City Market Report: Week 8 (and Taste 118…sort of)

I thought I had popped down to the City Market at an opportune time this morning, finding a fortuitous break in the clouds. Well, it lasted all of several minutes, then the rain returned.

More grey

That seems to be the norm so far this year – I can only hope things get better from here, otherwise the market won’t achieve the same kind of banner attendance numbers that they did in 2010.

On the plus side, the rain does mean shoppers don’t necessarily have to be early birds in order to have a good selection (I was able to get the last box of strawberries from Sundog Organics at 11!). And, it was a very good week for vegetables.

Gorgeous herbs at Sundog Organics

Field grown tomatoes from Sundog Organics

Garlic scapes from Sundog Organics

Peas, glorious peas at Kuhlmann’s

Dill from Kuhlmann’s

A variety of lettuces at Kuhlmann’s

Broccoli at Green Valley Farm

Vibrant carrots from Riverbend Gardens

Kohlrabi from Riverbend Gardens

The Filipino festival was supposed to take place today, rain or shine, and we did hear some music later that morning, but I can imagine performing in the downpour would not have been pleasant. Here’s hoping there’s more market conducive weather next week!

Afterwards, Mack and I hopped on the train and headed to Alberta Avenue for the Taste 118 event. The event was to encourage visitors to explore the great restaurants in the neighbourhood, in addition to perusing sidewalk retail set-ups on a festive afternoon. Due to the rain, however, the event was cancelled – unfortunate and curious, given most of the activities would have been indoors anyway (the Highlands Street Festival last year went on regardless of the downpour, and the weather most definitely encouraged people to take refuge, and thus browse shops). Taste 118 may be rescheduled for next Saturday, but keep your eyes on the Facebook page to be sure.

Taste 118 poster

Still, the promise of the event got us down to Battista’s Calzones, which seemed to be the catch-all for other wanderers also hoping for good eats.

Full house

It was Mack’s first time at the restaurant (though I’ve brought him leftover calzones in the past). His first calzone served hot out of the oven lived up to the hype – success!

Delicious!

We found Liv behind the counter too, serving up samples of biscotti and cookies. She will be selling her products out of Battista’s – perfect for those looking for a sweet ending after their lunch. The Nutella biscotti I tried was fantastic – best of luck, Liv, with your venture!

Liv and Battista

We also sampled some of Baconhound’s homemade Baileys – there’s nothing more festive than a shot of liqueur on a summer afternoon.

Bottom’s up!

Hope you had an equally good Saturday!

The Summer 2011 Menu at D’Lish

D’Lish launched its new summer menu yesterday, and it is fabulous. How do I know that? Well, I was among a dozen lucky guests who were invited to a tasting preview on Tuesday (Mack was invited too, but was held up at a meeting). We were not only given the opportunity to try each dish, but to also provide some feedback as well.

Chef Jason Durling, fresh from cooking in Niagara, has only been at d’Lish for a month (talk about getting thrown in the fire – he started just before the Indulgence crush!). But given what we were presented with, he already has an acute understanding of the restaurant’s philosophy of clean food and seasonal ingredients.

With good wine and great food, there was no doubt the conversation would be sparkling, but I have to say, the ladies at the corner of the table where I was seated were lovely dinner companions! It was great to eat and share with Ruth Kelly of Venture Publishing and Kim Hill of Thread Hill – I think we were all on the same page, palate-wise.

The eight courses started off with a bang – a roasted heirloom tomato soupa that elicited moans of enjoyment usually reserved for mains. It was a demonstration of simple but fresh ingredients made to sing – pureed tomatoes, sweet and glorious, enhanced with a touch of creamy basil crème fraiche. The plain house-made crostinis didn’t hold up to the soup, however, bland as they were. You can be sure the kitchen will be tweaking that.

Roasted heirloom tomato soupa

After trying the teenage greens, pickles and meat, I was certain that it was a salad that even Mack wouldn’t mind ordering. Deceivingly simple, but packed with layers of flavour, it was the ideal summer salad, with a light buttermilk vinaigrette that drew raves from around the table. The pickled red onions were a nice touch, but it was the slice of salty prosciutto that helped elevate each bite.

Teenage greens, pickles and meat

I will readily admit to being defeated by the wine pairings that night, but before raising the white flag, I was able to enjoy my favourite pairing – a Botani Dry Muscat with the roasted veg and goat cheese terrine. The Muscat was crisp and light, and given I waver on goat cheese most days, the wine softened its usual tang. The plate itself was beautiful in presentation, boldly accented with a vibrant red of so-called “beet squeeze” (which turned out to taste nothing like beets…we guessed that there was a fair amount of sweetener mixed in). And unlike the earlier crostini, the bread pudding cracker served alongside the terrine was delicious – it crumbled too easily, sure, but it made up for that with its rich, buttery texture. Paired with house-made spreads, the crackers could easily make a solid starter on its own.

Roasted veg and goat cheese terrine

The three mains were served up family-style, which, in this setting, suited the table well. My favourite of the dishes was easily the marinated Alberta striploin, cooked to a perfectly pink medium rare. Meltingly tender, eaten with the brown butter forked potatoes underneath, it was a version of steak and potatoes I will be dreaming about for days to come.

Marinated Alberta striploin

The rockin risotto, made with MoNa mushrooms and topped with microgreens, was creamy and well prepared. The only minor misstep was the mushrooms didn’t accompany every bite; this will be remedied for the menu’s launch.

Our corner was disappointed with the handpicked herb roasted chicken – the meat on our platter had dried out, an inconsistency that the kitchen will be looking at. The accompaniment, however, a warm potato salad that Chef Durling described as a “bowl full of love”, was excellent. Based on his grandmother’s recipe, mustard notes were prominent. Everyone around the table couldn’t get enough of it.

The meal’s finale featured not one, but three desserts. I was most excited for the trio of ice cream sandwiches, with flavours that will change based on the availability of seasonal ingredients (stone fruits, for example, will be coming in two weeks). I tasted the snickerdoodle, made with a rhubarb ice cream. The ice cream itself was great, bursting with rhubarb flavour, but I was expecting a yielding cookie shell instead of what I found. Kim and I agreed the cookie needed to be softer or at least thinner.

Trio of ice cream sandwiches

The chocolate cherry torte, a flourless chocolate cake, complete with a ganache, was intensely rich, and made with chocoholics in mind. The non-chocoholics at the table advised that the serving size be reduced, or the layer of ganache to be thinned out. We also recommended some liqueur be added to the sauce, though my preference would have been for the cherries to have been further macerated.

The third dessert was a bit of a bonus. Leah Kinsella, who had worked at d’Lish as a sous chef the year prior, recently left the restaurant to start her own company, The Art of Macarons (e-mail here). It’s currently a home-based business, but she hopes one day to have a storefront. Leah said she had to try innumerable recipes in order to obtain that perfect texture, but based on the samples we tried, I think it was worth the effort! They were perhaps a bit too large (given macarons usually deliver a concentrated saccharine burst), but I enjoyed the lemon and apple pie flavours. Best of luck to Leah!

Macarons and chocolate cherry torte

Thanks to Amanda for the invitation and to hosting a d’licious night! I’ll be returning soon with Mack in tow to make sure he gets a taste of what he missed!

D’Lish
10418 – 124 Street
Monday-Thursday 3pm-midnight, Friday-Saturday 11am-1am, closed Sundays

“Top Chef Canada”: Season 1 Wrap

Spoilers ahead.

Since I wrote my less-than-flattering mid-point review of Top Chef Canada over a month ago, I am happy to say the series did improve with time.

The biggest turnaround for me was Head Judge Mark McEwan. It’s almost as if halfway through filming, producers reviewing the tapes realized that he was coming off as stoic and tense, and started prompting him with “Smile!” cue cards behind the camera. Though he’s still no Tom Collichio, McEwan definitely showed signs of loosening up towards the end, which bodes well for the future of the show. Host Thea Andrews was also okay, though her delivery and smirk continued to be reminiscent more of tabloid entertainment than reality programming.

Resident Judge Shereen Arazm, on the other hand, I still could have done without – she didn’t add anything for me, and I’m not convinced that the canon of Canadian talent could not have provided someone more articulate and less shrill. I’m not sure if she has been secured for next season, but I’m hoping for a replacement.

In terms of guest judges, I know Canada doesn’t have the same obsession with “celebrity chefs” as our neighbours to the south, but Top Chef Canada is a great platform to start celebrating our homegrown talent. Most of the judges were Food Network alumni (some of whom, like Rob Feenie and Gail Simmons, I did enjoy), but I’d like to see future episodes utilize more non-screen chefs.

The challenges were also more entertaining as the show went on. I really liked the street food challenge (the “fusion” aspect not so much), and was pleased that “restaurant wars” did not disappoint. I am also glad the final challenge was open-ended – I don’t think the cheftestants were given enough opportunities towards the end to really showcase their true cooking styles. Mack and I both agreed that we hope future challenges embrace regional cooking more – I acknowledge that this inaugural season chose to highlight ethnic cuisines as its representation of Canadiana, but so much more can and should be done with the breadth of produce and proteins offered by our vast country.

Though I realize that the costs associated with building the studio in Toronto must be recouped, I’m hoping that future seasons will film across the country in a manner similar to Top Chef (season 9 will likely be based in San Antonio). In addition to celebrating talent, the show is a wonderful chance to expose viewers to venues and restaurants across the country, and can go a long way to encourage inter-provincial culinary tourism.

Lastly – congrats to Dale! But I have to be honest; I was rooting for Connie not only because of her Alberta connection, but also because it is rare to see a female chef take the title. There’s always next year (they accepted applications back in June)! Looking forward to season two – go Canada!

TMAC Alberta Retreat: Hotel MacDonald and Moriarty’s

A few months ago, I was asked to be a speaker at a retreat hosted by the Alberta Chapter of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), an organization made up of tourism industry professionals and journalists. I had met Susan Mate, a member of TMAC who was also on the organizing committee, last year. I had provided some information to her for an article she had written about Alberta’s culinary scene, and because of the group’s interest in food blogging, she asked if I would share my experience at the retreat.

I have done conference presentations for my day job in the past, but never about blogging. Turns out, it’s not difficult to speak about something you’re passionate about!

Speaking at the TMAC retreat

Coincidentally, they also wanted a speaker to address the topic of social media. Someone else on the conference committee had contacted Mack separately, and it was only a few days before the conference that they realized we were partners in crime, heh.

We were fortunate to be invited to join the rest of the activities that evening, arranged by Bin and Amy of the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. We started out the night with a light reception at the Hotel MacDonald.

I had no idea the gazebo behind the hotel even existed! Apparently, it is often used for small private parties. When I commented about the number of patrons in the Confederation Lounge, hotel staff made mention of the fact that the Harvest Room had been closed since January due to ice damage, and is not set to reopen until October.

Inside the gazebo

There was a lovely spread of nibbles, but nothing I tried that night was as tasty as the saskatoon berry cocktail. It went down like Kool-Aid, and though one should have been enough, I couldn’t help myself, and had seconds.

Salmon tartare and crab cakes

Saskatoon cocktail

Next, we were split up into smaller parties for dinner at nearby restaurants, treated by EEDC. The plan was to regroup at the Winspear Centre for an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra concert. Mack and I had been assigned to Moriarty’s, one of EEDC’s partner restaurants.

The small table facilitated conversations nicely, and it was great getting to know the visitors from Calgary. Lucky for us, we even scored an introduction to Jelly Modern Doughnuts, the city’s hottest bakery, fortuitous especially because Mack would be heading down south the next week (hello, doughnuts!).

Everyone seemed to enjoy the selection of cocktails they had ordered, but I was a bit disappointed with the food. I have a soft spot for butternut squash ravioli, so was eager to try Moriarty’s version with maple cream sauce. Given it was a dish under “small plates”, I assumed that for $12 several small ravioli would be served, instead of a single large one. The filling was nice, creamy and light, but the pasta was a touch overcooked. The vanilla tulle was also an odd choice – its sweetness was off-putting.

Butternut squash ravioli

I also ordered a second small plate of meatballs ($8.50). Unlike its predecessor, this dish could easily be shared among diners. Although a puree of beets would have made more cohesive sense, the fried golden beet chips were a guilty, well-seasoned pleasure. The meatballs themselves were okay, but the sweet root beer glaze didn’t work for me, especially alongside the jarringly sour mushrooms.

Mushroom meatballs

Mack found similar inconsistencies with his chicken apple gnocchi ($19.50). He enjoyed the gnocchi, but found it much too greasy. He felt chicken breast would have worked better than chicken sausage. It also lacked an elegance expected in the restaurant’s surroundings – it could have been plated in a bowl, with some garnish, instead?

Chicken apple gnocchi

The table was saddened to find out that their premiere chocolate dessert, supplied by Duchess, was no longer available (they also weren’t able to provide us with a reason why). In its place, we ordered the French profiteroles ($10) and saskatoon and rhubarb tart ($11). The latter was the better of the two desserts, fresh and tart. The profiteroles suffered from age – a few commented that the pastry tasted dry and lacked the airiness of a good cream puff.

Saskatoon and rhubarb tart

French profiteroles

The service was solid throughout our meal, but based on past experiences, I expected the food to be better. I’d just hope for some more consistency from the kitchen next time.

Thanks again to TMAC for the invitation (and for EEDC for hosting) – I had a great time!

Moriarty’s
10154 100 Street
(780) 757-2005
Monday-Saturday 11:30am-close, closed Sunday

Food Notes for July 4, 2011

Hope you had a good Canada Day, and enjoyed the festivities! I feel like I’m again so behind with my posts – so much to write, so little time! But my goal is at least to capture a bit more of San Francisco (only ten months after the fact, sigh) before we leave for Toronto in a few weeks. On to this week’s food notes:

Press’d is celebrating the grand opening of their second location at 112 Street and Jasper Avenue by offering a chance to win free sandwiches for a year: simply head down and buy a sandwich on July 8 or 9 for one of five chances to win. In addition, from July 4 – 9, they are donating $0.50 from every sandwich sold at both locations to the Youth Emergency Shelter Society.
I thought I had posted about it earlier, but it seems I missed mentioning the opening of the Green & Gold Garden at the U of A. It works on a pay-what-you-choose model, but all funds collected support a not-for-profit organization that supports socially and economically marginalized women in Rwanda. Produce available this week includes lettuce, arugula, Chinese cabbage, pak choi and kale.
Kevin’s first From Local Farms video of 2011 is up! Featured is Tangle Ridge Ranch. Congrats also to Kevin for being named one of Alberta Venture’s “Next 10”.
There’s now an Asian food option in Century Park – Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street, 780-437-5547) was set to open on Canada Day.

Spring Roll Kitchen

Cupcakes are still going strong in Edmonton – Flirt Cupcakes just opened their second storefront downtown at 105 Street and Jasper Avenue. I stopped by this afternoon for a treat, and Michelle told me the renos aren’t quite done (the location was a former Treats Cafe). Expect more seating to come!

Flirt Cupcakes

I stopped by Pho Tau Bay for soup last week, just in time before their annual summer vacation. They will be closed July 4, and will reopen on August 25, 2011. Alternatively, you could always check this handy site to see if the restaurant is open.

I heart beef noodle soup

Mack and I picked up some bubble tea from Bubble Buzz to accompany our evening walk last week. I’d never had Hong Kong-style milk tea before – it was a nice, balanced alternative to iced coffee. Mack, who isn’t the biggest fan of bubble tea, couldn’t get over the bursting mango bubbles – his look of sheer glee every time he bit into a mango surprise was too funny. Liv checked out Bubble Buzz recently too.

Bubble Buzz

We met up with Mack’s Dad (and Thom) for dinner on Saturday while he was in town. His restaurant of choice? Origin India, which we had introduced him to about this time last year. As always, we thoroughly enjoyed their buffet.

Plate #2 at Origin India (the karahi paneer was particularly tasty that night)

Mack had lunch at Tres Carnales today, which opened over the weekend. Chris powered through the menu, and wrote an extensive review here.

Tres Carnales

While Mack dined on tacos, I had lunch at Taipan Cafe. The rice noodles with beef were okay (I think I prefer the Garden Bakery version a little more), but even more exciting, it was the first time in a long while that I had an iced Horlicks! Cold drinks made from powder always seem to transport me back to Asia…

Taipan Cafe

It’s a bit of a miracle I haven’t yet killed the tomato plant on our balcony, so the fact that we were able to harvest our first tomato last week was a bit of a personal victory. I have Jennifer and James at Sundog Organic to thank, for growing a hearty variety that can survive the likes of me!

Our first tomato!

Upscale Casual on the Ave: Absolutely Edibles

For our final inter-agency committee meeting before the summer break, one of the groups I am involved in at work decided to have lunch together at Absolutely Edibles on 118 Avenue. I had passed by the pink stucco storefront before, but had no idea what was inside.

Absolutely Edibles is another great example of some of the hidden gems on the Avenue. In the catering business for six years, the couple behind Absolutely Edibles opened a full service restaurant this past March. It is a gorgeous space, with an interior and fixtures common in your average upscale casual joint, and not necessarily in this neighbourhood.

Interior

The menu is a large one, so in a group as diverse as ours, it would easily appeal to all appetites, with a great selection of share plates and casual entrees, including ten different burgers. Although the website claims to source a wide range of ingredients locally, I would have liked to have seen more explicit reference to which producers or businesses Absolutely Edibles has partnered with expressed on the menu.

I wouldn’t have been surprised if we were the largest party the restaurant had ever handled, as service wasn’t exactly smooth. To be fair, they were also training new staff, but at the end of our meal, left the rookie server alone to handle the payment end of things, something she had clearly never done before. I am optimistic things will improve with time, however.

Mandie and I decided to split the sweet potato skins ($6.95), and each also ordered the triple sliders ($10.95), featuring small versions of their elk, bison and kangaroo(!) burgers. It was the most popular dish around our table, as it would afford the opportunity to try several different burgers at once.

The sweet potato skins weren’t what we expected at all – I think Mandie and I both thought the dish would have been closer to a plate of cactus cut potatoes, topped with a variety of ingredients, but instead, individual sweet potato slices had been garnished with spicy cream cheese, spinach pesto and asiago. They were a bit bland, and I was hoping for a crispy underlay instead of what we received. The portion size was also small given the price.

Sweet potato skins

The burgers, on the other hand, were a better value. And though I didn’t anticipate having a full stomach with three tiny burgers, they were quite filling in the end.

Triple sliders

The elk burger was by far the best of the bunch – topped with smoked cheddar and prosciutto, it was flavourful. The kangaroo (which apparently had some beef mixed into the patty) wasn’t distinct, and though I didn’t think it was possible, the bacon that topped the burger was too crispy, to the point of being gristly in texture. Some of my colleagues around the table liked the lamb burger, which had a great concept, topped with a tzatiki sauce.

With their diverse menu and chic surroundings, I wouldn’t hesitate to return to Absolutely Edibles again. It’s a great addition to the neighbourhood, and with time, I’m sure their service will catch up to the potential of the restaurant.

Absolutely Edibles
9567A – 118 Avenue
(780) 424-6823 or (780) 477-2971
Monday – Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday – Saturday 11am-10pm, closed Sundays

City Market Report: Week 7

Mack and I weren’t sure we’d even get to the City Market today, as it was moving day for two of our friends. As we should have expected though, many hands make light work, so we were finished loading and unloading by the early afternoon! We made it back before closing, but it was clear the early birds snapped up most of the produce by the time we arrived.

Radishes from Sundog Organics

Cucumbers from Kuhlmann’s

The large crowd today were likely partly due to the long weekend, but also due to the fact that for the first time in three weeks, the sun shone down on the market.

Shoppers out in full force

On to next week!

Edmonton’s Food Truck Extravaganza: What the Truck?!

It’s not often that an event you plan actually comes together in the way that you imagined. What the Truck?!, for that reason, was magical.

Mack and I first started talking about the idea of a food truck festival in March. Inspired by San Francisco’s Off the Grid, we knew our version wouldn’t be nearly as big, but we also had different goals we would want to accomplish with such an event. While raising awareness of Edmonton’s burgeoning food truck culture was a big part of that, we also knew that such a gathering could also be a way to bring vibrancy to a corner downtown that would otherwise be deserted on a Friday night.

When we look back, I think 2011 will be Edmonton’s year of food trucks, given the number that have or are set to hit the streets this year. But in the planning of What the Truck?!, we started with those that we knew of, and approached seven vendors in total to participate: Carnival Cravings, Eva Sweet, Fat Franks, Filistix, The Fork and Spoon Brigade, Funky Pickle and The Lingnan. We were very fortunate that all of them said yes!

I will be writing more about how Beaver Hills House Park at Jasper Avenue and 105 Street came to be chosen as the location, but suffice to say, it fit the bill of a central, accessible space. We knew there would be some challenges in ensuring the trucks would be able to safely manoeuvre onto the concrete surface, but we had faith that it would work out in the end.

Loading up the trucks themselves was definitely the most harrowing part of the day. Made more difficult because of a few things beyond our control, the vendors, some who had to make multiple attempts to ease into place, were patient, steady and calm. It was the perfect storm of qualities to get us through the set-up, and by 3:45, all of the vehicles were appropriately parked.

The Fork and Spoon Brigade entrance, take one

Though it wasn’t a mirror image of the site plan, it was pretty darn close! I had envisioned a ring of food trucks, with the crowds converging somewhat in the centre, allowing for mixing and mingling. I read later that some people didn’t appreciate this, but I have to say, I loved it. Standing in the midst of the trucks and people chatting away, the park felt more alive than I had ever seen it.

Chatting away

Overhead shot by Devin Serink (it’s great to have friends in high places! Or at least, friends that live in the Icon)

It was also great to see people utilizing the green space on the north end of the park. Families, pairs and groups spread out on the park benches, along the water feature and on the grass.

Hurrah for green space!

People had started trickling in at 4pm, but it really didn’t get going until close to 5. Filistix easily had the longest line throughout the night (I have no idea how Ariel and Roel didn’t collapse with exhaustion later on), but the great thing was, most people didn’t mind the wait! After all, good food is worth the wait, isn’t it?

The Filistix line

It also helped that we had DJs Thomas Scott and Marc Carnes on hand to provide some beats to accompany the eats. The party atmosphere was on!

DJs Thomas Scott and Marc Carnes

Unlike the vendors, Mack and I were able to enjoy the event, taking photos, catching up with friends, and of course, eating!

After devouring Filistix’s southern biscuits with gravy and bacon, I forgot to eat anything else

Brittney with her order of biscuits

Thom with his first taste of The Lingnan’s dry spicy chicken!

Bruce and Sarah, with their adorable puppy

The Critical Mass riders rang their bells when going by on Jasper

With some of my friends from work – Jill, Leigh and Ellen

Even my parents came out!

At about 6, the sky started to threaten rain. We were a little worried that the crowd would disperse, but we really should have given people more credit – they were fully prepared to stay, rain and all!

One of Mack’s favourite shots – umbrellas ready!

By 8pm, it was clear the event was winding down. But given five out of the seven vendors had sold out, it was the right time to close up shop! The vendors all reported having a great time, and deemed What the Truck?! a success – Mack and I were thrilled.

Of course, the success of this event is attributed to many people who helped out behind the scenes. First off, hat’s off to designer Gabe Wong who immediately understood the whimsical nature of a food truck event, funnelling that into the logo that ultimately set the tone for the website. It’s easier to sell something that looks professional and polished, and without Gabe, that would not have been possible.

Similarly, thanks to Thomas and Marc for coming on board quite early on. They too knew what we were trying to achieve right on the outset.

Third, the budget for our event was quite small, but we did have a few expenses. As we didn’t have any sponsors step up initially, we accepted the fact that we may have had to finance the event ourselves. However, due to the generosity of three sponsors, we didn’t have to do so. A big thanks to the Unknown Studio, Citizen Experience, and Responsible Hospitality Edmonton for supporting What the Truck?!.

Next, we were grateful to have four fantastic volunteers on hand that Friday. Whatever we threw their way – whether it was playing traffic cop, relocating picnic tables or take down – they were game. Thanks to Kara and Nevin Fenske, Thom Male and Su Dennis for being our go-to people!

Our volunteer crew (Kara and Nevin will have their own food truck up and running soon!)

To the vendors, who jumped in with both feet when I’m certain even they didn’t quite know what to expect – thank you! Your unwavering enthusiasm and dedication to mobile cuisine in Edmonton is an inspiration.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who came out to What the Truck?! The vendors were blown away by the energy and excitement of the crowd, and it seemed that even weather wouldn’t be a deterrent!

In a few weeks, will be updating the What the Truck?! website so that all of the information you need to satisfy your street food fix will be in one place. We’ve also been asked whether or not this will be a repeat event. We hope so, and are planning for a September edition, so stay tuned!

Read Mack’s recap of What the Truck?! here. Chris, Karlynn and Cathy also wrote about the event.

Food Notes for June 27, 2011

It was a bit of an exhausting week (but in a good way!). Between my Agency’s 50th anniversary, my birthday and of course, What the Truck?!, I could barely keep up! Thankfully, I have the long weekend to fall back on – Happy Canada Day, everyone! On to this week’s food notes:

Advance tickets for the Taste of Edmonton, which runs July 21 to 30, are now on sale. They have two new restaurants joining the fray this year, ZINC and Lit, and a number of new menu items from stalwart participants. Going forward, restaurants apparently will only be able to repeat menu items for two years – that will help spice it up for annual patrons.
Mark your calendars for Fork Fest, July 17-21 and 24-28, 2011.
As I mentioned last week, “taste of” events seem to be abound this summer, and I continue to learn about more! Ronald McDonald House is hosting a Taste of Whyte – Red Shoe Crawl on August 7, 2011. You’ll be able to sample food from area restaurants, all while supporting a great cause! I think it’s a great idea.
The second location of Press’d opened last week. The new location looks beautiful – they took great advantage of the high ceilings.
Twyla wrote a great report on Lobsterfest, the annual fundraiser for the Canadian Culinary Federation at the Shaw Conference Centre.
Undercover Gourmet will be catering in the fall! I met Evonne at the Susur Lee lunch back in March, and found out at that time that she is a trained chef! Best of luck with your new endeavour, Evonne.
Happy belated birthday to The Carrot!
Bubble Buzz (10140 – 104 Street) opened for business on June 25, meaning in addition to great coffee, we now have a bubble tea option on the street! The owners have done a great job renovating the former Taco del Mar space into a clean, modern storefront. Check out their menu here (they only use real fruit for their drinks), as well as their opening week specials!

Bubble Buzz

Though I often snap pictures of forthcoming restaurants, I haven’t done much in the way of documenting restaurants that close (Eater does it in a regular roundup called “The Shutter”). That said, there seem to have been a number of closures as of late, so I think it is worth mentioning – including Luzzara, which will be closing as of July 17, 2011 and possibly the second location of Health Fare (according to a letter posted on the door, they are in arrears, and are locked out of their downtown location).

Soul Soup (a sign on the door reads that you can still purchase their soup next door at Cafe da Gama, or at MRKT)

Timothy’s in City Centre

Don Antonio’s on 124 Street

I remember Liane writing about Madison’s Grill’s great new patio. I hadn’t walked by it until the other day – it looks like it would be a great spot to grab an after work drink.

Madison’s Grill, al fresco

Mack and I stopped by the Callingwood Farmers’ Market on Sunday. I had only ever seen photos, but heard that it was quite a lively market, so I wanted to see it for myself. We loved the use of the breezeway – it would definitely help shelter patrons in inclement weather – but found a definite lack of produce vendors. There were a few, but given the choice and variety we are used to at the City Market, I would find it challenging to do my weekly shopping there.

Callingwood Farmers’ Market

In the breezeway

Outside

As I mentioned, our Agency celebrated its 50th anniversary this past week. Our AGM was held at the EXPO Centre this year. The romaine salad was forgettable (and really, a bit unforgivable…limp and dry, it looked as if it had been plated several hours before), but the chicken entree was quite good, given the size of the crowd.

The requisite conference chicken…but well done!

The highlight for me was our annual Party in the Park, bigger and better this year. Fun for me – I got to play with the cotton candy machine!

I really am just a little kid on the inside

City Market Report: Week 6

It was another overcast day at the City Market on Saturday. Thankfully, the rain wasn’t coming down in sheets quite like last week, so for the most part, it was still a pleasant visit.

Almost dry again

We were tuckered out from What the Truck?! the night prior, so gave ourselves the morning to sleep in. By the time we made it to the market that afternoon, most of the prime produce had already been snapped up!

Beets from Riverbend Gardens

Cherries from Steve & Dan’s

We came across a new vendor, though perhaps not a new company to those who have investigated home grocery delivery services. The Organic Box, a business similar to Eat Local First, but with a focus on organic produce, was at the market selling fruit. Most of what they had wouldn’t be considered local (strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon from California, though they also had BC apples), but they were all clearly marked. We picked up some strawberries – The Organic Box will tide us over until the BC and Alberta strawberries start coming in!

The Organic Box

We also noticed for the first time (although they’ve been at the market for a few weeks) a vendor selling cake pops! Though I think these bite-sized treats became mainstream when Starbucks started selling them, it’s nice to see some local entrepreneurs trying to capitalize on the trend as well!

Adorable cake pops

To help promote the Feats Festival of Dance, which had started two days prior and runs until July 1, 2011, the main market square hosted different dance demonstrations throughout the day. From above, we caught a sampling, including salsa and belly dancing!

Salsa

Belly dancing (with audience participation!)

It’s also great to catch those seemingly spontaneous moments at the market – like a wedding party using the market as a photographic backdrop. It turned out the bride was a cousin of Bamir’s – hence the Eva Sweet love!

Who doesn’t love waffle trucks?

I really hope the rain lets up next Saturday – it’s the long weekend, after all. See you at the market!

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