Tag: food

Country Cuisine – TASTE! of Summer 2008

Sunday’s Taste! of Summer was like an event straight out of my dreams. Blue sky, bright sun, swift breeze, and in the shadow of two historic grain elevators, some of the freshest produce Alberta farmers had to offer, prepared by regional chefs with an understanding and appreciation for the local.

So picturesque

I bought my tickets for the annual event about two weeks prior just in case, and was relieved that I had done so when I saw the “sold out” sign tacked up near the entrance. Admission in advance was $15 per person (plus service charges), though we were each provided with $5 worth of food tickets upon entry.

Menus in hand, we perused our options. There were 12 vendors in total (roughly a quarter compared to a Taste of Edmonton) that offered about two dozen dishes or drinks. We started with Mexico Lindo‘s Lamb in Adobe and Lola Canola‘s Raspberry Sweetini.

The Lola Canola gals

Sweetini and Lamb in Adobe

We’re still not sure what was in the lamb sauce, but with our palettes, we detected a fair comparison to Indian cuisine. Still, with the sample’s tender, easily shredded meat, there were no complaints from either of us. The Sweetini had hints of basil and honey, and is a drink I could see served out on a patio on a warm day.

Stephen Tchir Trio provided some jazzy ambiance

Next up were two more meat dishes – Lily Lake Resort‘s Wild Boar Roasted on a Spit with Homemade Apple Chutney and CareIt Urban Deli’s Spring Creek Ranch Tip Sirloin stuffed in English Yorkshire Pudding (a mouthful, yes).

Slicing boar

Wild Boar with Apple Chutney

Sirloin stuffed in Yorkshire Pudding

The unfortunate result of roasting the boar for several hours was dry meat, though the apple chutney did help freshen up each bite somewhat. The charred bits of skin really were the best part, however. As for the Yorkshire Pudding? Mack and I could have spent our entire ticket fortune at that booth – the meat was juicy, the gravy was rich and oh-so-savoury, and though we first balked at the idea of a Yorkshire Pudding shell, the fluffy chewy exterior worked somehow. So good.

Mack enjoys the pudding

We weren’t too optimistic that any other dish could follow CareIt’s, but we tried to find one. Mack chose a Traditional Buckwheat Bread from Bricco Ristorante Italiano, while I had to have a plate of Sweet Herb Salad from Inspired Market Gardens.

Buckwheat Bread

Gwen prepares the salad

Mack likened the buckwheat, potato, onion and bacon-stuffed loaf to a perogy of sorts, and I couldn’t disagree. As for my salad, it tasted just like I remembered, and the black currant vinaigrette was a great pairing to bring out the sweet yet delicate flavours from the colorful flowers.

Using our last few tickets, Mack tried some beer from the Rough Neck Brewing Company, and we returned to the Inspired Market Gardens booth for two scoops of Herb & Flower Sorbet.

Raspberry-tarragon and Lavender Sorbet (a very generous serving)

The vendor indicated that the sorbet couldn’t be sold at the City Centre Market due to a lack of power to keep a freezer operating, and it really is a shame. The delicate dessert was refreshing, and so unique, and should be available for more people to try.

The entire experience was relaxing – the grass (as opposed to pavement) helped, as did the space to move around and ample seating areas. The menu also came rolled with a second sheet of paper titled “Our Chefs, Producers and Artisans”, and provides a detailed listing and contact information for all of the vendors present that day – this is something the Taste of Edmonton organizers should look at – actively promoting the restaurants as opposed to the one-shot food at the event itself.

I do think the limited number of people allowed into the site (capped at 350) and shorter time frame for the event meant that the vendors could focus on providing bigger portions of good food (for example, Mexico Lindo also has a booth at Taste of Edmonton, but have pupusas and fried ice cream on their menu instead of lamb).

To end off the evening, we decided to go on a short tour of the grain elevator.

Inside

Outside

It was such a lovely day overall. I encourage you to check out next year’s Taste of Summer event, or, if you can’t wait that long, Edmonton’s Countryside is running their 6th Annual Country Soul Stroll this weekend (July 19 & 20), where everyone is invited to visit farms and attractions in townships around the city.

Take it to the Streets: Old Strathcona Fashion Extravaganza, Street Sale & Art Walk

I remember having intentions to visit last summer’s Whyte Avenue Street Sale, but never got around to it. So this year, I jumped at the chance to kill three birds with one stone – namely, the Old Strathcona Art Walk, Fashion Extravaganza, and of course, the opportunity to shop on pavement.

The weather was perfectly glorious for outdoor activities of any kind on Sunday, including the open-air catwalk that greeted us at 82nd and Gateway Boulevard. As my sister predicted, the fashion show turned out to be rather “lame” – the DJ had a preference for one-hit dance tunes from the 90s, some of the models left the stage before the announcer was finished with their outfit label rundown, and tags on some items were clearly visible from the crowd. On the bright side, much improvement can and will happen should the event be repeated in the future (here’s a video clip courtesy of Mack’s Flip if you’re interested).

Crowded runway

Model

We continued down the street, pausing on occasion to peruse discounted wares in addition to displays set up by local artists participating in the Art Walk. Perhaps it’s too cliché or tourist-oriented, but I was expecting to see more pieces devoted to Edmonton’s land or cityscape for sale.

Street sale

A kayak, anyone?

How about a turtle?

Art Walk

More art for sale

Mack can never avoid the beckoning call of mini doughnuts

We also wandered into a number of stores. Notable was Ten Thousand Villages (10432 82 Avenue), where Mack found a visor that was perfect for him, and Eden Lilly (10416 82 Avenue), which carries a line of locally-designed cards that were too cheeky not to photographically commemorate.

Coke visor!

 

Double take? (Cards by Brulak Design Studio, available in 11 locations in Edmonton)

On our way back north, we noticed that the High Level Bridge waterfall was on as it had been earlier in the day (yesterday was also the Sourdough River Festival – it amazes me how many events took place on one day). We scrambled to park the car so we could take pictures (and a video!).

Beautiful

By late afternoon, we had built up quite the appetite. Thankfully, we had tickets to Edmonton’s Countryside Taste of Summer event.

Food Notes

  • The second of my FoodTV posts went live on the website today. I wrote it way back in May, just after Sobeys Urban Fresh opened. After I had some more time to think about the store, I drafted this post, which more accurately captures my feeling about the “urban fresh” concept.
  • Original Fare’s ForkFest started this week! To my surprise, the website has already uploaded most of the participants’ set menus. Though there will always be people wanting to eat out in restaurants, I do wonder why they decided to run their feature event so close (and next week, overlapping) with Taste of Edmonton and Capital Ex.
  • I don’t go to breakfast buffets often, just because I find I can’t eat that much first thing in the morning, but if you can, perhaps the Sunday Brunch at the River Cree Resort, as reviewed by Richard Helm, is worth checking out.
  • “Splash plugs”, which I mentioned back in April, have arrived at Starbucks locations in Edmonton (or at least, the 109th Street/Jasper Ave location). What a waste.
  • Congratulations to Bob Blumer of Food Network’s Glutton for Punishment who broke the Guinness World Record for most pancakes made in an hour in Calgary last Thursday. He made 559 pancakes in total, all of equal diameter and thickness without any burnt edges. The episode capturing his victory will air some time next spring.
  • I can’t wait to try this so-called “perfect” chocolate chip cookie recipe, cobbled together from the wisdom of many experts in the field.
  • Also from the New York Times, a story about an innovative program for juvenile delinquents to gain employable skills by refurbishing old diners. The community liaison likens the program to be the “Home Depot of the correctional system.” Hee.
  • Lastly, an update on our President’s Choice chip-off: the Buffalo Wings and Blue Cheese flavour taste like exactly that – spicy, with a blue cheese kick. My favourite (and Mack’s) ended up being General Tao Chicken.

The Cooking Chronicles: Cinnamon Sticky Biscuits

I originally saw Julie van Rosendaal’s recipe for Cinnamon Sticky Biscuits in a print magazine, but lucky enough, it was also available on her blog, Dinner with Julie (it was profiled in the Journal a few months ago). I felt like a sweet dessert on Friday, and it seemed like a good recipe to try on a cool summer evening.

Except for lining the pan with parchment, and attempting (and failing) to roll out the dough with a rolling pin instead of patting it into a rectangle, I followed all of the directions as listed. Twenty minutes later, the oven yielded a bubbling pan of golden cinnamon buns.

I was expecting a biscuit-like consistency from the buns, but it actually tasted more like a cross between a biscuit and a regular bread-dough cinnamon bun, meaning that it took some getting used to. I wasn’t a huge fan of the sticky brown sugar, honey, and butter topping – it hardened quite quickly into a crunchy, chewy candy-like confection that didn’t go well with the softer texture of the biscuits.

This would be a great go-to recipe to pull out for an afternoon tea, rainy-day activity with the kids (they can help mix the dough or help top the rolled-out dough), or when you’re looking for a quick after-dinner treat.

Cinnamon Sticky Biscuits

Value Meal, Italian-Style: Italian Bakery

Wanting something other than what was waiting for me in the communal fridge, I headed to the Italian Bakery (10646 97 Street), hoping it would live up to the fantastic review in Vue Weekly two months ago.

Italian Bakery & Delicatessen

A modest line greeted me at the deli counter. A number slip indicated I was just three away from a custom sandwich built the way I wanted – and cheaper than the average supermarket pre-packed variety. A small (with 1 meat and 1 cheese) is just $2.50, a medium (with up to 2 meats and 1 cheese) is priced at $3, while a large (with 2 meats and 1 cheese) is $5, all garnished with either mayo, mustard, or vegetable spread  and banana peppers if so desired. Saran wrapped for no hassle travel, it would be the perfect sandwich to take on a picnic, or in my case, provide a reprieve from a lunch of weekday leftovers.

Deli counter

Menu

The time in line was actually a blessing in disguise, as it gave me some breathing room to decide which meat and cheese combination I wanted to try. After some deliberation, I chose chicken breast and German butter cheese to be paired with vegetable spread. One of the three behind-the-counter deli ladies (each with their own individual slicing machines) efficiently took my order and assembled my sandwich. I marvelled at how all of the employees were so cheery and friendly despite the growing crowd of hungry customers.

Also prompted by the review, I asked for a single slice of tiramisu ($2.50). With my meal ready, I snagged one of the three tables situated against the window (great for people watching) and dug in.

Small sandwich and tiramisu

The freshness of the bread was apparent, and with the accoutrements, it made me wonder why I had ever made a fuss over Pret a Manger‘s looks-better-than-it-tastes paper and plastic-encased sandwiches. As for the cake, the bottom half of the tiramisu was exactly what I was expecting – a coffee-soaked layer of homemade ladyfingers accented with a rich marscapone cream. My only wish was for the top half to have had an equal amount of spongy coffee goodness, instead of a dry cookie layer as it was.

While I can’t definitively say the Italian Bakery has the best meal deal in the area, it would at the very least find a place on the podium of values.

Food Notes

  • Eating local is all the rage now, so much so that it seems events galore – from cooking classes, tours, and sampling fairs – are a weekly affair. Edmonton’s Countryside TASTE! of Summer is such an event, taking place July 13 at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park. There will be live entertainment, a small market, and Taste of Edmonton-esque food booths. Tickets on sale at Ticketmaster and at the gate.
  • Another Edmonton trend that continues is “upscale” packaged dinners. Following in the footsteps of Wild Tangerine and Culina‘s Frozen Dinners, Bacon is now offering take-away dinners Tuesday through Saturday – $14 for a frozen entree, salad and dessert, packed in a biodegradable container.
  • I’m quite excited to check out Sip! The Wine and Food Experience at CapitalEx, July 17-26. Over 150 alcoholic beverages will be on hand to sample, but of course, I am mostly looking forward to the food pairings. The menu is here, while the schedule for special guest appearances is here.
  • My appointment television for the summer: The Next Food Network Star, showing on Wednesdays at 8pm MT. While I wished our episodes ran on par with the American channel, I can’t complain about the content of the show. In its last incarnation, I think the draw for me was the celebrity judges (Bobby Flay, Giada de Laurentiis, Rachael Ray), but this year, I’m actually more interested in seeing how the contestants fare in the challenges. It’s still too early to pick a favourite though.
  • Mack and I have been slowly working our way through the irresistible silver-packaged President’s Choice-branded chips. The first flavour we tried – General Tao Chicken – has actually been our favourite thus far; Szechwan was too mild and Smokin’ Stampede much too spicy. Waiting to be sampled on the kitchen table: Buffalo Wings and Blue Cheese.
  • Just before joining the lineup to await the grand opening of the Apple Store on Saturday, Mack and I tried the new Homestyle Hash Brown from Tim Hortons. It’s just about the only thing from a fast food outlet that remotely resembles the pictures I’ve seen in advertisements. Unfortunately, it didn’t taste as good as they described – the seasoning actually made it taste worse than the more plain McDonald’s version.
  • Shaken, not stirred: Before the fondue party, Annie and I chowed down on the new Maple Leaf Pasta Shakers. “Fresh” pre-cooked pasta, a light dressing, a package of sundried tomatoes, and vacuum sealed chicken are vigorously shaken together (that was the fun part) for an easy meal. The pasta was a bit scary-looking, as one would expect processed, preserved pasta to be, but appearance aside, it wasn’t bad, both portion and taste-wise.

 

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Shaker

The Cooking Chronicles: Chocolate Fondue Night

Annie graciously hosted a chocolate fondue party on Sunday night, something she has been wanting to do for some time.

While Janice and Annie cut up fruit we had purchased that afternoon, I got to work on preparing the chocolate base in a double boiler. Using Rachael Ray’s recipe as a guide, I melted together milk chocolate melting wafers, squares of dark chocolate, some whipping cream, and a dash of Baileys. Having never tried chocolate fondue before, I wasn’t sure what consistency to aim for, but as we could add chocolate and/or cream to the mixture anytime, I wasn’t too concerned. I transferred the concoction to the ceramic fondue pot, and surrounded by bowls of fresh fruit, cookies and sweets, the dessert looked positively inviting.

Count me surprised that the tiny tealight was able to keep the mixture bubbling, even to the point where we were able to easily melt in more chocolate to top off what we had. Between the strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, peaches, and apple slices, I liked the latter fruit the best – the crunchy texture suited the dipping exercise nicely. Chocolate-dipped Teddy Grahams weren’t bad as well, though the chocolate-chunk coated cookies were a bit too sweet, even for me. The fondue experience was not only fun, but I ended up feeling more full than I expected – it turns out one can eat quite a bit when everything is coated in chocolate.

Thanks Annie for hosting the party!

The spread

Annie posing with Black Cat Riesling (I bought it more for the novelty bottle than the wine itself)

Janice multitasks (again! and she was on call too!)

May and Janice

Me and Annie

The Cooking Chronicles: Chocolate and Banana Panino

I remember watching an episode of Giada’s Weekend Getaways where she feasted on a mean-looking chocolate and banana panino, and since then, have wanted to try one ever since. I picked up a baguette and some bananas on my way home from work on Friday, and after supper, intended on recreating Giada’s dessert for myself.

I spread Nutella on both slices of bread, placed three banana slices in between for the filling, and drizzled olive oil on the top and the bottom to help with the browning. Pressed down for two minutes in the George Foreman Grill, they were done, served along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I was hit with a deja vu moment of having possibly tried such a panino before, but I think it was just the classic combination of banana and chocolate that threw me off. While not fancy or particularly unique, these sandwiches would be an easy dessert for a weekday evening.

Chocolate and Banana Panino with Vanilla Ice Cream

Food Notes

  • The first of my FoodTV posts went live on Monday! Check out my write-up on the City Centre Market here.
  • Doggie-Style Deli, a cafe for dogs, just opened on the city’s west end. One question: why?
  • Edible Arrangements, the American-based company that has elevated the art of fruit arrangements, now has a store in Edmonton (102, 10179 105 Street, 429-2802).
  • I read on Chowhound that there are 3-course prix fixe meals available at some of Calgary’s reputable establishments, including Brava Bistro and Blink, outside of a “dine out week” event. I hope Edmonton follows this trend.
  • Capital Health (spurned by Edmonton Journal’s own searchable database a few years ago) launched a website that will allow those interested to look-up recent inspection reports.
  • Vij’s, famed for their Indian cuisine, has just added a bread-like dish called parantha made with ground crickets to their menu. His reasoning behind choosing to grind the crickets is spot on: “We decided to grind them into a flour so there was no visual effect, because in North America we eat with our eyes – if something does not look appealing, we tend not to eat it.” I hope to be able to try it when I’m in Vancouver later this summer.
  • Catherine Jheon at Food TV posted about a photography ban at David Chang’s popular Momofuku Ko. I’m not sure I agree with it, but it’s his restaurant, and he can set the rules, especially for a place where the seats are in such high demand.
  • I tried the new Margherita Pizza from Panago recently. While not as good as more “authentic” thin-crust pizzas from Leva or daCapo, it was pretty good. The fresh mozzarella made the pie.

 

Margherita Pizza

  • Easily seduced by the smell of fresh baked goods, I wandered over to Handy Bakery (8660 118 Avenue) after a meeting last week. Keen on tasting the difference between Chinese and Portuguese Egg Tarts, I picked up half a dozen for my family and I. Sweeter, with a caramelized surface supplemented by the buttery flakiness of puff pastry, each tart was a little piece of heaven. Liane Faulder introduced Nata, a new Portuguese Bakery in this week’s Bistro – I will definitely have to try their tarts some time as well.

 

Portuguese Egg Tarts

Salad Days of Summer: Sunterra Market

Drawn to Sunterra Market‘s Commerce Place location (2nd floor, 10150 Jasper Avenue) to satisfy a craving for vegetables, I was happy to find it absolutely hopping. I usually patronize them only after work hours for sweets, and thus have never had the opportunity to see it so vibrant.

I’m not sure about their recently completed renovations – the compartmental affect seems to block natural light from flowing through the previously more open space, and the “Frenchification” of everything (“bakery” has become “boulangerie”, garbage cans are now labelled “poubelle”) further increases Sunterra’s pretentiousness. At any rate, I’ll hold out final judgement after a few more visits.

On this day, I headed straight for the salad bar, where a focused employee was diligently filling up half-empty containers of salad options to satiate the bustling crowd. There were nearly two dozen options – a bed of spinach, wild greens, or romaine to be topped off by veggies (carrots, green peppers, grape tomatoes, among others), protein (hard boiled eggs, cubed ham, shredded chicken, chickpeas, sunflower seeds), various carbs (fried Asian noodles, croutons), cheese (feta, marble), and a choice of six unlabeled mystery dressings.

I picked up a plastic box, and with the Mongolie Grill principle of choosing the lightest ingredients, built my salad. I indulged a little – marble cheese cubes and a slice of roasted red pepper – which I thought would topple over my mainly spinach and white mushroom creation, but on the weigh station, the total came to just $3.70 (0.266kg at $1.39/100g).

Yes, maintaining a fridge and pantry of fresh ingredients would certainly be a cheaper way to go, but with the fun and variety possible with Sunterra’s fresh salad bar, I can see why people would shirk a packed lunch and opt for a spur-of-the-moment greens creation instead.

My salad, dressed with a healthy dose of raspberry vinaigrette