Tag: Edmonton

2nd Annual Al Fresco 104 Street Block Party

We had every intention of returning to 104 Street in the early evening to check out the Block Party festivities (including the wine tasting, fashion show, and yoga demonstration), but after our weekly trip to the City Market that morning and a few hours at the office, relaxing at home with a glass of wine before heading out for that night’s 10pm movie screening was just what I needed (both Chris and Sarah wrote about the Block Party happenings, so I was able to see what I missed).

Armed with our camping chairs, we reached 104 Street at around 9:30, which gave us enough time to wander before showtime. A DJ was on hand to add to the celebratory atmosphere, and yes, a few in the crowd were dancing in the street! Some of the vendors from the City Market were still open (Fridget and Sugar Soul hats, among them), and the patios that had been set up for the dinner hour were, not surprisingly, packed.

DJ

Vendors

Blue Plate Diner’s patio

In terms of food, Sabor Divino was grilling up a storm with their chicken piri piri, while Daniel Costa of Red Star had a crostini bar open for those seeking lighter fare.

Outdoor barbecue

Kerstin’s Chocolates had a table also, fitting as the movie being shown that night was Chocolat. In addition to their Chocophilia bars, they were also selling one of their hotly-anticipated bacon and chocolate truffles, featuring bacon peanut brittle (instead of Berkshire bacon, they are using a hickory-smoked bacon from Sandy Lane this year). Cyrus was kind enough to give me one to try – the peanut butter flavour was definitely the predominant one, and though I was hard pressed to locate the bacon flavour, I can’t say that was entirely a bad thing – I still haven’t been completely won over by the bacon + chocolate combo.

Kerstin’s Chocolates table

Bacon Brittle Peanut Butter Truffle covered in chopped peanuts

Nearing 10pm, we didn’t see any evidence of a screen being set up on 104 Street. We finally asked, and were directed to the small parking lot sandwiched between the Great West Saddlery Building and the Armstrong Block. Given our biggest quibble with last year’s screening was the distraction of revellers more interested in talking than watching, this was the perfect spot located away from the outdoor patios. As the Block Party was organized as a fundraiser, however (this year benefiting the Edmonton School Lunch Program), I wished someone was out deliberately collecting money. While the silent auction run by deVine’s continues for the next week, I would have rather have deposited cash in a box to support the cause.

Outdoor movie theatre

We did enjoy ourselves though. Chocolat is a great movie, and even more so in a novel setting on one of Edmonton’s most vibrant streets on a cool summer night.

Screen after dark

I really hope this becomes an annual tradition!

City Market Report: Week 5

The clouds parted this morning for a beautiful day at the City Market, among other activities happening on 104 Street today. In addition to a pancake breakfast put on by the Downtown Edmonton Community League, the Al Fresco 104 Street Block Party was also taking place, with all funds raised to go towards the E4C Edmonton School Lunch Program.

Pancakes!

Breakfast under the sun

As a result of the supplementary activities, many of the vendors (including Greens, Eggs and Ham) were relocated to 102 Avenue, and the main thoroughfares were more narrow than usual.

Busy market street

Still, even with the crush of patrons, it was difficult not to enjoy the day. We ran into a ton of people, and it really reminded me that markets can and should be community meeting places.

Andreas at the Greens, Eggs and Ham booth

Zach, Julianna and Gabe’s We Eat Together was selling like hotcakes (they will be back on a Saturday in July and another in August)

There also seemed to be a great number of dogs at the market today, and I remarked to Mack that we should try and snap a photo of a puppy. Happily, the owners of Julio didn’t mind. Nor did Julio mind – he actually posed for the camera!

Julio – so adorable!

The second of the City Market’s monthly cultural festivals also took place today – the crowds were treated to tasty Portuguese treats and colourful dances.

Of course, our main purpose of visiting the market was to pick up the week’s groceries – eggs from Sunshine Organic; onions from Green Valley Farms; tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers from Gull Valley and Doef’s Greenhouses; herbs from Inspired Market Gardens; and duck eggs and breast from Greens, Eggs and Ham. We even sprung for morels from Mo-Na (I suppose it was only a matter of time) and a package of Martin Munchies, a whole grain barley snack for Mack’s Dad to try.

Martin Munchies

 Beautiful pea tendrils from Edgar Farms

Cucumbers from Kuhlmann’s

Always lush greens (arugula, this time) from Sundog Organics

We ended our market trip with a stop at Credo Coffee, where it was absolutely packed. I (sadly) had to work this afternoon, but the pain was lessened somewhat by my iced vanilla latte which accompanied me to the office.

Geoff hard at work

My iced vanilla latte – perfectly smooth and creamy

Here’s hoping for equally beautiful weather next weekend!

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra: Late Night Paris

Two weeks ago, Mack and other social media folks were invited to attend an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra concert as a thank-you for having blogged about their shows in the past year. It was a nice gesture, and we happily accepted the tickets.

The tickets say “ESOBLOGGERS” in the top left corner!

The show was Late Night Paris, their second in a series that debuted this year with a later start time (9:30 p.m.), no intermission, and is billed as “interactive and spontaneous” with an opportunity to chat with Conductor Bill Eddins. The concerts also feature live jazz in the lobby afterwards, making for a very full night.

Before the show, we met up with Philip Paschke, the ESO’s New Media Specialist, and organizer of the blogger appreciation event, at Moriarty’s. I was tempted to order a dessert (made by Duchess!), but stuck with a drink. While I enjoyed the very pink Bellini, the stem of the glass was sticky. Ick.

Bellini

The group eventually made their way to the Winspear, and then parted ways, as we were all given the choice of where we wanted to sit. Mack, Jeff, Brit and I all took the plunge and opted for a seat in the Choir Loft, behind the stage.

Jeff and Brittney

The Choir Loft definitely provided me with a different perspective of the orchestra. Not only were we able to watch the audience from our seats, but spy on the musicians as well, and notice all the small details (page turning, mallet swapping) that go unseen when facing the stage.

The audience

The orchestra

That said, an unfortunate consequence of our placement was an inability to hear what was being said into the microphones, as the speakers in the Winspear Centre face the opposite direction. Brittney said that she didn’t have any trouble discerning the banter between Eddins and Conductor Luke Waldin, but for me, it felt a bit like watching the one-sided conversations with the teacher in Charlie Brown – after some muffled sounds, the audience would erupt in laughter.

Bill Eddins and Luke Waldin

As advertised, the tone of the evening was very light – at one point, Waldin even walked on stage, just before Eddins was about to begin another piece, with a glass of wine in his hand. The mood was noticeably more carefree than some concerts I have been to in the past – I can see how this series would appeal to a wider range of people who might appreciate music but may not have the knowledge that more serious patrons do.

As for the music, I loved the Bizet Symphony in C Major – spirited and uplifting, it was a joy to listen to. Eddins is always fun to watch too – he conducts with his whole body, complete with kicks and full arm sweeps.

The ESO has introduced their concert line-up for the 2010-11 year, and Late Night with Bill Eddins will be back. Your next opportunity will be on January 21, 2011, for Late Night Percussion.

You can read Jeff’s thoughts about the night here and Brit’s post here.

Eva Sweet at the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market

Every time I visit Alberta Avenue, I find something new – small businesses, developments, uplifted facades. For that reason, I do think the neighbourhood is worth checking out now and then, particularly with the Avenue Theatre up and running.

Today, in search of waffles and a convenient meeting place, May, Annie and I converged on the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market (93 Street and 118 Avenue), which runs year round on Thursdays from 2-7pm.

Annie is beary happy! (I couldn’t help myself)

The market just celebrated its one year anniversary last week, and I was excited to see how it had changed since I visited in 2009.

Steve & Dan’s Fresh B.C. Fruit

Unlike last year, only three vendors (including Steve & Dan) were set up outdoors. Unfortunately, the sparse numbers were mirrored inside.

Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market

Most of the twenty-odd vendors sold prepared food (Little Jack Horner Homemade Meat Pies, spring rolls, baked goods) and crafts (cards, quilts, cat condos). Besides a single protein vendor and one greenhouse selling tomatoes and cucumbers, I was quite disappointed with the selection of fresh goods.

Tomatoes

I hope the summer brings more produce vendors, but with the sparse crowds during our brief visit, I had to wonder about the typical traffic at this market. Of course, I think it’s a great location and neighbourhood for a farmers’ market, but I do hope things continue to expand, both in patron and vendor numbers!

Inside the market

After buying some tomatoes and apples, we headed back outside to (finally) give Eva Sweet a try. While this waffle truck hasn’t quite taken the Edmonton blogosphere by storm in the way Duchess Bakeshop did when it opened, I have a feeling the frenzy for food trucks will be picking up soon.

Bamir Basha of Eva Sweet

Truck operator Bamir was very friendly, eager to share his experience with us as he prepared a maple waffle for Annie and a cinnamon one for me ($3 each). He said because of the dry Edmonton air, it was actually more difficult to get the waffle batter to rise here than in Belgium, where he ran a waffle truck for five years.

Hardly containing my excitement

Though whipped cream and real fruit syrups were available, we ate the hot waffles unadorned, which was Bamir’s recommendation. The caramelized pearl sugar provided a sweet, slightly crunchy exterior that paired well with the cinnamon, while the inside was soft and forgiving.

Liege waffle

Bamir said he will be offering his waffles this summer at the Dutch booth at the Heritage Festival. I wouldn’t suggest you wait until August to try Eva Sweet, however – besides the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market, they are also at the Beverly Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays from 4-8pm and in front of the WCB Building (107 Street & 99 Avenue) from 7am-2pm on weekdays. You can also follow them on Twitter!

I’m already looking forward to my next waffle…

Culinary Q & A with LeQuan

Occupation: I’m a former teacher and now a stay at home mother of two.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast was just a bowl of cereal.
Lunch was two boiled eggs and a nutella and strawberry sandwich with orange juice.
Dinner was steamed salmon with sautéed garlic, ginger and green onions. Plus stir fried spinach with garlic, and white rice. Dessert was strawberries.

What do you never eat?

Snake. I have never and would never eat snake or any other reptile.

What is your personal specialty?

If you’re talking about everyday cooking then it would have to be stir fry. If you’re talking about a specific dish then I’d have to say a Vietnamese tomato based vermicelli soup called Bun Rue, which I actually blogged about here.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

shrimp. I love shrimp.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Some kind of veggie stir fry dish, some kind of fish and white rice.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

These two white bowls from Chintz and Company. They were expensive and I was too cheap to buy more. Haha. When I went back to get more they had discontinued them. They are the perfect sized noodle bowls.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Definitely an abalone dish. I don’t care how it’s made cause you can’t go wrong with abalone. A nice slab of Kobe beef marinated and grilled by my Dad. Stir fried ong choy (Chinese water spinach) for a veggie plate. And for dessert it’d probably have to be crème brûlée.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

The hubby and I like to take the kiddies to Pagolac restaurant in Chinatown almost every weekend cause they like noodle soup.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Ooh, that’s a tough one. According to price and best bang for your buck I’d have to say brunch at The Kitchen in the River Cree Casino. They are super kid friendly and have a wide array of food for
everyone. My hubby loves their lamb and can easily eat his money’s worth just on that.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I would love to go to Japan for their fresh sashimi. I’m a huge seafood fan and I think it tastes best raw and fresh.

LeQuan blogs at luvtoeat.

An Unexpected Discovery: Urban China

A few weeks ago, my Dad asked me for my opinion on two new-ish Chinese restaurants downtown, looking for an evening venue: Bird’s Nest of Beijing (10425 100 Avenue) and Urban China. I haven’t yet been to Bird’s Nest (though I had heard that their dim sum was fairly reasonably priced), and though my only experience at Urban China was a mixed one, some people have enjoyed their dinner menu. As the occasion would include some family friends in from Vancouver, I thought it would be a great opportunity to show them a restaurant that showcases the new wave of Chinese establishments in Edmonton.

With about ten tables full at the dinner hour on a Friday night, it was busier than I expected it to be. I still love the decor, all dark furniture, clean lines and red accents. And how could I forget the aquariums?

Amanda finds fish tanks shocking

My parents decided on a twelve-course set menu, which, at Urban China, will set you back over $200.00. For the most part, our group enjoyed the meal, though my Dad thought that the portions offered were on the small side. Standout dishes for me included the spicy fish (still crispy on the outside, but flaky on the inside) and the Chongqing style beef with spices (no lie, the tender pieces of beef set my mouth on fire, but it was worth it). Amanda and my Mom loved the steamed tofu dish with olives and ground meat.

Spicy fish (we have no idea what it is actually called – darn the food blogger who doesn’t write things down)

Chongqing style beef with spices

 Steamed tofu with olives and ground meat

Malaysian sizzling pork neck

Famous Chaozhou duck

XO sauce with green beans and salted meat

Haka stirfry

Service was steady throughout the night – it seemed someone was always on hand to refill our empty tea pot, or take away dirty dishes. However, the best part of the visit had nothing to do with the food or the staff – it was our discovery of the tiny televisions set into the mirrors in the bathroom. Urban China really should have been included in the Journal’s recent list of “upscale” restrooms.

Hockey night in a restroom?

I’d recommend Urban China if you’re looking for authentic Chinese food in a clean, modern setting. Just don’t forget to check out the restrooms, too.

Urban China
10604 101 Street
(780) 758-1888

City Market Report: Week 4

It was a glorious day for the City Market – and besides not needing rain boots, an umbrella, or gloves this morning, I was able to walk to 104 Street, along lush, grass-lined paths and under the generous shade of trees just bursting with green.

En route

The crowds were back, mirroring the opening weekend in their numbers and frenzy for fresh produce.

And, they’re back!

Patrons and vendors alike seemed to be in a lighter mood with the fair weather, though I have to say I did have an unfortunate run-in with a steely-eyed gentleman who thought I was encroaching on his morel territory at the Mo-Na Foods booth (some people take their mushrooms seriously, I guess).

Morels and chanterelles

I was happy to run into a few familiar faces, including BruleeBlog, who shared the same instincts to make a run to the Edgar Farms booth first. We both checked out a new vendor, called A Taste of Brazil, with curiosity. Just in time for the start of the World Cup, they offer several Brazilian sweets, and while I was busy taking a photo, BruleeBlog overheard the staff say they will be opening up a Brazilian restaurant located somewhere downtown in September.

A Taste of Brazil

I’m really looking forward to the next month – with all of the rain (and with luck, sunshine), new produce items should be showing up every week.

Beautiful onion bunches from Kuhlmann’s

 

Lovage (used mostly as an herb) from Sundog Organics

In addition to the asparagus, I also picked up some heirloom tomato plants for my Mum from Inspired Market Gardens (they carry over a dozen varieties!), duck eggs and mixed heritage greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham, rhubarb from Sundog Organics, and cookies from Confetti Sweets.

 Heirloom tomato plants from Inspired Market Gardens

Mixed heritage greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Next week, the second cultural festival of the season will take place, with Portuguese dances and other performances to look forward to. See you there!

Food/Service Dissonance: New York Bagel Cafe

May and I met up on Victoria Day to catch up over brunch. While holidays are a lovely opportunity to linger with a friend over coffee, it was easier said than done. Most of the independent restaurants I could think of were either closed for the holiday, or closed on Mondays, so we resorted to options across the river. We ultimately ended up at New York Bagel Café (8430 Gateway Boulevard), the charming and cozy eatery a stone’s throw away from the bustle of Whyte Avenue.

My only previous visit was an exercise in patience, in both the wait for a table and the delay in getting our food at the table, and this experience was no different. We were second in line, but it took staff more than ten minutes to even acknowledge our existence, and no one so much as stopped to provide a ballpark estimate of the wait time. Granted, I did not envy the job of the two servers on the floor, run ragged and only halfway through the afternoon, but for such a well-established restaurant, it surprised me that they presented such a poor first impression.

After we were seated (about forty minutes later) away from the entrance and with a view of the still-shuttered patio, we were finally able to relax. Our server was friendly and she was thankfully calm at the table where she was frantic in the lobby.

While I still have qualms about their lack of drip coffee on the menu, I was satisfied with my espresso-based house coffee ($3.25) this time, served piping hot and made creamy with the addition of a side of steamed milk.

House coffee

The food was quite good as well, living up to their reputation of having great bagels and benedicts. My cheddar bagel was cheesy and toasted perfectly, and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my classic breakfast ($13), including my perfectly cooked scrambled eggs and well-seasoned potatoes (where a morsel of coarse salt would occasionally burst forth). The fruit accompaniment, while not necessarily rivalling Cora’s in quantity, definitely strikes a prettier note.

Classic breakfast

May equally delighted in her eggs benedict with duck ham ($19), a rich and savoury way to start the morning (my taste of the duck ham led me to believe it would make a steadfast rival to traditional bacon). Though she found the sweet apple an unusual inclusion, she still declared it among the best benedicts in the city.

Smoked duck breast and grilled apple benedict

The only other blemish during our stay came when we asked for our bill. It took the server more than fifteen minutes to bring it by. Though we didn’t mind drinking in the sunshine and ambiance, we assumed her lengthy time away meant the demand for tables had died down. However, when we later approached the door, bill in hand to pay at the register, we were surprised to see that the line was even longer than before. For New York Bagel Café’s sake, I’m hoping that day was a blip in their service delivery, because their food deserves better.

New York Bagel Café
8430 Gateway Boulevard
(780) 432-2003

Wild Fungi 101: Learning All About Edible Mushrooms with the Alberta Mycological Society

Three weeks ago, Slow Food Edmonton members and their guests packed Culina Highlands one evening, all eager to learn more about mushrooms.

No, not those kind of mushrooms – but the edible, wild varieties that are treasured by chefs and foodies alike. In fact, it is estimated that twelve to twenty-five thousand different fungi grow in Alberta, with new species found and recorded every year. That was only one of the many, many things we learned that night from Martin Osis, amateur mycologist and President of the Alberta Mycological Society (AMS). His passion for mushrooms was evident, and though we probably reached our personal mushroom knowledge threshold by the end of the two hour lecture, it was a pleasant ride because of his enthusiasm for fungi.

Prior to the session, my orientation to wild mushrooms was one of extreme caution – growing up, who didn’t have a parent who instilled an acute fear of deadly fairy rings? Unfortunately, after the session, I feel much the same. Though Martin showed us photos of a vast array of edible mushrooms – from the beautiful comb tooth to the western giant puffball (it apparently tastes like tofu) – fungi appear to be like the English language: ripe with exceptions to the rule! It seemed every generality Martin provided (such as, all Portobello mushrooms are edible…), he later countered with an exception (…except those with a yellow stalk and a bad smell).

Still, there is hope for fungi neophytes like myself! Martin recommends going with an experienced picker (the AMS organizes forays, for example) and enrolling in a mushroom course (offered locally by the Devonian Garden). Of course, joining the Mycological Society would be a great start as well, in order to connect with other interested individuals.

Martin and Thea pose with dried morels

What fascinated me the most was how a mushroom foray seemed comparable to a treasure hunt. Martin listed several visual markers that signal the beginning of morel season (which was right around the time of the lecture, actually) – blue violets start to bloom, dandelions appear, fiddleheads multiply – and I could see how exciting and caught up one could get looking for the clues. In June, oyster and red tops (soon to be Alberta’s provincial mushroom) can be found.

As Thea noted at the end of the evening, Slow Food and the Mycological Society share similar values and goals, and of course, a love of learning more about what we eat, which makes such partnered events such a natural fit. Thanks to Darren for putting the session together, and to Culina for hosting!

2010 Highlands Street Festival

I think street festivals – an event to highlight area businesses, to create a gathering space for neighbours and others, and to, in other words, celebrate a neighbourhood – are fantastic. Alberta Avenue’s Kaleido Festival (commemorating their fifth anniversary in 2010) and the East Meets West Festival (put on by Little Italy and Chinatown) are great examples of neighbourhood festivals.

When I stumbled upon details about the Highlands Street Festival (organized by the Highlands Community League) in a recent E-SAGE newsletter, I was surprised to read that this would be the fifth incarnation of the event. Centering at 112 Avenue and 65 Street, business, musicians and artists would be highlighted. Mack and I made plans to check it out after our weekly trip to the City Market on Saturday.

Between the abysmal weather, and an ETS bus completely passing us by at our stop, getting to Highlands was a bit harrowing. We eventually made it though, and found that thankfully, the festivities had continued in spite of the downpour.

Welcome to Highlands!

Festival central

Poor puppies

Most of the activities were relegated indoors. We started at Mandolin Books and Coffee Company, where a musician was entertaining a small crowd. We also happened to run into one of our old high school principals, who not only grew up in Highlands, but resides there still now. She’s been attending the festival since it began five years ago.

Inside Mandolin

We stopped in Sabrina Butterfly Designs and Chickies, a charming little antiques store. While we didn’t buy anything, it was the first time either of us had been inside these shops. The storekeepers were friendly, and very open to people just passing through to take a look.

Inside Sabrina Butterfly Designs and Chickies

Lovely connecting yard

I was most looking forward to visiting the retail location of Catfish Coffee, which just opened at the beginning of April (you can also buy their coffee every Saturday at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, and at Mandolin down the street). The shop is clean and spacious, with a full view of the roasting machine, and set up on that day with carafes of all of their coffee varieties available for patrons to sample (with collected donations going towards the 2011 Highlands Beautification Project).

Catfish Coffee

Roasting machine

Though the owners aren’t able to run a full-scale cafe in the space, it was set up that way on Saturday, complete with music provided by Kristilyn Robertson.

Enjoying the ambiance

It was great to chat with the staff (they’re hoping to extend their retail hours over the summer). Of course, we couldn’t leave without picking up a bag of coffee too – the Guatemalan Highlands variety seemed fitting.

Though I’ve been to Culina Highlands a few times, this was my first trek through its neighbouring businesses. I was glad to have the excuse of the Highlands Street Festival to do so! I’ll be sure to look for it next year.