud, though as Mack commented, the fact that they were placed against stone buildings, which did the opposite of dissipating the noise, didn’t help matters).

Loved the wild colours of Toasted Tangerine

Amanda and Mack

The toasted ravioli ($7) from the Toasted Tangerine was an all-around hit. Crispy pockets of ravioli were served with a marinara dipping sauce. Great finger food, and for next time, if they made them one-bite ravioli, I think it would be even more appealing. Their pulled chicken sliders with habanero pineapple slaw ($8) were tasty, but Drift’s similar jerk chicken is bolder in flavour.

Toasted ravioli

Pulled chicken sliders

From El Gastronomo Vagabundo, we tried their crispy pork schnitzel ($8.50). Street consumption-friendly, it had been cut into thin strips that were easy to eat and share. With a nice breading, it also benefited from the wide of crunchy lime slaw. We also loved their potato wedges ($6.50), elevated with sweet chili oil, sour cream and green onions.

Pork schnitzel

Dessert was from the Cupcake Diner. Unlike the other two trucks, the cupcakes were obviously baked off-site, so this was probably more of a catering vehicle than anything else. Still, Mack and I both couldn’t pass up trying the cookie dough flavour ($2.75 each), which was not only topped with a cookie sliver, but also had dough baked right into the cake!

Happy with our cupcakes

Our next two truck encounters were over the lunch hour in downtown Toronto. I’d been keeping my eye on Twitter, ready to pounce and plan our days around their service. We lucked out with Buster’s Sea Cove, a brand new truck that had opened a few weeks prior. A St. Lawrence Market favourite, they are known for their tasty seafood entrees. And though they were brand new, their popularity was obvious – when Amanda and I arrived, there was a small but ravenous crowd already gathered!

Buster’s Sea Cove

Parked in a private lot without immediate seating options, it didn’t seem like the ideal location for food trucks. But with its proximity to several towers, it seemed like most in line were content with taking their lunch back for desktop consumption. Amanda and I ended up hoofing it over a few blocks to the picturesque St. James Park.

The menu was small (just three items), but they all sounded so good it made selecting just one difficult! The grilled swordfish sandwich ($13) I ended up with was delicious – flaky, with fresh tomatoes and red onions served on herby, aromatic focaccia. I probably could have done without the token pre-boxed side salad though, as it didn’t really add anything.

Grilled swordfish sandwich

Amanda’s shrimp tacos ($8) were also pretty tasty. Breaded and fried shrimp had been drizzled with pico de gallo and salsa verde.

Shrimp tacos

The next day, Amanda and I had lunch nearby, this time from Caplansky’s Deli, though their truck is fondly known as “Thunderin’ Thelma”. Caplansky’s is another well-established restaurant, a deli located in the trendy Kensington neighbourhood. But they famously wanted to expand their business to include a mobile component, and presented their case to the Dragon’s Den investors, only to be rejected. The owners went ahead anyway, and Thelma is now regarded as one of the successes that made it even without the requested financial support.

Thunderin’ Thelma

Similarly located in a private lot (they apparently pay $300 a month to park there), we encountered a situation opposite from Buster’s –there was absolutely no line. Visibility from the street was definitely an issue (being tucked next to a building), and possibly competition as well – McDonald’s was just across the street.

The best in town

Regardless, we had heard far and wide about their Montreal smoked meat sandwiches ($7), and couldn’t wait to try them ourselves. We took our boxed lunch over to a park bench next to the Metropolitan Church and dug in.

Sandwiches

The sandwiches were unreal. The meat was juicy, slightly honeyed, and the rye held up to the moisture – no soggy mess here!

Mmmmm

The reuben spring rolls ($5) were overpowered by a bit too much hot mustard, but they were crispy enough. And for dessert: the maple bacon doughnuts were warm, and balanced sweet and savoury flavours well, even if we didn’t discern too much bacon flavour.

Maple bacon doughnuts and reuben spring rolls

I was happy to have been able to try a slice of Toronto’s food truck scene. I do hope it continues to grow, in spite of the lack of policy changes. Until next time!

One Last Hurrah: Old Strathcona Truck Stop

Our final Truck Stop in Old Strathcona took place last Wednesday. Mack and I nervously watched the skies all day, as it had started off rainy and overcast, but thankfully, the grey mostly cleared by the time the trucks pulled up at McIntyre Park.

The sun was shining!

The crowds weren’t as robust as those that were seen towards the end of May, but a fair number (including many young families) came out to enjoy a casual picnic in the park. A band, Yikes, were also on hand to lend some music to the event (we were told that music programming will be consistent on Wednesdays throughout the summer).

Lounging in the grass

We recognize that the June series of Truck Stops weren’t as successful as the preceding May dates. Weather played a big factor, and because McIntyre had been booked by another group on June 20, we weren’t able to make it known that “every Wednesday in June” would play host to the event.

Mack’s calzone from Battista’s

That said, as a whole, we think the venture of What the Truck?! across the river had been very well received! Though we suspected the appetite for food trucks in Edmonton wasn’t just confined to downtown, the response to these Truck Stops proved that. It was also wonderful working with Stephen Liley of the Old Strathcona Business Association and Kathy Stanley, the City’s Vending Coordinator, who helped make this series happen.

Great day for food trucks

As for the rest of the summer, we’ll be retiring Truck Stops for at least a month. Many events in Edmonton’s packed festival calendar will feature members of our local brigade (including Curb Your Hunger at Taste of Edmonton), not to mention the outdoor farmers’ markets where trucks have become a staple to feed hungry shoppers (124 Street Grand Market and the City Market, just to name a few). And don’t forget – many trucks are out and about every day – just check their Twitter feeds for details!

Mack and I are in the process of organizing two big What the Truck?! events to take place before the close of summer, however. We will announce the dates and locations when they are confirmed. In the meantime, keep on truckin’!

Canada Day Crab Boil

Boy, do Jill and Chris know how to throw a party! On Friday, Mack and I were fortunate to be among a small group invited to their home for their annual Canada Day crab boil, a celebration of good food and great company.

In many ways, it was an extreme family-style meal. It all began with a massive pot outdoors over a burner, into which Jill and Chris added carrots, corn, asparagus and potatoes, and a whole whack of seafood, including three different kinds of crab, shrimp and scallops. Jill timed each addition perfectly so none of the delicate seafood would overcook (Mack wanted to mention that it actually didn’t begin with a pot, but with a vicious crab killing).

Jill and Chris tend to the pot

When ready to be served, a porous bag that lined the pot was lifted out of the water and brought directly to the dining table. Then, as the expectant (and hungry) guests watched, the bag was cut open, contents spilling in a gloriously rustic heap onto the paper-wrapped table.

Out it tumbles

Almost too pretty to eat

We each had been thoughtfully supplied a plastic bib to signal that dinner would be a messy affair, but it really was the only way I could think of eating this type of meal, where your hands are your cutlery, and butter the only accompaniment.

Mack suits up

It was a meal I won’t soon forget – between the crab and the conversation, it was easy to get carried away!

The remnants

Thanks again to Jill and Chris for your hospitality!

Food Notes for July 2, 2012

The Green and Gold Community Garden opens for the season on July 3, 2012. Hours are 7-8:30pm on Tuesdays and 11am-1pm on Saturdays.
I love the idea of a “pork crawl” – the Passion for Pork folks have organized their first ever Swine and Dine dinner taking place on July 3, 2012 that will introduce eaters to three different interpretations of pork.
On the heels of Latitude 53’s summer patio parties, the Art Gallery of Alberta has started their own series of al fresco parties – Tuesdays on the Terrace begins on July 3, and runs through to the end of August. From 4-8pm, a complimentary art-inspired cocktail from Zinc will be included with the price of admission.
Blue Plate Diner is hosting another Farm to Fork dinner on July 8, 2012.
Jerry Aulenbach, Edmonton’s bacon man about town, is hosting his annual #yeghelp function on July 11, 2012 at Lux. Expect a great meal finished off by a sunset ride on the High Level Bridge streetcar.
Mark your calendars – Live Local’s Fork Fest runs July 15-19 and 22-26, 2012.
Did you know there is a Co-op wine store in Edmonton?
Two food truck reads: one an overview of the current scene in Vue, and a guide in the July issue of Avenue Edmonton.
Loved the reasoning in this Serious Eats write-up in favour of street eats.
Mack and I took in an Eskimos game on Saturday with his Dad. It was such a beautiful evening for a football game, and all the better that the Esks won!

Touchdown!

To celebrate Canada Day, Mack and I trekked down to Mill Woods on the bus for their fireworks show. It’s been a few years since I’ve been down there, and I have missed it – I think it’s a bit more laid-back and community-oriented than the fireworks show downtown. Hope you had a good one too!

Mack was impressed by the crowds and music

Fireworks!

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