Food Notes for September 4, 2017

I hope the beautiful weather continues, but if not, at least we had the long weekend to drink in a last blast of summer. Hope you made the most of it, too! On to this week’s food notes:

Sorrentino’s annual Mushroom Harvest takes place the entire month of September, with feature menus, wine dinners, and special cooking classes.
The Faculty of Agricultural, Life, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta is hosting a free public screening of Food Evolution on September 12, 2017. It is a film about the status of food and the use of GMOs in food production.
In the Spirit of Festival Place combines a fundraiser with a spirit tasting on September 14, 2017. The $65 tickets include tastes of single malts, ports and madeiras, entertainment and light appetizers.
Tickets for Vignettes Does Dining’s dinner from the folks behind El Cortez, Have Mercy, and the forthcoming Holy Roller are now available for $90 each. The event takes place September 15, 2017.
Last year’s Mooncake Masterclass (organized in conjunction with the Chinatown Business Improvement Area’s Moonlight Carnival) was cancelled, so it’s great to see that they’re giving it another shot. It takes place on September 16, 2017 from 1-5pm – learn how to make mooncakes in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Tickets are $18.
Dig In, St. Albert’s horticulinary festival, runs September 19-23, 2017. The festival includes hands-on workshops and culinary walking and bike tours.
Early bird tickets for the 20th edition of the Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival, taking place November 10-11, 2017 at the Shaw Conference Centre, are now available. The discounted admission is available until September 27.
Coming soon: a Laotian restaurant called Khao + Naam.
The new restaurant in the Alberta Hotel has a name: Revel Bistro & Bar. It looks like they’re targeting a September opening.
Bingsu (Korean shared ice) has come to Edmonton in full force – Snowy Village is now open downtown at 11020 Jasper Avenue, to be followed by Snow Bear on September 9, 2017 just down the block at 10051 109 Street.
Villa Bistro (which has since replaced Free Press Bistro at 10014 104 Street) is now open.
Urbano Pizza has closed their Boardwalk location downtown, but on the plus side, Bodega will be expanding.
Rogue Wave Coffee has closed its location in Queen Mary Park, but has hopes to open up in a larger space in the near future.
Happy to hear Jacek is expanding their Sherwood Park location in time for the holiday season! Expect the new Experience Boutique to be open in November.
Cafe Linnea is now offering prix fixe Tuesdays, 3-course meals (plus an amuse bouche) for just $30.
Liane has a few more details about Farrow’s Ritchie location, namely, that they’re able to offer even more pastries.
A second cat cafe will open in Edmonton this fall called Paws the Cat Cafe, just north of Downtown on 109 Street.
Vue Weekly has an early review of Cargato in Forest Heights.
Twyla didn’t find much to be inspired about at Bottega 104, while Cindy is still hoping for more.
Jonny paid ACE Coffee Roasters a visit.
Graham wasn’t impressed with the service at Situation Brewing.
Cindy recapped the Taste Alberta International Street Food event that took place at Dogwood Cafe a few weeks ago.
Perhaps bathrooms shouldn’t have a place in these notes, but in case you’re hoping to support our local entry, Dorinku is up for the title of Canada’s Best Restroom. You can vote for them until September 8, 2017.
You may have heard of produced-based Community Supported Agriculture, but did you know it is possible to buy into a fruit-based one in Edmonton as well? Sprout Farms (an apple orchard) began a fruit share program this summer.
We had a lovely family dinner at Uccellino last week. Although we enjoyed all of the dishes, the panelle di ceci (fried chickpea polenta fritters) were the surprising favourite, light and airy, and had a texture reminiscent of tofu.

Panelle di ceci

When I get a hankering for frozen yogurt, I often forget about the Pinkberry tucked away in Rogers Place. Mack and I stopped in one night last week.

Frozen yogurt on steroids

104 Street Feast by Edmonton Food Tours

Mack and I were very fortunate to be able to spend Food Day Canada in early August with Karen Anderson. Karen is a culinary ambassador based in Calgary, well-known for her food writing and tours of markets and dining districts in our neighbour to the south. However, in the last year, she expanded her Calgary Food Tours business to encompass Edmonton and Canmore as well, rebranding as Alberta Food Tours.

In Edmonton, they presently offer three types of tours: Strathcona Feast centres on the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market and adjacent area; 104 Street Feast winds its way through the City Market; and the newest Downtown Delights tour exposes diners to old and new gems in the core. Karen engaged several well-known food personalities to lead the local tours, including Edmonton Journal writer Liane Faulder and chef Cindy Lazarenko. But on occasion, Karen leads the groups herself, which is how we came to meet her in August.

Karen had invited us to attend one tour of our choosing; although Mack and I are weekly patrons of the City Market (and residents of 104 Street), we selected the 104 Street Feast option because we wanted to see how Edmonton Food Tours would highlight something so close to home for us (for the record, Get Cooking also offers a City Market tour, followed by a cooking class).

All Edmonton Food Tours are $115 per person, and cover all of the food and drink samples over the course of three hours. We learned later that Karen prides herself on compensating the restaurants and producers she has partnered with. In total, Alberta Food Tours supports over 70 producers in the province.

104 Street Feast begins at Kitchen, Chef Brad Smoliak’s culinary studio. Home to cooking classes and wine dinners, the space is warm and inviting, and Brad made us feel right at home. The small group gathered around the large island for coffee and an introduction of what to expect that morning.

Starting off at Kitchen

We started off with a hearty Ukrainian brunch that we would contribute to. Brad gave us a quick tutorial on how to assemble perogies before setting us loose. He’d prepared a basic dough (a simple and ingenious 2:1 ratio of flour to Dairyland sour cream, mixed together with a dough hook) and a filling of potatoes and Winding Road cheese for us to use. Since his philosophy at the studio is to get people back into the kitchen, Brad recommends having a perogy party to socialize while making up enough batches to go around.

Making perogies!

This was the highlight of the day for me – it was my first time making perogies “from scratch”, and it is something I could definitely see myself doing in the future.

After that, the dishes just kept on coming from the kitchen. Served family-style, this was a unique brunch that I couldn’t imagine being offered anywhere else. Although all of us had big appetites, we barely made a dent in the food.

Brad serves up perogies

The meal highlighted ingredients sourced from the City Market. There was a simple and fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes dressed with cold pressed canola oil that helped cut through the richness of some of the other dishes (I especially loved the flecks of dill).

Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes

Meatballs, made with Acme ground beef and Irvings Farm Fresh pork, were simmered in a rich mushroom gravy, while Brad’s house-made kielbasa was accompanied by local Brassica Mustard.

Meatballs with mushroom gravy

House-made kielbasa

The nalsknky were easily my favourite, a house-made buttermilk cheese rolled in a crepe then doused in a mustard cream sauce. The perogies held up well, considering the inexperienced hands that had created them, and were served in Mack’s preferred way – with onions and lots of butter.

Nalsknky

Satisfied and eager to stretch our legs, the group wandered over to the City Market to commence the tour. In all, we would stop at ten different vendors or shops.

With Pat Batten from Ocean Odyssey Inland

At each vendor, Karen would provide some background about the business, then for most, we were offered a taste of a product or a sample to take home.

Sampling steak and cheese pies from Meat Street’s Thea Avis

Given the market was in full swing with other customers to serve, it wasn’t possible for each vendor to tell their own story, but I did appreciate when this was possible. For instance, Alan Cosh, one of the founders of the Fruits of Sherbrooke, shared with us the evolution of the non-profit that began in order to reduce food waste. They began with the production of applesauce, then pies, but finally found their form in jams. Today, they make 45 different varieties (including their bestseller, a chipotle rhubarb ketchup), and having finally broken even two years ago, is now making fruit snacks and applesauce tubes for inner city schools.

Alan Cosh from Fruits of Sherbrooke

We also had the opportunity to chat with Ian Treuer of Winding Road Cheese. Based in Smoky Lake, Winding Road is unique because of their use of a plant-based thistle rennet (as opposed to the more common animal-based rennet). Ian was also fresh from a second place award at the American Cheese Society Conference for his washed rind RDB cheese, which is quite the coup for a cheesemaker who stared as a hobbyist just a few years ago. Winding Road currently offers seven different types of cheese, ranging from the stronger Highland Hall, a soft bloomy rind cheese, to a mild German butter cheese. Mack, upon sampling the award-winning RDB, actually stopped in his tracks to appreciate its flavour.

Ian Treuer from Winding Road Cheese

The entire tour took place at a relaxed pace, and we never felt rushed to move on. The three hour length was reasonable, and would allow guests to continue to browse the market afterwards on their own if they chose to do so. As a whole, the 104 Street Feast is a good resource for locals hoping to learn more about the market, as stories and firsthand connections to producers can be very powerful, but I did think the selection of vendors leaned more towards prepared products. It’s my bias as the City Market provides the foundation of our weekly groceries, so I would have liked to see more farmers included apart from Gull Valley and Reclaim Farm. A meat or egg producer would have rounded things out nicely, and might provide locals with a reason to return to the market on a more frequent basis.

City Market

Still, the fact that not one, but two tours centre around the City Market is encouraging. 104 Street Feast definitely sets itself apart with the decadent Ukrainian brunch, perogy lesson, and the opportunity to hear from producers firsthand. If you’re hoping to learn more about one of Edmonton’s food institutions, I’d encourage you to consider joining this tour.

Edmonton Food Tours’ 104 Street Feast continues weekly every Saturday until October 7, 2017.

Food Notes for August 28, 2017

It feels like we’re getting a last blast of summer this week, though I can hardly believe we’re already at the end of August! Hope you’re soaking up every minute of it too. On to this week’s food notes:

What the Truck?! has released the line-up of vendors to expect at their final event of the season on September 9, 2017, from 12-7pm on Capital Boulevard.
If you have an excess of apples and want to transform it into cider, consider attending Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton’s cider pressing event on September 9. A quarter of the cider will go to the volunteers, but you’d get to take the rest home!
Nate Box is expanding his empire to include a sausage and beer hall called Salz. They’re hosting a pop-up bratwurst dinner at District on September 10, 2017 if you’re hoping for an early taste of the menu.
The Butternut Tree is the latest restaurant to try and fill the space once occupied by The Copper Pot in Grandin at 101, 9707 110 Street. They’ve set their opening date as September 1, 2017.
Montreal Hotdogs has delayed their opening date to September 18, 2017.
Ripe Tomato Pizza, a Calgary-based quick-service pizza chain, just opened its first Edmonton location at 5011 Ellerslie Road SW.
The Rec Room has opened its second Edmonton location at West Edmonton Mall. Unlike the South Edmonton Common flagship, they have just two of the dining options – The Shed and Three10.
Congratulations to the Commodore Restaurant, an Edmonton institution, which celebrates 75 years in operation this year!
Metro profiles vegan pizzeria Die Pie.
Cindy breaks down what makes Menya Yuzen stand out in our increasingly crowded ramen scene.
Linda is one of the first to review Nara Chicken and Tonkatsu, located at 8712 150 Street.
Vue Weekly has a positive reception to Venezuelan newcomer Avila Arepa.
Jonny reviews Thien An, a new Vietnamese restaurant located at 7304 101 Avenue.
Graham believes Biera has done an excellent job at pairing their dishes with the in-house beer.
The Journal enjoyed their visit to Tang Bistro.
Crystal checked out Urbano Pizza.
The second Culinary Lab Series dinner took place last week. Eat North put together a video capturing what we missed.
Linda recapped this year’s Sturgeon County Bounty event.
Alexis Hillyard, the maven behind the popular Stump Kitchen YouTube series, is running a crowdfunding campaign to support the production of the videos.
The New York Daily News shows some love for Edmonton and Calgary.
Mack and I checked out the annual Viva Italian Viva Edmonton festival in Giovanni Caboto Park yesterday. The grounds were packed with families enjoying the event, which included food trucks, performances, and even wrestling! There was also a tent that housed food-related events all afternoon – the highlight for us was an olive oil education session led by the Italian Centre’s Teresa Spinelli (they sold over 100,000 litres of olive oil last year!).

#eatlikeanItalian at VIVE

It’s been too long since our last visit to Route 99, but I’m happy to say the poutine was exactly as I remembered.

Our Route 99 staple

Will Bike for Food: Food Bike Tour

Back in July, Mack and I were invited to join a Food Bike Tour. In their second year, the local company “strives to promote local people, places and products through healthy living”, merging a love of cycling and food. Each tour is unique, with stops at 4-6 locations. Tickets are $99 each, and cover all of the food and drink provided over the course of the 6 hour tour. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bike, though we ended up renting through their partner, River Valley Adventure Company, at a discounted rate of $40 per bike for the day.

We met the rest of our tour group at Ezio Farone Park that Saturday morning. Collectively, we numbered around 40 participants, more than enough to comprise a critical mass to lend confidence to less experienced road cyclists like myself.

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Vanessa kicks off the tour

Food Bike Tour owner and tour leader Vanessa Ojeda was full of energy as she welcomed the group and provided an overview of the day. We’d all received an e-mail outlining the itinerary in advance, but we were also introduced to the three other guides who would be along for the ride, ready and able to help with bike fixes or first aid needs.

Our first leg took us through some of the river valley trails and up to High Street, where we stopped for some cheese education at Paddy’s Cheese. Fern Janzen has owned Paddy’s since 2001, and shared some of her wisdom with us:

store hard cheeses in cheesecloth, soft cheeses in thin wax paper, blue cheeses in tin foil
cheese doesn’t respond well to changes in temperature and humidity, so it’s best not to let it linger out of the fridge for too long
don’t freeze cheese (except she recommended grating cheese ends that can be repurposed in a recipe for cheese spread)

Fern shared that although truffled cheeses were once the most expensive product she stocked, it’s now the burrata, a fresh cheese that must be sold within two weeks.

Fern shares her cheese knowledge

Before departing, Fern offered us several samples of cheese. Mack’s favourite was the wookey hole cheddar, a cave aged farmstand cheese from the UK.

We pedaled back downtown for our only full meal at Grandin Fish and Chips. We were given the freedom to select anything off the menu, though everyone stuck to the restaurant’s namesake dish.

Haddock and chips at Grandin

Chef Jesse Morrison-Gauthier was cooking behind the counter, and curiously didn’t address the crowd. It would have been nice to hear from him firsthand, particularly about the fresh products they’ve sourced from Effing Seafoods and Fin’s.

After the delicious but heavy meal, it was nice to get back on the bike and work it off. We rode to Cafe Sorrentino’s on 107 Avenue. At each of the stops, Food Bike Tour staff made sure those without locks would have their bikes chained together, something Mack and I appreciated for the convenience of not having to lock up our bikes individually.

Inside, Chris Hrynyk, the Assistant Corporate Chef with Sorrentino’s, led us through a condensed cooking assembly lesson. The location hosts a number of different cooking classes for kids, adults, and team building. Our group prepared (and enjoyed) arancini and bacon-wrapped figs.

A lesson in arancini

Around us, staff were busy preparing meals for various airlines – I wasn’t aware that Sorrentino’s supplied the pre-packaged boxes sold on some Sunwing and WestJet flights.

Forming a bacon-wrapped fig

By the time we departed for our next stop, temperatures were peaking at 31 degrees. Not being an avid cyclist really made the next leg challenging for me, particularly in the heat. The route took us through the lovely Mill Creek Ravine trails, so I was grateful for the shade, but in all honesty I probably could have used a rest break in between.

The itinerary had originally called for a stop at Cafe Bicyclette, but a private booking there meant we skipped straight to The Wired Cup in Strathearn.

Dave Jackson of The Wired Cup

Open for ten years, the neighbourhood coffee shop makes their own muffins, granola, and bread for their sandwiches. We sampled some of the housemade granola, iced coffee, and iced tea while perusing the items in the gift shop.

We biked back across the river to Parlour on Capital Boulevard. General Manager Steve Roy took us through the history of the 111 year old building (warehouse, car garage, casino/gentleman’s club, coffee house, and hair salon) before treating the group to a tasting of three of their draught wines. I appreciated that two of the three wines they served were Canadian, including a personal favourite, the Red Rooster pinot gris.

Wine tasting at Parlour

Our final restaurant was close to home – the newly-opened Bottega on 104 Street. Neither Mack or I had been yet, so it was a great opportunity to sample some of their fare.

The scene at Bottega

The restaurant prepared several of their pastas and pizzas for the group to taste – we all must have been pretty hungry by that point, as the food disappeared quickly from the buffet table!

One of my favourites that night – rigatoni abruzzi

Many people decided to linger, purchasing drinks or other dishes to round out the day. We unfortunately had to return our bikes before the rental office closed, so we couldn’t stay. Our parting gift from the tour was a bag with snacks, water, and some valuable incentives to return to the businesses we visited that day, including a free pizza voucher from Parlour, a $10 gift card from Grandin Fish & Chips, and a 2 for 1 coffee at the Wired Cup. Vanessa also provided each of us with a Food Bike Tour passport; we had received a stamp at each stop along the way. If we attended future tours and collected a total of 30 stamps, we would be eligible for a $50 gift certificate from one of the tour restaurants.

One of my favourite aspects of the tour was the diversity of the businesses we visited, and the hands-on activities that were incorporated. It was neat to taste, learn, and cook our way through the city!

Most of the businesses are compensated for their participation, but in the process hope to expose their business to a new crowd. The attendees we talked to had a great time and were very open to learning about new dining options, so while it seemed to have a positive affect, only time will tell if the tour will result in return visits.

The length was also an obvious challenge for me in terms of time commitment and fitness level required, as we ended up cycling nearly 30km that day. When asked, it appears their target demographic are avid cyclists, so the distance wouldn’t be such a barrier for this group. Still, if Food Bike Tours hopes to expand their reach in the future, they may want to consider half day tours on evenings or weekends that remain on one side of the river. It would be a nice teaser for those less comfortable with urban cycling as well.

Overall, I commend Food Bike Tours on encouraging alternative transportation modes to explore Edmonton. Vanessa’s passion for food and fitness is obvious, and she is helping to expose some local gems to a wider audience. Thanks again for having us!

Food Bike Tours runs until September – their last tours this year take place on September 9 and 16, 2017.

Food Notes for August 21, 2017

Summer weekends in Edmonton offer so many choices! We spent ours taking advantage of Open Farm Days. It was great to see some of the farms we shop at weekly first hand, and to be introduced to others – I hope to write about these visits soon! On to this week’s food notes:

Save the date for the last What the Truck?! of the season on September 9, 2017 from 12-7pm on Capital Boulevard.
Dogwood Cafe is hosting a fun international Taste of Alberta dinner outdoors at the Riverside Gold Course on August 26, 2017. On the menu: Mexican street corn, Brazilian grilled chicken hearts, Thai Larb lettuce wraps, and Salchincha kaftas. Tickets are $29, and include three food vouchers.
Vignettes Does Dining is back for another year. Tickets for a pop-up at Tzin on September 2, 2017 are now on sale for $150 each.
Die Pie had to postpone their grand opening date from August 18 to August 25, 2017.
Mayday Dogs in the Mercer Warehouse is hoping to open the first week of September.
Great to hear that Drift will be open during the winter at the Shamrock Curling Club.
Sorry to hear that Cafe Linnea is reverting to a tip-based system as of August 22, 2017, as “the [no tipping]current model has proven to be untenable.”
Ripe Tomato Pizza, a quick-serve Neopolitan pizza company based out of Calgary, is coming to Edmonton. Find them soon at Harvest Point, 5011 Ellerslie Road SW.
Cindy is the first to review Chinese Crepe, located in the Mayfair Building at 10815 Jasper Avenue.
Vue Weekly paid a visit to a newcomer to Edmonton’s pizza scene, Buono Pizzeria and Grill.
Jonny checked out Banjara, a South Indian restaurant in Duggan.
Chartier, one of the four local establishments on the shortlist of En Route’s Best New Restaurants, has shared their thoughts on the key ingredient to #yegfood’s success.
Taste of Edmonton made it official last week by announcing their move to the Alberta Legislature grounds in 2018.
Valerie’s latest “In the Kitchen” post features an apple beet soup, just in time for the beet harvest.
I hadn’t heard of Habit before, a food tech startup that posits that everyone could benefit from a personalized nutritional blueprint.
It was a bit of a coincidence that I ended up at King Noodle House for a second Sunday in a row, but it’s hard to pass up their bun bo Hue on a cool summer afternoon.

Bun Bo Hue at King Noodle House

Food Notes for August 14, 2017

Festival season in the city continues, with the Fringe this week of course, but also the Edmonton Latin Festival on August 19-20, 2017 at Churchill Square.
The Edmonton Horticultural Society is hosting a Tomato Extravaganza on August 29, 2017 from 2-8pm at the Enjoy Centre. The event will include a greenhouse tour, cooking demonstrations, tastings, and tomato growing tips and tricks. Adult admission is $5.
Mark your calendar for the 8th annual Bacon Day, a fundraiser for Youth Empowerment and Support Services. Hosted at Workshop Eatery, guests will be treated to several swine-inspired items, a bacon dessert cook-off, and drinks. Tickets are $90.
Eat North is hosting its inaugural Prairie Grid Dinner Series, taking place in four cities across three provinces. It hits Edmonton on October 1, 2017. Tickets for the five-course dinner are $140.
Chef Lindsay Porter is leaving Woodwork to open up her own “English-inspired” restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Cured (2307 Ellwood Drive). She’s aiming to open by October 2017.
Die Pie, which claims to be Alberta’s first plant-based pizzeria, officially opens on August 18, 2017. They’re located at 11215 Jasper Avenue.
The Downtown Edmonton Community League is stoking the rumour mill that Japanese BBQ chain Gyu-Kaku will be taking over a portion of the former Sobeys space on Jasper Avenue & 104 Street.
The Century Hospitality-branded restaurant that will take over the former Piccolino Bistro now has a name: Rebel Food and Drink.
Farrow, the popular sandwich shop, has opened up a second location in Ritchie at 9855 76 Avenue.
Cartago, a new bar and cocktail lounge, is now open in Forest Heights at 8204 106 Avenue. It’s really great to see these additions made to Edmonton’s mature neighbourhoods.
The Nook Cafe (which has since replaced Massawa Cafe at 10153 97 Street) is now open.
Twyla loved the food at Biera, the new brewpub located in Ritchie Market’s Blind Enthusiasm.
Jonny is one of the first to review El Fogon Latino on 118 Avenue.
The Journal had a positive experience at Calle Mexico.
Crystal enjoyed some aspects of her cook-it-yourself meal at Lava Rock Grille Sushi more than others.
Graham ponders the eternal debate, surf or turf, as he contrasts Sabor Divino and Pampa.
Vue Weekly enjoyed Prairie Noodle’s version of ramen.
St. Viateur fans will be happy to know that Cafe Bicyclette now stocks a few of their bagel varieties. $12.60 a bag.
Congratulations to the four Edmonton and area restaurants that made it onto EnRoute’s Best New Restaurants shortlist: Alder Room, Bar Clementine, Cafe Linnea and Chartier.
Calgary-based blogger Julie Van Rosendaal came through Edmonton for a weekend, and has plenty of recommendations from her visit.
Duchess Atelier just released their Fall class schedule. Classes will go on sale on August 21, 2017.
Valerie’s latest Cooking With post features a recipe for a Newfoundland specialty – fried cod tongues.
Liane introduces a new cookbook by a local food writer and NAIT professor Kristine Kowalchuk that provides a glimpse of 17th century recipes and techniques.
Monument, Block 1912’s sister café north of the river is now open at 10803 Jasper Avenue! It’s always great to have more independent coffee shops around, especially ones that are open later into the evening. It’s great that they serve locally-made products, including Meat Street Pies and Moonshine Donuts. They’ll be hosting their grand opening on August 15, 2017 from 11am-3pm.

Monument

Mack and I finally made it to Dorinku in Old Strathcona on Friday night. It’s a lively place that reminded me a little of Guu in Toronto. We only sampled a handful of dishes, but our favourite by far was the torokeru chashu, a braised pork cheek that did melt in our mouth, as advertised!

Chashu at Dorinku

I enjoyed my first Instagrammable Walls of Edmotnon walk with Linda and Brittney on Saturday! One of the best things about the walk was the end destination – King Noodle House.

#33 at King Noodle

Orchard Tour at the Green & Gold Community Garden

The Green & Gold Community Garden has been in operation at the University of Alberta’s South Campus since 2009. Volunteer-run, the proceeds raised from the two acre farm go towards a not-for-profit organization that supports women in Rwanda. They grow about 50 different types of produce, with the availability posted on their website every week. Though I’d been to the garden early on and a few times over the years, I wasn’t aware that the farm was adjacent to a small orchard. At the end of July, Mack and I attended a free tour of the orchard to learn more about some of the fruits that can be grown in our climate.

Green & Gold Community Garden

The tour was led by Gabe Botar, who worked for the U of A as a horticulturalist for 30 years and initiated the orchard. Although he has since retired, he is now a mentor to the Green & Gold volunteers who have taken over the responsibility of caring for the orchard he developed over 25 years ago.

Gabe Botar

The hour long tour showcased the variety contained in the orchard. Some of the fruits we encountered are more commonly found around the city – apples, Evans cherries, saskatoons, goji berries – but some were unexpected, such as pears, grapes, apricots and butternut. The Green & Gold Garden sells the apricots collected from the trees, so it’s worth a visit if you’re wondering what they taste like!

In the orchard

It was clear Gabe was passionate about this subject, and could have easily extended the tour into the evening hours. And though he is officially retired, he’s still experimenting – his latest breeding project is miniature pears.

Grapes

I will admit that as a non-gardener, much of the technical information about grafting and root stocks sailed above my head, but it was still a neat experience to see different types of fruit that can thrive in Edmonton.

Evans cherries

The Green & Gold Garden will be hosting three more tours in August, on August 15 (7-8pm), and August 19 & 26 (1-2pm). If you intend to go – plan to arrive early and pick up some produce before the tour begins.

Food Notes for August 7, 2017

I hope you all had a great long weekend! The weather wasn’t entirely co-operative, but the break helped make the most of what’s left of our summer. On to this week’s food notes:

Sabor’s annual Seafood Festival runs from August 4 – September 3, 2017. Cindy has a preview of the dishes you can expect.
Cariwest runs next weekend, from August 11-13, 2017.
There’s still time to plan your Alberta Open Farm Days weekend August 19-20, 2017. I’m looking forward to hosting the Grand Taste Tour alongside Linda on August 19, 2017, with visits to Blindman Brewery, Rock Ridge Dairy, and a tour and dinner at Doef’s Greenhouse. Tickets are $110. It’s sure to be a fun day – check out my recaps of previous Grand Taste Tours in 2016 and 2015.
Northlands is also hosting different workshops and tours of their Urban Farm on August 20, 2017. I’m looking forward to joining one of their rural farm bus tours – I attended last year and it’s hard to beat a $5 fee for the experience.
Sunworks is hosting their annual Family Farm Day on September 4, 2017. Tour the farm and enjoy a BBQ lunch. There is no charge to attend, but RSVP by August 31, 2017. I had the chance to see the farm back in June.
Voting for Avenue’s Burger Challenge continues with round three – vote for your favourites from the “sweet 16” group by August 13.
Pampa’s second Edmonton location is opening on August 8 in south Edmonton, at 9626 Ellerslie Road SW.
Rooster Cafe & Kitchen will open in September in the space formerly occupied by Artistan Resto-Cafe (10732 82 Avenue)
Chinese Crepe and Taiwanese dessert bar ZenQ are now open in The Mayfair (Jasper Ave & 109 Street). It also looks like a gelato shop is also forthcoming to the building later this year, La Carraia.
Monument (Block 1912’s sister cafe located in The Mayfair) is near completion and will be opening this week.
Cartago is a forthcoming beer and cocktails spot in Forest Heights, at 8204 106 Avenue.
Linda noticed a relative newcomer to the food scene, Nara Chicken & Tonkatsu at 8712 150 Street.
Sharon had a positive experience at Loft Thai Eatery in south Edmonton, located at 5324 75 Street.
Diane provides a detailed review of her multi-course meal at Alta.
Crystal stopped by XO Bistro and Bar for lunch.
Graham compares the spectrum of sushi available at Sumo Sumo’s new Edmonton location and relative newcomer Takami Sushi.
Cindy recapped the pop-up hosted by Masterchef Canada finalist Mai Nguyen.
Alberta now has its first self-serve beer wall at Barney’s Pub & Grill in Leduc.
Congratulations to Ian Treuer of Winding Road Cheese for placing second in the Washed Rind Cheese category at the American Cheese Society Conference! He shared his experience on his blog.
Effective August 15, 2017, craft beer and spirits can be sold at Alberta approved farmers’ markets. This new provincial law doesn’t apply to public markets.
A study commissioned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency found that 1 in 5 sausages tested across Canada contained meat that wasn’t included on the label.
Mack and I kicked off the long weekend at Otto – I’d been craving another Otto dog since sampling it at the Eats on 118 crawl earlier this summer. It’s a lovely place to relax and unwind – laid back with great service. I’ll be back again soon.

Our platter at Otto

Congratulations to the Heritage Festival for breaking their attendance record this year! Mack and I had a great time on Sunday, making sure to sample from the two new pavilions this year, Liberia and Syria. I had to end our feast with a tradition – langos from Hungary.

Langos from Hungary

Schnitzel-mania: Haus Falkenstein

My friend May was intrigued by the idea of Haus Falkenstein, a small restaurant near Westmount that holds the Guinness World Record for serving the largest variety of pan-fried schnitzels (347, if you were wondering). An article in the Journal back in January reminded the public that the restaurant re-opened after rebuilding from a fire next door, but other than that, there hasn’t been too much buzz about the place. We met up there for dinner a few weeks ago on a Friday night to check it out for ourselves.

Located in a nondescript strip mall, Haus Falkenstein would have to be sought out; it’s not easily stumbled upon otherwise. It was about half full when we arrived, with several large parties on hand.

Décor is kitschy, with clothing and beer mugs on display, and a full wall dedicated to their favourite soccer team. It contributes to the overall charm of the family-run restaurant which started in the small town of Lougheed, southeast of Edmonton.

Interior

May and I were both a bit overwhelmed by the menu, even if it’s been a bit reduced for every day service to only 67 varieties. They range from more traditional schnitzels with fresh lemon, or fried onions and mushrooms, to more creative options topped with shrimp, eggs and cheese, or ham and pineapple. I decided to keep things classic with the Jäger cream schnitzel

($18.95 with fries), topped with a mushroom-bacon cream sauce. May was a bit more adventurous with her order of the FC Schalke 04 schnitzel ($21.45 with potato salad), topped with homemade curry sauce.

The menu promises freshly cut, pounded, and fried schnitzel, which necessitates some patience. The wait was reasonable though (made easier with a simple salad starter, included in the price), and we were rewarded with hot, made to order plates. As expected, the portion size was generous, but not untenable; as the schnitzel had been prepared very thin, the meat itself wasn’t as heavy as I anticipated, crispy with a nice light breading. The Jäger cream sauce, however, was on the salty side for me, and I much prefer fresh to canned mushrooms. The menu reasons that prices and food waste would be higher if they relied on fresh mushrooms, but that’s a choice they made.

Jäger cream schnitzel

I actually enjoyed the flavour of May’s curry sauce much better, a nice balance of sweetness and a touch of heat.

FC Schalke 04 schnitzel

We both agreed that in the future, we’d opt for the potato croquettes instead, as our neighbouring parties had done. The fries didn’t remain crispy for long, and while May didn’t mind her potato salad, it was nothing special.

Service was fine, if perfunctory, though I appreciated that the server asked us how we heard of Haus Falkenstein. She told us it had been full immediately after the Journal piece was published, but only just steady since then. They had recently run some radio ads, but were not certain how else they could increase traffic to the restaurant. It’s not a new challenge in the food business, especially with regards to keeping interest alive in a saturated market. With their central dish seen by some (including me) as an occasional indulgence however, they may have more difficulty securing consistent, repeat business than some other establishments.

That said – they do have a schnitzel for every craving, so I know I’ll be back at some point, with more than a few left to try.

Haus Falkenstein
15215 111 Avenue
(780) 483-5904
Wednesday – Sunday 4-9pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Food Notes for July 31, 2017

For all those Harry Potter fans out there: Chartier’s burger night on August 1 is themed after the series.
A reminder that the Heritage Festival runs this weekend from August 5-7, 2017. If you’re heading down to take it in, don’t forget to bring a donation for the Edmonton Food Bank.
As a part of Festival Place’s community celebration Chautauqua in August, they’ll be hosting a free Craft Beer School and Tasting on August 12, 2017, from 2-9pm.
Chix Shack, specializing in Thai chicken, is now open at 10149 109 Street.
Vegan pizzeria Die Pie has set their grand opening date: August 18, 2017 at 5pm. They are located at 11215 Jasper Avenue.
More pizza to come: Al Centro is a “Roman pizza bar” to open Downtown in 2018.
Yuzen in St. Albert will be expanding their operations: Sushi Yuzen in St. Albert and ramen-based Menya Yuzen on Edmonton’s west end. In the meantime, their current St. Albert location has become Menya Yuzen, open from Wednesdays to Sundays.
Montreal Hotdogs premiered their menu at K-Days. They will be opening three locations in the Edmonton area – Downtown, Beaumont and Cochrane.
While Vue previews what to expect at RE:GRUB, the new Calgary-based burger bar that just opened in Old Strathcona, Sharon recaps her experience.
The Journal reviews the Crudo family’s latest restaurant, Bottega 104.
Crystal pays Sherwood Park’s Via Cibo a visit.
Jonny reminds us that Swiss 2 Go is worth checking out.
If now now, when? Check out Linda’s list of 10 cold treats to beat the heat.
Made with Love, Canada’s largest mixology competition, landed in Edmonton last week. Congratulations to winners Tyler Gushaty from North 53 and Leland Morrison from the Black Pearl – they’ll be competing in the finals in May 2018.
Congratulations to all of the winners in this year’s Canadian Food Championships!
The Leftovers Foundation, which rescues food that would otherwise go to waste, was profiled on Global.
The Free Press Bistro (10014 104 Street) has been sold, with the new tenant having renamed the space Villa Bistro.

Villa Bistro

On the same street, Munch will fill in a storefront that has been vacant for some time at 10040 104 Street.

Munch

Mack and I had a great time at our annual visit to K-Days (which ended Sunday). There’s nothing like a stroll through the midway! We tried a few new items, including a solid poutine from Montreal Hotdogs, but had to indulge in a bag of Those Little Donuts, too.

Authentic poutine from Montreal Hotdogs

The real reason we go to K-Days

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