Tag: Edmonton

Slow Food Edmonton: Winter Solstice Supper

Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) is a valuable Slow Food Edmonton member, and is particularly outspoken when it comes to teaching children about good, clean and fair food. And as Mack and I found out on Saturday, she is also a host par excellence.

Valerie addresses the hungry masses

Valerie had the great idea of starting a series of Slow Food “solstice suppers” – informal opportunities to mingle and share a meal with other local Slow Food members – and offered to host the first event. So on Saturday, Mack and I joined about two dozen others at Valerie’s house with, of course, a dish in hand.

Gathering around the appetizers

I have made Giada de Laurentiis’s mini frittatas before, but this was my first time using duck eggs (from Greens, Eggs and Ham) and bacon (from Valbella). I also added mushrooms and the requisite Parmesan and parsley. Better served warm but fine at room temperature, they’re a great party appetizer that are both quick to assemble and bake off. And with duck instead of chicken eggs, I found them to be lighter and fluffier than usual!

Two-bite Frittatas made with Greens, Eggs and Ham duck eggs and Valbella bacon

The spread at Valerie’s was amazing – I would have been satisfied with consuming the cheese plate alone. But variety is the spice of life, and even in the dead of winter, it was fantastic to see the breadth of locally-procured goods utilized in all of the dishes. From the Gull Valley tomatoes in Valerie’s bruschetta to Sylvan Star Cheese in Maria’s potato gratin to bison sausage from First Nature Farms, it was clear that area producers still have much to offer right now.

Buffet

The star of the evening was undoubtedly the roast pig. Valerie and Vanja ordered the pig from one of Vanja’s friends, who obtains the pigs from Hillview Acres Farm then roasts them in stone ovens in his garage. The meat was very tender and moist, and as you can probably see from the photos, there was plenty to go around!

“Some pig”

Ready to eat

Though everything was delicious, I have to pay particular homage to Colleen and Vince’s bread. Two years ago, they built a wood-burning oven in their backyard, which enables them to make, among other things, crusty bread. They brought a sampling of loaves with them, and I really had to stop myself at three slices. I was lucky enough to score a small baguette to take home though – reheated this morning for breakfast, it was still superb.

Bread!

And dessert? Between David and Nicole’s moist-but-not-too-rich Bavarian torte and Valerie’s gorgeous cookies, we were made.

Around the dessert table

Valerie’s cookie trays

It was a nice touch that Valerie invited everyone to write out the name of their dish, including the names of local producers utilized, on cards to display next to the dishes – she is in the process of collecting recipes and once finished, will display them on the Slow Food Edmonton website.

Good food, good company #1

#2

#3

Thanks again to Valerie and Vanja for hosting such a great evening!

You can see my photoset here, and read Valerie’s post on the evening here.

Film: “Presumed Guilty”

Mack and I were invited to attend the second Doc Soup screening that took place at the Citadel’s Zeidler Hall on Thursday night. Global Visions Film Festival helped to bring Doc Soup to Edmonton – a monthly film series that showcases both local and international documentaries.

The night’s film was Presumed Guilty, a documentary exposing the ills of the Mexican justice system through one man’s struggle to prove his innocence. José Antonio Zuñiga was arrested and jailed for a homicide he was never proven to have committed, and as the title of the film alludes, in a system where a conviction matters more than justice, his subsequent retrial was for show only, and did not result in a verdict change. It was a minor miracle that the cameras were allowed to film the retrial however, and I have to say, the “face off” portion of the footage was fascinating. The defendant (behind a set of bars) was able to literally face his accusers – in this case, the witness and the case detectives – and ask them questions face to face.

Antonio appealed the guilty verdict, and was able to secure an eventual acquittal from the appellate judges, but in the process, spent nearly 900 days in jail.

Roberto Hernandez, one of the two people behind the film, actually attended the screening, and conducted a Q & A at the end of the film. He is a lawyer by trade, and continued to reiterate his lack of filmmaking skill and expertise – “I just edited until I cried,” he said.  He was also extremely modest regarding the impact he has made on reforming the Mexican justice system – it turned out his previous documentary The Tunnel, which he screened for the country’s legislators, was a catalyst for a constitutional amendment passed last year which institutes a presumption of innocence.

The next Doc Soup screening is Junior, on February 4. For $10, it’s sure to be a worthwhile evening of food for thought. Thanks again to Ted Kerr for the invitation!

Adam also attended and blogged about the film – check out his thoughts here.

Mispon Winter Light Gala 2010

I was really excited to attend the kick-off event of this year’s Winter Light festival, Mispon Gala (mispon is “it’s snowing” in Cree). Based on last year’s evening of entertainment and food, I thought things could only get better, with Winter Light now in it’s second year.

Before entering City Hall, I walked past Churchill Square, expecting to find some outdoor activities similar to the previous year such as fire pits, light and lantern installations, or a snow maze. Unfortunately, the Square was bare.

All of the evening’s activity was concentrated at City Hall. Three fire pits had been set up around the ice rink, with some braving the cold playing around on the ice as we were leaving, but for the most part, everyone was indoors.

Outside City Hall

The ceremonies had just started when I arrived, with several festival event organizers taking their turn at the microphone to introduce their respective projects. After that, the audience was treated to a performance by Kristine Nutting’s Warm Up Burlesque – a cheeky, reverse burlesque that had the dancers pulling on layers of clothing. It was somewhat amusing, but not my cup of tea.

Krstine Nutting’s Warm Up Burlesque

To end off the night, Johnny Quazar and the Swingbots provided the musical backdrop as NAIT catering dished out comforting plates of food, including Big Rock Winter Spice Ale glazed meatballs and maple baked beans with sourdough crostini. Our favourite actually turned out to be the honey-scented bannock with Saskatoon marmalade – the bannock was sweet, with a lovely consistency similar to a scone.

Johnny Quazar and the Swingbogs

Bannock and Baked Beans

I was a little disappointed festival organizers didn’t go the route chosen last year – offering free hot chocolate to those who brought a reusable mug (I realize I should have brought a container for the food samples as well). I do think, however, that the more festivals remind us to bring containers with us, the better – it will eventually become habit.

In the City Room

As a whole, I was expecting more of the gala – more people, more excitement, more festivities. The tone seemed restrained this year, and as Mack noted, the lack of outdoor activities (for a festival that celebrates the cold season) was unfortunate. I am still looking forward to some of the upcoming events though, such as Ice on Whyte and the Silver Skate Festival. Check the website for more details.

January in Edmonton is for Winter Fun!

I debated whether or not to put together a post of events for January, but here it is – remember to check out ShareEdmonton as well!

  • The second annual Winter Light Festival kicks off on January 6 with the Mispon Winter Light Gala. If it is anything like last year, I highly recommend you attend – it was an awesome evening! The Winter Light Festival continues until March 13.
  • The second Winter Light event of the year is Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival in the Alberta Avenue community on January 9-10. In addition to family-friendly activities and entertainment, look forward to a suckling pig roast and maple sugar on snow!
  • Santa may not have come to Edmonton, but the Olympic Torch will, making a stop in our city on January 13.
  • Ice on Whyte, a celebration of carving and sculptures is on January 14-24. I didn’t make it out last year, but did in 2008.
  • Hope you’re hungry! Original Fare’s biannual Fork Fest runs January 17-21 and 24-28, with great pre-fixe dining deals at many of the Original Fare establishments. Check the website closer to the date for more details. Mack and I had a great meal at Red Ox Inn last year during the fest.
  • Edmonton’s “alternative theatre performance festival”, the Canoe Theatre Festival, returns January 19-31, courtesy of Workshop West.
  • Pecha Kucha 6 is taking place on January 21 – the last one I attended in October was great.
  • Another Winter Light Event, Snow Daze and Baba Yaga trail sound pretty cool – the opportunity to walk along a trail transformed into a magical forest. Check it out January 22-23.
  • The First Lego League Alberta Robotics Competition takes place on January 23 at NAIT.
  • The Edmonton Rush hosts their first home game on January 23. Gameday tickets start at just $19!
  • Though the Oilers could be doing better, their annual Superskills competition is a great, inexpensive way to see your favourite players. This year’s incarnation runs January 24 at Rexall.
  • The sparkly new Art Gallery of Alberta finally opens to the public on January 31. You will need a ticket for admission, but luckily, they are free! They will be available starting January 18.

Culinary Highlights: 2009 Edition

Scanning my posts from the past year, I was reminded again of how fortunate I am to be a part of a great culinary community in Edmonton and to have experienced (and eaten!) what I did in 2009.

So as in years past, here are a few of my culinary highlights from 2009, in no particular order:

 

Food: Today, Tomorrow, Together organizers

 

Pigs at Nature’s Green Acres

 

The greenhouse at Greens, Eggs and Ham

 

Me and Mack with our potato bounty

  • Attending my first ever Indulgence, and finding out that the evening really does live up to its name.

 

My favourite dish of the night – a Carmen Creek Ranch slider, prepared by Botanica

 

Wild Boar and Beer 2009

 

With the bell that I got to keep

  • Doing a lot of cooking (at least for me), including one of my favourite dish discoveries, cassoulet.

 

Mark Bittman’s version of cassoulet with lots of vegetables

With Chef Rob Feenie (Mack made me take the photo)

Mack occupies POTUS’s seat at Ben’s Chili Bowl

Melt-in-your-mouth gnocci at Proof

Jessie Radies of The Blue Pear, one of the three people I interviewed for the story

Latkes!

  • Attending two Foodie Meetups, and getting to meet some of the wonderful local food bloggers in person.

 

Foodie Meetup #1  at Blue Plate Diner

 Foodie Meetup #2 potluck at Dawson Park

  • Continuing to find diners to love – and still hoping for more of them in Edmonton.

Stuffed French toast from Dairy Lane in Calgary

Here’s to more eating in 2010!

Epicureous in Edmonton: 2009 in Review

I thought it was another great year for Edmonton’s food scene, though I probably sound like a broken record. However, it’s hard not to get excited when small, local businesses are getting the recognition they deserve in supplying the city with specialized products.

Tomatoes from Sundog Organics

Here are a few of the year’s notable trends and events:

  • A second Edmonton restaurant family was profiled in the third season of Family Restaurant early this year. Food Network Canada viewers were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the Quons, the family behind local institutions The Lingnan and Chicken for Lunch. Unfortunately, the show left something to be desired.
  • While the effects of the recession were somewhat muted in Canada, people in Edmonton were still looking for dining deals to be had. As a result, several local restaurants, including The Blue Pear and Hardware Grill introduced menus with lower price points to entice patrons.
  • In spite of the economic downturn, several local establishments expanded their business in 2009. Health Fare opened its second location downtown, Famoso christened a third branch in South Edmonton Common, a third Mikado is now in the west end, and a new Transcend cafe will begin operation in Garneau in January 2010.
  • 2009 also saw several chains move into the city, including Cora’s, Cactus Club Cafe, and opening in early 2010, fondue restaurant Melting Pot.
  • Frozen yogurt shops, akin to their US cousins, have finally arrived in Edmonton! Twisted Yogurt opened up its first parlour in August, while Kiwi Kiss joined the fray in October. Expect many more storefronts in the first half of 2010.
  • As Eater would say, two’s a trend – both Vinomania and The Bothy are equipped with state-of-the-art Enomatic Wine Serving System. I wouldn’t be surprised if more restaurants go this route in the nest year.
  • Specialty bakeries were also launched in full force, with no less than four cake shops and cupcakeries popping up – Cake Couture, The Cake House, Flirt, and a second Fuss Cupcakes outlet on Whyte Avenue. Of course, who could forget Duchess, whose opening was the equivalent of a culinary earthquake in Edmonton.
  • A trend going into 2010 will undoubtedly be more transparent menus and accommodating kitchens, as more people require or choose gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan diets, but in 2009, Backstairs Cafe was already ahead of the trend, showcasing vegan cuisine and giving Edmonton its first culinary speakeasy in the process.
  • Local food producers continue to gain a foothold in the market, with the Good Food Box and new Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market providing more opportunities to support area farmers, the Eat Local First initiative helping consumers to identify goods made by local purveyors, the Meet the Locals Festival connecting shoppers with producers, and the successful launch of We Eat Togethershowing the appetite for local food.

I’m looking forward to what 2010 has in store already!

Local Gift Basket of Possibilities

Mack and I made it to Yellowknife, despite arriving to the gate ten minutes after our scheduled flight time – the line-up to get through security was madness! It’s colder here than in Edmonton, but there is more daylight than I expected (around 5 hours). No photos to share yet, as we had a pretty low-key day relaxing at Mack’s parents’ house. It’s not a bad way to start a vacation though!

We exchanged presents this afternoon with Mack’s family – thanks again Kim, Shane, Thom, Martin and Patti for the gifts! I originally didn’t know what to buy Mack’s parents, but I remembered Jennifer Crosby’s idea of putting together a basket of locally-accrued food items. It seemed like a good way to share some uniquely Edmonton products, so a few weeks back, we started to assemble it. We ended up with this:

Basket of locally-purveyed goods

It contains:

Martin and Patti appreciated the gift, but I have to say, I really enjoyed looking for things that I thought they might enjoy. And though we restricted ourselves to items purchased at local businesses, it was fairly easy to find the variety that we did.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Now on Brunch Rotation: Artisan Resto-Cafe

Artisan Resto-Cafe, tucked on the lower floor of the beautifully-restored Garneau apartment building on Whyte Avenue, is another one of those restaurants that I’ve been meaning to visit for some time, but just haven’t. Knowing we would need to eat before the matinee performance of It’s A Wonderful Life at the nearby Varscona, we finally planned a trip there.

We didn’t think to make a reservation, but though the restaurant was fairly busy, there were luckily a few tables free. We ended up with a window seat (our favourite kind), with provided a good view of the restaurant. The decor successfully combined old with the new – the lovely brick accents and warm yellow walls made for a very pleasant interior. The “Artisan wishing tree” that stood in the middle of the room was a whimsical touch.

Mack at Artisan Resto-Cafe

The large mugs of coffee were a good start, eliminating the need for frequent refills (I tend to down my coffee really quickly in the mornings). The vast breakfast menu (served all day, no less) was another plus – beyond the typical egg/protein/toast plates, omelettes and eggs benedict were waffles and crepes. Artisan-Resto even has a kids menu! It took some deliberation, but I chose the Country Harvest ($10.89), with 2 eggs, beef sausage, grilled potatoes and a slice of either French toast or a pancake. Mack selected the bacon and cheddar omelette ($10.69), served with toast, grilled potatoes and fruit.

We anticipated a bit of a wait given the large crowd, but the kitchen was right on top of things, with our food arriving only shortly after our order was placed. I enjoyed my breakfast – the sausage was meaty and flavourful, and the pancake, though it could have been a touch warmer, was easily the best part of my meal – crispy on the outside, but perfectly fluffy on the inside. I knew what I would be having next time…

Country Harvest

Mack’s plate was just heaping with food. He liked the grilled potatoes, but his omelette needed more salt.

Cheddar and Bacon Omelette

Overall, we had a great experience, and will be back. I would recommend Artisan Resto-Cafe without hesitation, and look forward to slotting it into our Edmonton brunch rotation.

Artisan Resto-Cafe
10732 82 Avenue
(780) 413-8045
Monday-Tuesday 6:30am-5pm, Wednesday-Friday 6:30am-9pm, Saturdays 8am-9pm, Sundays 9am-5pm

Kerstin’s Chocolates’ Name That Origin Finals

A few weeks ago, I participated in the Name That Origin contest at Kerstin’s Chocolates, more to be able to sample different single origin chocolates for free than to actually attempt at securing a spot in the finals. As I was only able to correctly identify one out of four samples, my only chance at entering the finals would be as a wildcard. And wouldn’t you know it, they chose me.

As this was the first Name That Origin contest Kerstin’s has ever held, Cyrus was sure to explain the rules – the prize was a $400 gift certificate to Kerstin’s, after all. In the first round, all contestants would taste six single origin varieties, with the task of matching them to a supplied list of six possible countries of origin. Based on our responses, four would be selected to move on to the semi-finals, with “lighting round” taste-offs. Two pairs of contestants would square off, alternating their answers until the correct answer was given. The finals would see the last two contestants face off in a similar manner. To ensure no foul play, Jennifer Cockrall-King and Scott McKeen were on hand to monitor and observe the proceedings.

Cyrus introduces the monitors

Water and crackers were provided as palate cleansers, but regardless, I knew there was no hope for me – my single origin palate is not refined at all, as evidenced from my poor showing in the preliminary round. Still, I was happy to be included – it was nice to be among fellow chocolate lovers!

Readying our ballots

Possible countries of origin

The eight contestants were given about 15 minutes to taste samples of the six chocolates, and were allowed to try multiple pieces. I did my best to jot down notes on the distinct flavours of each piece, but with no real point of reference to match it to, it was a fruitless task for me.

Sampling!

My guesses

Cyrus called time, and the ballots were collected and tallied. Though I wasn’t dead last, I was only able to correctly identify one chocolate (SaoTome & Principe, which had a smoky flavour and a grainy texture). Kristina, Erin, Jason and Jessica were onto the semi-finals.

Kristina and Erin were up first, and had to taste and identify one of the six varieties from the first round. Erin was the winner, correctly naming the origin on her first try.

And…go!

Jason and Jessica were up next, with Jessica emerging as the winner.

Tasting chocolate is very serious business

Though the final was originally meant to include a previously untried chocolate, Cyrus said that the possible countries of origin would be too numerous and thus too difficult to identify. So, one of the remaining four chocolates from the first round was chosen for the last taste-off.

Erin vs. Jessica

The winner? <drumroll please> Erin, who was able to identify Papua New Guinea as the origin of the chocolate. She attributed her success to a website called All Chocolate, which has a guide of tasting notes by country, and she had also purchased several single-origin bars to try at home.

Erin collects her prize from Kerstin

The seven runners-up were each given a box of Ghost Chile Salted Caramels by Theo Chocolate – not a bad consolation prize at all (I had one afer I returned home – delish).

Delectable consolation prize

Cyrus said that they would be holding more Name That Origin contests in the future, and that the contest really helped them fulfill one of their original intentions of the shop – to help spread awareness and educate people about chocolate.

Thanks again to Kerstin’s for the invitation to participate, and I look forward to continuing to learn more about single origin chocolates!

You can check out my photoset here, and Jennifer Cockrall-King will be uploading a video of the finals soon to her website.

Latkes 101: A Cooking Tweetup

A few weeks ago, Tamara Stecyk invited Mack and I to a “cooking Tweetup” she had organized, centering around a lesson in latke making. As it combined our two great loves, Twitter and food, respectively, how could we turn down the offer?

Would you like spanakopita with your latkes? (they were delicious)

Because of Tamara and Bill’s hospitality, it was also another opportunity to socialize with some of Edmonton’s most avid (and community-minded) Twitter users, including Paula, John, Debra and Jerry.

A “community” kitchen

Tamara graciously demonstrated how to make latkes using her generations-old recipe. It all started with a ten-pound bag of potatoes – washed, peeled and grated. By the time we arrived, the first two steps had already been taken care of, but we did help somewhat with the grating (and have the cuts to prove it). Though we thought using a ricer or a food processor might simplify procedures, Tamara said that neither shortcut yielded the desired results.

Mack grating potatoes

Tamara expertly took care of grating the onions, and proceeded with adding the other ingredients, which included matzo meal, eggs and salt and pepper. The mixture loosely resembled oatmeal, both in appearance and consistency.

Latke mixture

Then, in very hot oil, large teaspoon-sized dollops of batter were dropped in for frying. Tamara said they were ready to turn over once the edges started to bubble and change colour. Oil had to be continuously added to the pans (being soaked up as it were by the latkes), and she had to work faster as the oil became hotter and hotter. Had I been in front of the stove, I would have surely burned myself numerous times, but Tamara’s 20 years of latke-making experience definitely showed!

Tamara at the stove

I helped pile the finished latkes on a decorative platter as the table was set for a full meal. Where I had expected just a latke lesson, Tamara had a full meal in mind, with matzo ball soup, roast, and even babka for dessert! We were a very fortunate group indeed.

Dishing out latkes

Finished latkes

Matzo ball soup

 Babka

Thanks Tamara (and Bill) for a lovely meal, and for the lesson!

You can see the Cooking Tweetup photoset here.