The Tomato Food and Drink - July/August 2012

The flavour of Edmonton’s food scene | July August 2012 | thetomato.ca

Summer, defined

See the city from our point of view.

Enjoy patio season with savory food and spectacular views on Edmonton’s premiere patio.

10065 100th Street 780-424-5181 fairmont.com/macdonald

Reserve Now

@FairmontMAC The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

FRESH AIR. FRESH FARE. Edmonton’s year round downtown farmers’ market returns to 104TH Street.

May 19 until October 6 Saturdays: 9am - 3pm city-market.ca

editor Mary Bailey marybee@shaw.ca

Contents Features

publisher BGP Publishing

copy editor Amanda LeNeve

designer Bossanova Communications Inc.

contributing writers Peter Bailey Judy Schultz Trent Wilkie

illustration/photography Mary Bailey Amanda LeNeve Kevan Morin, Curtis Comeau Photography To Be In Pictures

8 10 12 16 20 28

An Entertaining Menu Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad Smoliak

Tossed!

Summer salad recipe collection

A Recipe for Indulgence Menu highlights from Indulgence ’12

It’s Gin O’Clock Charge your glass. To The Queen!

Street Food From a truck, a cart or a pod

Grillin’ The definition of summer

design and prepress

Departments

Bossanova Communications Inc.

printer Transcontinental

distribution The Globe and Mail For editorial inquires, information, letters, suggestions or ideas, contact The Tomato at 780-431-1802, fax 780-433-0492, or email marybee@shaw.ca.

For advertising information call 780-431-1802.

the tomato is published six times per year: January/February March/April May/June July/August September/October November/December

5 6 14 22 24 26 30

Dish Gastronomic happenings around town

In Season First law of pie: no pastry, no pie | Mary Bailey

Drink Wines for summer drinking | Mary Bailey

Beer Guy Look east | Peter Bailey

Kitchen Sink What’s new and notable

Feeding People Cooking outdoors | Trent Wilkie

According to Judy Spies, lies and videotapes | Judy Schultz

by BGP Publishing 9833 84 Avenue Edmonton, AB T6E 2G1 780-431-1802 Subscriptions are available for $25 per year.

Lisel Jane Ashlock is a New York based illustrator and designer. Painting her images on birch panel, she approaches each piece with a sensitivity and acknowledgement of the natural world. www.liseljane.com

thetomato.ca

The Tomato | July August 2012 3

Now That’s Italian!

Bakery • Deli • Produce Specializing in European Products

DOWNTOWN 10878-95 Street 9-9 Everyday

SOUTHSIDE 5028-104A Street 9-9 Everyday

780-424-4869

780-989-4869

Foods for entertaining Saturdays at the City Market Downtown Under the chandelier

www.italiancentre.ca

gastronomic happenings around town |

dish

we all scream for ice cream

Armed with only a standard backyard barbecue, and without the use of a real kitchen, Zinc’s Doreen Prei and Shane Loiselle proved, once again, it’s not the equipment that counts.

But the quality of the ingredients does. The two chefs made a pop up dinner at a café in St. Albert to showcase Alberta pork and coldpressed canola oil. Their black box contained silky, cold-pressed canola oils (thank you Alberta Canola Commission) fresh asparagus and meats from the excellent Sangudo Custom Meats.

Local meat producers, impressed by the quality and efficiency of the operation, are thrilled to be working with them.

Bon Ton Bakery is now carrying Pinocchio Ice Cream in single serving containers. “The little size has just taken off, it’s flying,” says Tom Ursino, owner of the Edmonton-based family business. “I have to take 2000 containers home at night to label them.

Vanilla is still our best seller in any size, then the coconut, chocolate and raspberry sorbet. Bacio? Not so much, even though women love it. I tell men, ‘having an argument with your wife?

Take her some Bacio.’ We’re always trying to improve things; our cappuccino flavour is now more coffee-ish; we’re working with the Cheesiry on a sheep’s milk ice cream, great for people like me who are lactose intolerant.” The single portion cups are also available at Prairie Bistro, Wild Earth and Plant Organic.

Mary Bailey photo

popup

Doreen Prei and Shane Loiselle. The downside of pop-ups: taking home all the dirty dishes – in your car.

’cue with a view The patio at the Mac (Fairmont Hotel Macdonald) is now in full swing with a fab barbecue menu by chef Andrew Ihasz.

Highlights include the watermelon and halloumi brochettes with chili-mint glaze, the Morroccanspiced lamb kofta kebab and, of course, savoury Alberta beef sliders hot off the grill. The terrace is a magical place, full of history, chic and sophisticated, with a spectacular view — and it’s our number one choice for celebrity spotting.

Practical too — the large canopy keeps the sun manageable during the day and warm at night.

Don’t wait for guests coming to town, pop down on an evening for no reason at all.

Was it inevitable that Charles Rothman would make a career in hospitality? “My father was a hotelier — I spent the first five years of my life growing up in a hotel in Sao Paolo, Brazil. I still love hotels,” he says. “My first real job was with Michael Carlevalle, a legendary Toronto restaurauteur. I was the reservationist. I sat at the corner of the bar with a glass of water and answered phones, and I loved it.” Fast forward 16 years. “When I started to research what the Petroleum Club was, I saw a tremendous opportunity to be part of an organization that is entrenched in the community, with reach and influence.

“My job is to help recapture the vintage.

The beautiful building had been somewhat neglected. We will modernize but in a vintage way, with great dining, updated uniforms and incredible event spaces, and bring back the elegance of the Edmonton Petroleum Club. It gives me goose bumps thinking of the potential of what we’ll do.”

Amanda LeNeve photo

We love the sprightly Belvoir bevvies, softly sparkling, not too sweet, made with natural flavours. Enjoy Belvoir Elderflower or Raspberry Lemonade right out of the bottle, or in a cocktail.

Elderflower Collins: over rocks in a tall highball glass; 1 measure St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur; one measure Victoria Gin; top with Elderflower Belvoir, $4, at Zocalo.

All this, and that view!

cocktail time Channel your inner Betty Draper with a charmingly witty apron made by St. Albert designer Moriganagh McNally. More for serving cocktails than stuffing a chicken a la Julia Child, the aprons come embellished with rhinestones; some even have built in crinolines — think of the outfits, $40 at Hillaby’s.

Lynn Hillaby photo

Charles Rothman, the new general manager of the Edmonton Petroleum Club, talks hospitality.

the most refreshing English drink

Pretty in polka-dot.

barbecue like a pro Brad Smoliaks’s new book The Canadian Barbecue Cookbook is a useful read for Canadian barbecue enthusiasts, with 75 recipes and large vibrant photos, all in an easy-to-use, coil-bound format. It features recipes from his best selling Canadian Barbecue Cookbook, along with some of Company’s Coming’s favourite barbecue recipes, $26, companyscoming.com.

The Tomato | July August 2012 5

in season

INSURANCE

| mary bailey

The first law of pies: no pastry, no pie*

SPECIALIZING IN SMALL BUSINESS, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY!

Summer in Alberta means berries and the best way to eat berries (besides warmed by the sun and eaten out of hand) is in a pie.

PHONE: 7807577833 FAX: 7807577834 EMAIL: PATRICKBROKERSENROUTE.CA ADDRESS: #203 10840 124 STREET

t s r i h t r u o y Quenc h for summer

But pie, unless you grew up in one of those households where pie for breakfast was a normal everyday thing, pie can be advanced class.

My confession: I did not grow up in a pie-making household. Tarts, and yes, the occasional galette, which I am thankful for, but pie I had to learn the hard way, by myself, experimenting with ratios of butter to shortening.

Café de Ville’s exec chef Tracy Zizek did grow up in a pie-making household — she actually learned to make pie from a grandmother.

And that, in my books, makes Tracy the source of all pie-making wisdom. It’s like having an Italian grandmother teach you how to make pasta. She also started her culinary career as a pastry chef.

“The most important thing is quality ingredients — butter, flour.

The butter we have here has a bit too much moisture, so I cut in vegetable shortening. Otherwise, the crust is not as flaky and can be heavy.”

Tracy is referring to the fact that other pastry-making cultures, like France let’s say, has butter with more butterfat that our measly 82 per cent.

Refresh With a Handcrafted, Cold Drink.

DOWNTOWN

CAMPUS

SHERWOOD PARK

Edmonton City Centre 101 St. & 102 Ave.

Campus Tower 112 St. & 86 Ave.

Synergy Wellness Centre 501 Bethel Drive

Government District 108 St. & 99 Ave.

SOUTH SIDE Market at Summerside Ellerslie Road & 91 Street

Scotia Place 10060 Jasper Ave.

www.goodearthcafes.com

6 July August 2012 | The Tomato

“My grandma made pie with lard, there was nothing else, now you can’t get it — real lard, that is, not the processed stuff in the supermarket.

“You must start with cold ingredients, even stick the flour in the fridge for a half hour.

“The fat has to be cut in, not blended. Take your time. I prefer to do by hand with a plain oldfashioned pasty cutter, not a food processor “Never make more than a couple pies at a time. When you are working in larger quantities, you

are not going to get all the butter cut in properly. If you have to make a lot of pies, make a couple a day, then freeze them.

“Make the dough a day ahead, it helps the gluten to rest.

“I like to use all purpose flour.

Baker’s flour has too much gluten and your crust can be tough, and pastry flour is too dainty.

“For rhubarb pie, I like to cook the rhubarb filling in the oven, not on the stove top, then fold in — stays chunkier that way.

“For fruit pies, bake the crust blind.

Use beans, not weights, then bake the pie on a sheet pan.

“Day old pie? When does anybody ever refuse pie, no matter how old it is?”

tracy’s pie dough 2¾ c

all purpose flour

1¼ t

salt

2t

sugar

1c

unsalted butter

¼c

vegetable shortening

½c

ice cold water

Place flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Cube butter and shortening into ¼ inch cubes and place in bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in until the fat is the size of peas. Sprinkle water over top. Gently work the water in the flour just until the dough holds together.

Flatten into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

strawberry pie 1 recipe Tracy’s pie dough Preheat oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss together salt, berries, ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, juice, zest and vanilla; set filling aside. Unwrap dough; roll both into 11-inch wide and 1/8-inch thick circles. Transfer one circle to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan; mound

Yes, we’re under

construction

*Janet Clarkson, from her book Pie.

How to bake a pie on the barbecue. filling inside. Place the other circle on top. Trim and crimp edges. Brush dough with cream and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 1 hour (if crust begins to brown before pie is finished baking, cover with foil until pie is done). Let cool.

rhubarb lattice pie with cardomom and orange There are those who think perfection is a strawberry rhubarb pie. I would agree. However, it’s our job to push the envelope somewhat and introduce our readers to other flavours and ideas about rhubarb. Adapted from Bon Appetit 2c

flour

2T

sugar

¾t

salt

¾ c unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, frozen 15 minutes 7 T

(about) ice water

Blend flour, sugar and salt in a food processor for 5 seconds. Add butter.

Pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add 5 T ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by ½ tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into disks. Wrap and chill at for least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

filling 10 c

1-inch pieces rhubarb

2/3

plus 2 t sugar

c

¼ c

fresh-squeezed orange juice

2½ t

grated orange peel

½ t

ground cardamom

¼ c

strawberry jam

1 T

whipping cream

Combine rhubarb, 2/3 cup sugar, orange juice, orange peel and cardamom in large deep skillet. Toss

ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Place a brick directly on grid on natural gas barbecue. Place pie pan on top of brick. Bake, with lid down, over medium heat for 40-45 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly. Turn pie one quarter turn every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Still not convinced?

Where to buy good pie.

Duchess Bake Shop (10720 124 Street) Deliciously flaky and buttery fruit lattice-topped pies.

Grandma Bears’ Home Baking (Aisle 7, OSFM) Excellent apple and pumpkin pies sold frozen.

but don’t panic!

We know exactly where to find the

1000 varieties of

BEER

(Renos should be complete by July 31)

11819 St. Albert Trail, Edmonton www.sherbrookeliquor.com

A few of our favourite u-picks for berry picking.

Start every berry picking expediton with a visit to albertafarmfresh.com.

The Alberta Farm Fresh website lists u-pick operations all over the province. Visit to find out who has fruit when and for directions — not all the farms and orchards have websites.

Prairie Gardens Bon Accord, prairiegardens.org Bio-Way Gardens East of Leduc 2 km on Hwy 623 (Rollyview Road) to Range Road 245 (Powerline), then south to the first driveway on the left (east side).

Roy’s Raspberries Acheson, roysraspberries.com Berry Ridge Ocrhard Sturgeon County, berryridgeorchard.com Saskatoon berries, black currants, chokecherries.

Free berries.

Frugal berry pickers, now call urban foragers, have their favourite Saskatoon patches. We find the upper banks of the North Saskatchewan further off the bike trails to be good picking areas.

Do good while you pick. The innovative Operation Fruit Rescue (OFRE) is always looking for pickers.

Schedule a picking session at operationfruitrescue.org.

A portion of the haul from backyard apple, berry and cherry trees is divvied up between the homeowner, the charity and the pickers.

Beautiful Parties c aT e r e D h e r e .

T he B u Tler D iD i T 780.455.5228 | tlagency@shaw.ca

Please see ”Pie” on page 27

The Tomato | July August 2012 7

An Entertaining Menu Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad Smoliak

cast iron scallops with drambuie butter

This dish is perfect for the side burner on your barbecue, or those Bunsen burners, on Canada Day, with scallops from the east coast.

2 lb 10/20 scallops (10/20 meaning they are roughly 10-20 per pound). They are quite large, and that is what you want.

2 T canola oil ¼ c

butter

1 T

maple syrup

1 T

Drambuie or Scotch

camping steak

Any cut will do — a simple top sirloin, or even a blade has tons of flavour.

Remember, you are camping, and you can camp in your own back yard.

per steak 1

8-10 oz sirloin steak

½ T (1 fl oz) Sriracha hot sauce, more if you like ½ can beer — the top half, and drink the rest

grilled peaches with riesling and black pepper

Simply place the steak in a Ziploc bag, add the Sriracha sauce and marinate for 24 hours. You can even freeze the steak, it can act as a freezer pack in your cooler.

Summer time and juicy peaches brings you back to when you were a kid.

Peaches are great on their own, even better with some coconut ice cream from Pinocchio. Keys to this dish: use a good quality Riesling, ripe peaches and cracked black pepper — not the stuff out of the shaker — and the grill must be clean and well oiled.

to cook: Heat a cast iron skillet to smoking hot, add 1 T canola oil, add steak. Sear on one side for 3-5 minutes, turn steak and sear for 3 minutes. Add the beer to deglaze the pan and baste the steak with the liquid until a nice saucy glaze forms. Let rest 10 minutes, slice on the bias and enjoy.

4

½ c Riesling (Ex Nihilo is my personal favourite) 2 t cracked black pepper (more if you like)

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper The first thing that you want to do is heat your cast iron skillet on the burner over high heat. It will need a good 10-15 minutes to get white hot.

While the skillet is getting hot, dry the scallops, so that there is no moisture on them.

8 July August 2012 | The Tomato

fresh ginger

1 T

liquid honey

Place the peaches in a bowl and toss with the wine and fresh ginger. Let marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium high, making sure it is well greased.

Place peach halves flat side down on the grill and cook until there are nice grill marks (about 3 minutes) Meanwhile, discard ginger and whisk the honey into the wine mixture. Turn the peaches, brush with honey/wine mixture and sprinkle with pepper.

Serve hot or room temperature with ice cream.

Do the other side for one minute, until the scallop is just cooked, remove and place on a warm plate, then do another batch of scallops.

Serves 4-8 depending on size of the peaches.

Kevan Morin photo

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer.

2 slices

Pinocchio Coconut ice cream (or your favourite)

Next, dip the flat surface of the scallops in the canola oil making sure to cover evenly — do all of the scallops on both sides at one time. One at a time, place the scallops in the cast iron pan — do in small batches, flat side down, and gently push on them till they are flat against the cast iron pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the one side has formed a crust.

Once all the scallops are done, add the butter, Drambuie and maple syrup and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat — the pan will be quite hot — add the scallops back to the pan to coat with the sauce.

ripe BC peaches, halved

Brad’s guide to better

grilling

Brad Smoliak’s approach to cooking outdoors is relaxed and fun, yet his flavours are sophisticated, balanced and drawn from many cultures. He’s also our go-to guy when it comes to cooking on a grill. Brad shares pointers for successful grilling every time.

Explore less popular cuts. “I prefer more flavourful cuts like sirloin

or blade steak to filet. Flat iron, hangar and skirt steak are terms used more in the USA and are hard to find here. Flank is popular, so it’s expensive — I use sirloin instead. The best thing is: get to know your butcher and your rancher.”

Season! “Let steaks sit in the fridge for a few days to age. Season the

day before, which brings out the moisture, leaving you with a nice dry surface which browns better and you’ll get nice grill marks. Use kosher salt, the big crystals bring out the moisture best. Bring meats to room temperature when possible — at least take them out of the fridge when you start to preheat your grill.”

Always cook on a clean, well-lubricated grill. “I clean right after cooking — when it’s still hot — then oil.”

Pre-heat the grill. “At least 20 minutes — a beer’s worth.”

Use an instant read probe thermometer. “The ambient temperature affects how long things take to cook on the grill. Use timing as a guide, but always check your internal temperatures, especially for large cuts and chicken and pork. The hand method is fine for a few steaks but not burgers or chicken.”

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Use a timer. “People get talking… a timer is more for the cook. It will help you remember to pull things off the grill when you are supposed to, before accidents happen.”

• Extensive malt whisky selection • By-the-glass wine, champagne & sparkling • Cheese, paté, charcuterie & gourmet haggis • Available for private functions

Barbecue sauce goes on at the end. “There’s a lot of sugar in

most barbecue sauces. All it will do is burn if you put it on early.”

Season well. “With salt and pepper beforehand.”

Meat needs to relax. “Let steaks relax on a rack or layer of chopsticks

— not on a plate, just like cookies. The juices that remain after resting?

Pour them over the meat, or put them in your caesar!”

5482 Calgary Trail

780.761.1761

The Tomato | July August 2012 9 Bothy_8H.indd 1

10/19/09 9:43:47 AM

Keep this collection of salad recipes close at hand for easy summer meals. radish cucumber and chive salad Have you rediscovered radishes?

Their slightly peppery flavour and crunchy texture make for a lively accompaniment. Do like the French and eat them for breakfast with butter.

Or like the Italians, with a drizzle of equally peppery olive oil and a wedge of creamy pecorino.

This salad is wonderful with grilled sausages or equally heavy dishes, and dead simple to put together — slice and toss.

1 bunch

radishes, thinly sliced

1

cucumber, thinly sliced

a few chives, chopped

generous drizzle of good peppery olive oil

juice of ½ lemon (or so)

sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper Toss together and serve.

summertime mixed vegetable salad “This salad is really inspired by what vegetables you enjoy or what vegetables you can find. Remember: keep it local and keep it fresh! Here is what we put into ours at Wildflower Grill.” — Chef Nathin Bye. 2

red beets

2

golden beets

2

candy cane beets

1 bunch

small, multi-coloured carrots

1 grilled green and yellow zucchini

1 pint box cherry tomatoes or mini zebra tomatoes

¾

crumbled feta

3 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ c

sliced red onion

1 bunch local lettuce (whatever you prefer: romaine, green leaf )

1

pomegranate, seeded

2 T

lemon juice

3 T

cold pressed canola oil

1 t

Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch

watercress

All ingredients are added together and tossed with a squeeze of fresh lemon, salt and pepper to taste, then drizzled with the white balsamic vinaigrette.

white balsamic vinaigrette 1 T

Dijon mustard

2 T

shallots, chopped fine

1 T

garlic, chopped fine

1 c

white balsamic vinegar

½ c white grape juice concentrate 4 t

honey

1 T

fresh parsley and thyme

1 c

olive oil

2 c

canola oil

1 t

salt

½ t

pepper

Add all ingredients into a blender except the canola and olive oil.

While blender is on, slowly drizzle the combined oils into the blender.

Add salt and pepper and then reserve dressing for further use. Serves 6-8 people.

quinoa salad with spinach, feta, pomegranate and roasted almond Adapted from Gluten-free Vegetarian.

This salad delivers intense flavours along with super nutrition.

Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread the almonds over a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly browned. Watch closely.

Whisk the vinegar, oil and mustard in a large bowl. Season lightly as the dressing should be slightly undersalted due to the feta. Add spinach and toss well. Toss again very gently to incorporate the feta, onion and quinoa. Divide between 4 or 6 plates, then toss pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds over. Serves 4-6.

chili beef salad with cilantro pesto A Vietnamese-inspired warm salad.

2 medium-sized sirloin steaks, trimmed sea salt and cracked black pepper 1 T

olive oil

¼ t

chili flakes

½ t

fish sauce (or to taste)

1

zucchini, sliced

grilled asparagus

½ c

water

4 heirloom tomatoes (or whatever fun tomatoes you can find)

¼ c

black quinoa

2 bunches small carrots, peeled and blanced

½ c

sliced almonds

baby spinach leaves

4 c

spinach leaves

1 bunch

10 July August 2012 | The Tomato

juice of ¼ lime

cilantro pesto 2 c

cilantro leaves

1 cloves

garlic, crushed

¼ c

pine nuts

1 long green chili, seeds removed and chopped 1 t

lemon juice

¼ c

olive oil

sea salt and cracked black pepper Season the beef and set aside. Process the cilantro, garlic, pine nuts, chili, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a food processor for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Brush the beef with oil and chili flakes. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat (Or preheat the barbecue). Add the beef and cook for 3-5 minutes each side for mediumrare. Let rest for at least five minutes, then slice the beef into thin strips, place in a large bowl, along with the meat juices, fish sauce, vegetables and a squeeze of lime juice. Toss to combine. Check seasoning. Divide the salad between four plates and drizzle with the coriander pesto to serve.

Serves 4.

warm salad of roasted squash, prosciutto and pecorino From Jamie’s Kitchen. “This is one of those easy salads with a twist. You may have tried a Parma ham, rocket and Parmesan salad with a little balsamic, but by adding warm roasted squash and trying it with Pecorino, which is slightly smoother than Parmesan, it's a real pleasure and even feels a bit posh.”

— Jamie Oliver

feta-terranean 1

butternut squash

olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 small

dried red chili

1 heaped t

coriander seeds

20 slices prosciutto or Parma ham

The Hardware Grill’s feta-terranean has been a menu stalwart for over 16 years.

For good reason, its savoury flavours hit the spot. Exec chef Larry Stewart has provided a home version of the recipe.

Try with a glass of Dr. Pauly Riesling.

3 each

red and orange peppers

3 large

portobello mushrooms roma tomato

4 handsful

arugula

4-5

6 T

extra-virgin olive oil

4T

balsamic vinegar

1 sml block

Pecorino or Parmesan

1 lb goat feta cheese (bring to room temperature before serving)

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Carefully cut your butternut squash in half, keeping the seeds intact. Remove the 2 ends and discard them. Cut each half into quarters and lay in a roasting tray. Rub with a little olive oil. In a pestle and mortar, pound up a flat teaspoon each of salt, pepper and your chili and coriander seeds. Scatter this over the squash. Roast the squash for 30 minutes or until soft and golden.

Allow to cool a little.

Lay your prosciutto on 4 plates — let it hang over the rim of the plates and encourage it to twist and turn so it doesn't look neat and flat. Tear up your warm squash and put it in and around the ham. Sprinkle over the seeds and the arugula. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic, add a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and use a vegetable peeler to shave over the Pecorino.

1 jar

good balsamic vinegar

½ c pesto (best to make your own, but store bought will do in a pinch) ½ c

mayo

extra virgin olive oil

Cut and seed peppers, rub with oil and roast at 400ºF for about 30 minutes, until skin blisters. Cool to room temp and peel. Slice mushrooms ½ inch thick at angle and brush with oil, grill.

Reduce balsamic on low heat by 2/3, to syrupy stage. Score tomatoes and drop in boiling water 1 minute then remove skin, quarter. Mix pesto and mayo together and reserve.

Presents accidental the school of master sommelIers Informal wIne talks and tastIng In the spirit of summer whimsy, pre-resgistration is not required.

Attend one or two sessions, or all of them. In each sessionis we will explore a particular grape type or style of wine, and its various manifestations. We’ll explore how region, production method, style, and price affect the wine’s expression.

Please contact us for more info about pricing and exact dates.

come out and Indulge In your ‘thIrst’ for knowledge.

When: selected Tuesdays @ 7pm Where: #2 512 St.Albert Trail, St.Albert, AB How: phone. 780.458.4777 (email. info@unwined.biz)

to serve: Place mushroom slices on a plate, then alternate peppers with feta and tomato wedges. Drizzle with balsamic syrup, oil and fresh ground pepper. Top with 1 T pesto-mayo Serves 6-8.

Open at 8am every Saturday.

FREE PARKING 8AM - 3PM OSFM.CA

The Tomato | July August 2012 11

a recipe for A house full to capacity and 18 restaurant, winery, and food producer pairings made Indulgence ‘12 the place to be June 11. Each year, Indulgence showcases regional farmers and ranchers, pairing them up with a restaurant and a Canadian estate winery to make gastronomic magic. Guests nibbled on seasonal dishes, from pickled radishes to wild boar cheek, and tasted some of Canada’s best wines, as well as offerings from Bles-Wold Yogurt, Prairie Mill Bread, The Jam Lady, Newget, Birds & Bees and Barr Estate fruit wineries.

For over a decade the Slow Food event has helped introduce local food producers to Edmonton chefs, who showcase their dishes with estate wines from BC and Ontario.

¼ c

red wine

1 sprig

finely chopped fresh thyme

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste Peel and chop shallot in a small dice. Toss diced shallot in olive oil and roast in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Add roasted shallot and Saskatoons to a small pot and bring to a simmer with the red wine. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh thyme

truffle oil together in a bowl. Add sautéed mushroom mixture.

Place bread pieces in a loaf pan and pour the mushroom and cream mixture over the bread.

Combine until the bread is very moist, but not swimming in the mixture. Add pieces of the rest of the butter throughout to melt as it cooks.

Bake at 300°F for about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving or completely chill and cut into individual pieces. Reheat in oven, or sauté in a pan.

pickled mushroom

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

½ c rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

Let cool and serve. Makes about 1 cup.

1 T

sugar

1 t

salt

1

bay leaf

“It’s 8:30 — a half hour before this year’s Indulgence officially ends. I look over the room; at cooks in white jackets pouring themselves a taste of wine, chatting with their neighbours, handing out the last of the plates, slowly packing up — no one in a rush to leave.

mona mushroom bread pudding with pickled beech brown & maitake mushrooms & red currant reduction

“I’m elated. The work is done and what we’re seeing now are the results — chefs talking to winemakers, and farmers to chefs — of what we’ve all worked so hard for — a food community that grows bigger and closer with every year.”

Chef Lindsay Porter, 4th & Vine Wine Bar and Bistro

½ bunch garlic tops or chives, chopped

Chef Lindsay Porter created one of the one of the most popular dishes of the night.

In a small pot or pan warm the vinegar with all the spices, until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Take off heat. Let cool.

Amanda LeNeve, communications, Indulgence ‘12 committee

berry ridge orchard saskatoon berry relish Corey McGuire, Tzin Wine & Tapas Chef Corey McGuire made a delicious Saskatoon berry relish to partner with beef brisket.

1 c Berry Ridge Orchard Saskatoon berries 1 shallot 1 t

olive oil

½

lemon, juice and zest

12 July August 2012 | The Tomato

1½ c

cremini mushrooms

¼ c porcini powder (Mona Foods) 1 T

truffle oil

½ loaf

bread loaf or 1 baguette

1 c

cream

4

egg yolks

¼ c

butter

½

onion diced small

3 bulbs

garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Cut or tear the bread into small pieces. In a food processor, or by hand, chop the cremini mushrooms very fine — almost a paste — and sauté with onion, garlic and half the butter. Add porcini powder and let cool for a few minutes. Combine cream, egg yolk and

5 peppercorns 1 bulb

garlic, cut in a small dice

1 sml bunch maitake mushrooms 1 sml bunch beech brown mushrooms

Separate the mushrooms and in a bowl, mix together pickling mixture and mushrooms. Let the mushrooms absorb liquid. Add garlic and chives and mix. Place the mushroom mixture on top of the bread pudding.

red currant reduction 1 c

fresh red currants

1 c

white wine

½

onion, sliced fine

½ c

sugar

salt and pepper to taste

In a pot, add all ingredients together and let reduce by about half or until it can coat the back of a spoon.

Let cool and serve with the bread pudding. Makes 8-12 servings.

pear and pancetta hazelnut tartlette with pecorino crisp

conference pear chip simple syrup

Tracy Zizek, Café de Ville

1 Conference pear (makes plenty of chips)

Makes approximately 12 tarlettes or one 10-inch tart.

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.

Set aside to cool.

spring creek ranch premium beef carpaccio with coffee crumb & miso vinaigrette

Tracy Zizek’s slightly sweet savoury tartlette was not only tasty, the pairing with Quails’ Gate’s gewurztraminer was sublime. We’ve left the measurement by weight to satisfy precise bakers.

hazelnut short dough 3 oz

granulated sugar

1 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c

granulated sugar

1 c

water

Using a mandolin, thinly slice pears into rounds starting from the top of the pear. Place pear slices in preprepared simple syrup for 12 hours.

2 oz roasted hazelnuts, finely ground

Remove pear slices from syrup and pat dry. Arrange slices on dehydrating racks — make sure that the pear slices are not touching. Dehydrate for 20 hours at 45ºC, or until desired crispness.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

pecorino crisp

Place butter, sugar and egg in mixing bowl. Mix at low speed with paddle attachment until just combined. Add flour and hazelnuts and mix on low just until dough is smooth.

1 egg 9 oz

all purpose flour

Press out dough into a large disk.

Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before use.

Take short dough out of the fridge 15 minutes prior to use. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.

Spray mini muffin tins well with nonstick spray. Use a round cutter, slightly larger then the size of the mini muffin tin, and cut out a round and then gently mold into muffin tins. Run a pairing knife, in one quick motion, along the top of the tin to create a clean level edge for the tart. Place in oven until golden brown.

When cooled, flip pan over to let shells fall out.

To be in Pictures photos

assembly Fill empty tart shell with warm pear/ pancetta mixture. Top with pear chip, pecorino crisp and chiffonade basil.

Chef Ryan Hotchkiss, Jack’s Grill The surprise was the coffee, providing a slightly bitter contrast to the rich beef.

coffee crumb ½ c

milk powder

¼ c

flour

Grate 1 c pecorino cheese and sprinkle onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.

Place in 350ºF oven and cook until lightly golden. The cheese will get bubbly. Take out of oven and allow to cool. Break into small pieces.

2 T

cornstarch

1 T

sugar

½ t

salt

4 T

butter

¼ c

milk powder

conference pear and pancetta sauté

½ c

coffee

½ c

white chocolate

½ c

pancetta, small dice

Preheat oven to 250ºF.

2 large

Conference pears, small dice

1 T

brandy

butter for sautéing

1/8

t

dash

cinnamon fresh grated nutmeg

dash cloves 1 t

basil, cut in a chiffonade

Sauté pancetta and pears with a little butter. De-glaze with brandy. Remove from heat and add spices. Taste for seasoning. If desired, you can add a little salt, if you’d like, but the pancetta usually lends enough salt flavour to the dish.

Combine the first ½ cup milk powder, flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter and add it to the dry mix. Mix together until the dough forms small clusters.

Spread on a bake sheet and bake for 20 minutes then cool completely.

Put the cooled crumbs in a bowl and add the second batch of milk powder and the coffee and toss until combined. Melt the white chocolate and pour into the mix. Mix until combined. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

The faces of Indulgence, from far right: Kirstin Kotelko & Saskia Caspers, Spring Creek Ranch; Kim Theoret, The Blue Pear; Mercedes Chabot & Owen Peterson, Prairie Mill Bread Co.; Susan Giacomin, WineQuest & Roy and Susan Slamka, Little Straw; Café de Ville’s pear tartlette; Bern Kotelko, Spring Creek Ranch; Red Ox kitchen crew plating; Corey McGuire and Kelsey Danyluk, Tzin; Michael Avenati, Mona Foods; Domaine Pinnacle Ice Cider.

Please see “Induldgence” on page 27.

The Tomato | July August 2012 13

drink

| mary bailey

Wines for summer drinking What exactly is a summer wine anyway? Certainly not a tannic, cigar-chomping monster wine, yet, we need enough tannin and acid in a red wine to work with a good steak, the product of Alberta’s favourite summer culinary pastime, grilling.

have you been

Frenched?

www.themarc.ca • 780.429.2828

Shop where the chefs shop.

We don’t want high alcohol or a wine with loads of sugar. We want elegance and refreshment, lightness. Yet, a certain gravitas is welcome. Then again, we love what the French call vindesoif, a thirst-quenching wine that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Or a wine of contemplation, one we can savour through a lingering Alberta twilight.

Refreshing, lighthearted, tasty, layered, easy-going — ideal choices all, for your summer drinking consideration.

reds 2010 Marotti Campi Xyris Lacrima di Moro d’Alba Frizzante (Le Marche, Italy) 278 Cree Road in Sherwood Park • 780.449-.3710 Open Monday to Thursday 10-5 • Friday to Saturday 9-6

MORIARTY’S BISTRO|WINE BAR WINE. LUNCH. DINNER. WORLD BEER. 10154 100 Street, Rice Howard Way | Edmonton, Alberta | 780.757.2005 | moriartysbistro.com

14 July August 2012 | The Tomato

Wildly aromatic, summer garden; roses, honeysuckle and peonies, with refreshingly berry-sweet flavours and a soft bubble. Xyris (pronounced ‘zee-rihs’) is made from partially fermented must — the fermentation is stopped at seven per cent, leaving residual sugar in the wine and a lovely freshness on the palate.

Xyris pairs beautifully with charcuterie, cheese, or with chocolate desserts.

Serve lightly chilled, $28.

2010 Zestos Manuel Martinez, Vinos de Madrid (Madrid DO, Spain) The high altitude growing area around Madrid keeps the oldvine Grenache from tasting too candy-ish in this 50/50 blend with Tempranillo. We love its mediumbodied bright flavours — juicy, zesty and refreshing.

It also has one of the best back labels in the business: informative and approachable, $17.

2010 Costaripa Mazane Marzemino (Garda, Italy) Leonardo at Liquor Select suggested this less-well known bottling from Northern Italy. It’s an old variety, perhaps related to Refosco, deeply coloured and tasting of plummy red fruits. Drink as you would a straightfoward Chianti with grilled sausages and redsauced pastas, $22.

2008 Anvers Langhorne Cabernet Sauvignon (Langhorne Creek, South Australia) If we could drink only one wine this summer with grilled meats,

it would be this elegant south Australian cab. Elegant and Aussie an oxymoron? Not this time. The Anvers Cab has an appealing structure, with silky tannins and the right amount of acidity to keep ripe berry fruit in check, $38.

2010 Xavier Cotes du Rhone (Rhone Valley, France) This mostly Grenache (with Mourvedre, Carignan, Syrah) blend is a bigger, more opulent red than most from the region, with notes of black pepper and liquorice along with rich red fruit in the aromas and flavours. Drink with juicy burgers this summer, and Indian spiced beef in the fall, $25.

2010 Anvers Brabo Cabernet Shiraz (South Australia) This rustic (in a good way) mediumbodied blend has just enough supporting tannin to handle lamb chops on the grill.

We love the juicy blackcurrants and spice; drink slightly cool for true refreshment, $25.

whites 2011 Hester Creek Trebbiano Old Vines Block 16 (Okanagan Valley, Canada) Trebba what?

The workhouse grape of central Italy is unusual in the Okanagan. The vines were planted in 1972 by an Italian expat eager for a taste of home — and we’re glad the present owner didn’t rip them out, as the vines situated on the Golden Mile make a stellar wine. Enjoy its unexpectedly rich texture, beautiful balance, and gravelly mineral and tropical flavours with spicy grilled shrimp and watermelon feta skewers.

Ageable, too, if, there’s any left at the end of the summer, $25.

2010 Little Straw’s ‘La Petite Paille’ Sauvignon Blanc (Okanagan Valley, Canada) Mediumbodied, with an attractive soft grassiness as opposed to the gooseberry/ grapefruit aromas we’re accustomed to in Kiwi sauv. A steady thrum of steely minerality along with lemony green bean notes makes this an excellent choice with heirloom tomato salad and grilled fish, $28.

seasonally inspired

canadian prairie cuisine TradiTion MeeTs innovaTion wine spectator magazine award of excellence 1997-2003 / best of award of excellence 2004-2011

15 years in where to eat in canada exclusive wine cellar dining c H e F ’ s Ta B l e i n T H e K i Tc H e n

located at the corner of 97 street and jasper avenue / online reservations www.hardwaregrill.com / 780.423.0969

Please see “Summer Wine” on page 19.

The Tomato | July August 2012 15

It’s gin o’clock We pay homage to the Queen in her Jubilee year, and to the quipster who coined the twitter handle @itsginoclock for his/ her royal parody site.

Charge your glass... to The Queen!

Ah, gin, the quintessential spirit of summer. No one drink is more identified with the silly season, and British Royalty, than gin.

Perhaps it’s the legacy of the British empire and its association with the gin and tonic, first created to ward off malaria along with oppressive heat. Or gin’s amazing mixability, especially with citrus, another cooling summer favourite.

“One of the things I appreciate most about gin is that it is the one spirit that is distilled with mixing in mind,” says Andrew Borley of The Volstead Act Craft Cocktail Services. “The distillers of other spirits, such as bourbon or scotch create their products to be drunk straight, but this is not the case with gin which has always been used for mixing.

16 July August 2012 | The Tomato

“This makes gin a really versatile spirit and the first bottle I reach for when introducing people to well-balanced cocktails.”

Gin is a distilled spirit made with neutral grain spirit (but it could be barley, molasses or corn) with the addition of botanicals. Cheap nasty gins use essences rather than the real thing. Highest quality gins and the most flavourful, are copper pot distilled with the botanicals of which juniper is the defining gin note. Hendrick’s include roses and cucumbers, angelica, citrus peel, various herbs and spices can be used. Each house proprietary blend is a trade secret.

London gin refers to the method of distillation as does Plymouth and genever is the aged Dutch spirit.

It’s only fitting to be drinking gin this summer, but you don’t have to be British to drink gin or to make gin for that matter. We’re finding great examples: from Canada (Victoria Gin, Ungava); the US; France (La Citadelle, Saffron); Scotland, still British, for now (Old Raj, Edinburgh, The Botanist); even Spain (Barcelona Gin).

Oak aging, ultra botanical gins with colour and stunning packaging are the latest variations on the gin theme. The colour

thing is worth noting: for decades gin producers followed vodka distillers in the practice of removing the colour to create a clear, colourless final product.

Now, many producers, especially smaller houses, are leaving the colour as is.

wild rose hip, and is named for the tundra which spans northern Quebec to the Arctic circle. The spirit is incredibly balanced, with grassy flavours, juniper and thyme, citrus and floral notes with a hint of bitter greens, almost a Jagermeister-ish note, on the finish. Its bright taxi-cab yellow colour is startling, but it calms down to a soft creamy shade over ice or with tonic. Go to the store right now, 500 cases only were made; this is a must have.

Victoria Oaken Gin (British Columbia)

Ungava Dry Gin (Quebec) This is one delicious gin — smooth, harmonious, a bit unusual. Ungava is made with indigenous Quebec herbs such as Labrador tea, ground juniper, cloudberry, and

Victoria Gin hit Alberta two summers ago and we haven’t looked back, claiming the Vancouver Island beverage as our own. Why did it become the darling of local gin drinkers? Because it’s deliciously broad junipery flavours worked as well in a martini as it did in a G&T. Whatever the reason, Victoria has matured. At least that is what the label says on the Oaken Gin.

Hand-made, pot distilled, aged in oak. The oak is in the foreground, giving the spirit a fresh, justsawn note that is very attractive with the botanicals. Oaken Gin comes in a 375 mL bottle, perfect for hostess gifts. Use where you would a brown spirit such as in a Manhattan or Old-fashioned.

iris, fennel and a hit of saffron. Complex and herbaceous, terrific in a gin and tonic where the colour calms down to a soft gold; sublime in a Negroni, try it in your favourite holiday punch recipe.

Citadelle Gin (France) Citadelle is made with 19 botanicals — pictured on the label, including cinnamon, lemon peel, anise, cardomom and violet. There is dry baking spice and floral on the top note, followed by citrus and angelica.

This is the ideal gin for Bombay Sapphire lovers, who prefer a more subdued juniper impression.

Citadelle Reserve Gin (France) Only 28 casks were released in 2011, and each is bottle- and cask-numbered. The gin is aged at Château Bonbonnet in Cognac.

Time well spent we say. Great depth of flavours, rich and soft, the juniper slightly more obvious but never overpowers, finishing with an elegant aftertaste, not boozy.

Saffron Gin (Gabriel Boudier, Dijon, France) The bright neon orange colour may be off-putting but the gin is most definitely, emphatically not. First of all, it smells beautiful — like a flower garden with violet, lavender, orange blossom and a curry leaf, mustardy, all-spice under-note, along with coriander and bay leaf. Crazy!

Made with juniper, coriander, lemon, orange peel, angelica,

Barcelona Gin (Spain) Barcelona Gin is produced in the Obsello absinthe stills which may account not only for its smoothness, but for its vanilla crème caramel and roses flavour, and a unique savoury note we couldn’t quite put our finger on, but then again it was one of the last gins to be tasted.

Our tasting precision may have been getting a little fuzzy. It also reminded us of very expensive men’s cologne, in a good way — citrus, sandalwood and musk — perhaps from the 19 botanicals including orris root, ginger and hazelnut.

Drink all by itself as a sipping gin, or in a martini.

Cadenhead’s Old Raj Dry Gin (Scotland) Pale, tarnished silver colour with a balanced juniper fragrance, nice clean citrusy notes and a crisp, dry and long-lasting finish.

This gin is for lovers of old school juniper gins. This has become our new G&T gin, as Old Raj is perfection with tonic and lime. Worth seeking out.

Edinburgh Gin (Spencerfield Spirit Company, Scotland) Less is more. With characterisitic Scottish economy Edinburgh Gin uses eight Scottish botanicals to their fullest, including pine heather, milk thistle, and Scottish juniper. We tasted soft florals, vanilla, coconut, and warm allspice finishing with a dry spicy juniper note.

Use this terrific all-round gin for cocktails, martinis or on the rocks. Attractive Rennie-Mcintoshinspired label.

Bulldog London Gin (England) A smooth martini gin; also, quite ginny in its upfront juniper notes.

Bulldog is made with several unusual botanicals including white poppy and dragon’s eye flower, and the organic juniper is grown in the hills near Florence.

The attractively masculine bottle, black glass with a studded collar, would look stylish on any back bar.

Pimm’s No. 1 (Great Britain) You could call Pimm’s, a proprietary blend of gin, sugar, herbs, quinine and colour, the original mixed and bottled cocktail. It’s chinotto/ root beer aromas and flavours mix well with lemonade or 7 up in a Pimm’s Cup, or drink as an aperitivo on the rocks with a slice of lemon.

C oc k t a ils Victoria Spirits Oaken Gin Old-Fashioned The wooded gins open an entirely new category of mixed drinks for gin lovers.

Victoria Oaken has a slightly sharp Canadian whiskey-like after taste ideal for mixing an old fashioned.

— Andrew Borley, the Volstead Act. 2 oz

Victoria Spirits Oaken gin

¼ oz

maraschino liqueur

2 dashes orange bitters

lemon twist

Assemble ingredients in an oldfashioned glass. Add some large ice and stir briefly to chill and incorporate.

Peel a wide twist of lemon and squeeze its oils over the drink. Rub the twist around the rim, drop it into the drink and enjoy.

Gin Basil Smash “This is such a great summer drink and really allows the bright botanical flavours in gin shine through. During these warm summer months, I find myself mixing more cocktails with fresh citrus, such as the gin basil smash by German bartender Jorg Meyer.”

— Andrew Borley, the Volstead Act 2 oz

Tanqueray

half lemon

¾ oz

simple syrup

1 bunch

fresh basil

Add basil, lemon and syrup to a mixing tin and muddle. Add gin and shake with ice. Double strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice.

Rhubarb Lovers Cocktail 1 part

gin

1 part

rhubarb syrup

2 dashes Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters Build over ice in a tall rocks glass, stir and squeeze in a wedge of lime. Top with soda or sparkling wine.

The Tomato | July August 2012 17

7 Tarragon Close We loved the combination of the Saffron gin’s spice with the mild liquorice of the tarragon in this drink.

It could be a long drink as well, topped with soda or sparkling wine.

4 measures Saffron gin 6 measures tarragon syrup 1-3 dashes

Peychaud’s bitters

Blend all in cocktail shaker over ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Makes two cocktails.

Stir together rover low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool, put in a covered jug and refrigerate.

Keeps for about a week. Makes 1 cup.

Andrew Borley’s Rhubarb Syrup This is a good use of stalks that are tough and old, past their prime for pie. Make in the morning for evening cocktails.

6-12 stalks (about 2 kilos) rhubarb stalks, trimmed of leaves

Old Raj Pegu Club

1 pod

vanilla, split lengthwise

The Pegu Club is a very old cocktail created in the time of the Raj. Orange bitters are an essential part of the drink.

1 c

sugar

8-10 c

water

2 measures Old Raj Gin ½ measure Cointreau

juice of ½ small lime

1 dash

Angostura bitters

1 dash

orange bitters

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add all the ingredients. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

A Cocktail for Jess Rosie Schapp 2 oz gin (whatever you like, but nothing too floral) 2 oz grapefruit juice (freshsqueezed is best) ½ oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur

Small squeeze lime juice.

Shake all ingredients vigorously over ice, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass (it doesn’t hurt to run the lime wedge over the rim of the glass first).

Garnish with a big fuzzy sage leaf, if you have one handy. This is also very refreshing over ice in a tall glass, topped with seltzer.

C oc k t a il essenti a ls : s y rups Simple Syrup A cocktail essential, and dead simple to make.

1 c

sugar

1 c

water

18 July August 2012 | The Tomato

Wash the rhubarb well, trim ends and cut into ½-inch pieces. Place the fruit in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Add vanilla and sugar. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover, stirring occasionally. When all the chunks have broken down into a uniform soup, about 20 minutes, remove it from the heat. Uncover and cool. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, ladle into a fine-mesh strainer or chinois over a large bowl and strain into a large bowl. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to allow it to drain better. Once it’s drained, put the pulp and the syrup into separate containers and refrigerate immediately. Keep refrigerated for about a week.

Approx 2 liters of syrup and 2 c of pulp.

Tarragon Syrup Tarragon can run rampant in a garden; this is a good way to use it up. The slight liquorice tang complements gin’s botanicals, especially floral gins such as Edinburgh or Ungava.

2 c

water

2 c

sugar

1 bunch

tarragon

Stir over low heat until the crystals have been incorporated, then simmer for about another 10 minutes. Check for density of tarragon flavour and take off heat when it’s ready, about 10-15 minutes. Cool and carefully strain into a large bottle. Keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

C oc k t a il essenti a ls : B itters Bitters, made from the distillation of herbs, flowers, fruit, bark, seeds or roots, add flavour and complexity to cocktails. Their use was, and still is in some cultures, medicinal. The rise of the American cocktail culture created an equal interest in small batch artisan bitters such as Hella Bitter from Brooklyn and brought renewed attention to classics such as Peychaud’s.

Up until this season, bitters other than Underberg and Jagermeister were hard to find locally, only available online, at Vancouver’s Gourmet Warehouse, or at stores such as the Meadow in Portland which stocks an enormous selection of unique bitters. Now Wild Earth (8910 99 street, 780439-4555) is now carrying the Fee Brothers Bitters including orange bitters.

Must-have Bitters Angostura (Trinidad) Rum, gentian and angostura bark are the primary ingredients of these well-known bitters. Created by a German doctor to improve soldiers appetites; their modern use is to improve a Manhattan cocktail. Fee Brothers Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters are darker, with more earthy bark in the flavour.

Peychaud’s (New Orleans) Primary flavour notes are warm vanilla and sweet cherry; required for the Sazerac cocktail.

Orange Bitters Flavours range from sweet and floral to a pithier, bitter orange. Fee Brothers, Orange, Victoria Gin’s Bitter and Twisted and Hella Citrus are good examples.

Bitters for Fun Fee Brothers Rhubarb has a super-citrusy taste, like the secret ingredient in Mountain Dew. Fee Brothers Celery tastes like concentrated chlorophyll — still trying to build a cocktail around those flavours; Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel bitters have a strong chinotto, or coca cola, taste without the sweetness, which is ideal for a Bourbon Manhattan.

C oc k t a il essenti a ls : mi x ers Schweppes Bitter Lemon Schweppes Bitter Lemon and a good gin equals a Tom Collins.

No muss no fuss, available at the Italian Centre.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s recipe for tonic water We have not tried this yet, contenting ourselves with hunting down Q Tonic in the small bottles all over town.

Schweppes was the go-to tonic for generations. But since they took out the quinine and pumped up the sugar, it’s just not the same. The diet works, it’s slightly dryer on the palate, if you can get by the slightly toxic aroma of the aspartame.

4 c

water

1 c chopped lemongrass (roughly one large stalk) ¼ c

powdered cinchona bark

zest and juice of 1 orange

zest and juice of 1 lemon

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 t

whole allspice berries

¼ c

citric acid

¼ t

Kosher salt

3 c

agave syrup

Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Once you’re satisfied with the clarity of your mix, heat it again on the stovetop or microwave, and then add ¾ cup of agave syrup to each cup of your hot mix. Stir until combined, and store in the attractive bottle of your choice.

You now have a syrup that you can carbonate with seltzer water. To assemble a gin and tonic, use ¾ ounce of syrup, 1½ ounces of gin and 2 ounces of soda water over ice.

Find these premium gins at Aligra, Crestwood, City Cellars 123, Keg & Cork, Liquid Harvest, Liquor Select, Sherbrooke, Unwined, Lacombe Liquor, Chateau Louis, Devine's, Heritage Liquor Outlet, some Liquor Depot, Vines, Vintage Wine & Spirits (Grand Prairie) and other fine shops. Not all gins in every shop.

summer wines Continued from page 15

2011 Casa Viva Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Casas del Bosque (Casabalanca, Chile) Chilean Sauv Blanc always delivers on the price point and Casa Viva is no exception. This is a terrific fridge door wine. You’ll want a bottle of Casa Viva there all summer long due to its refreshingly citrusy kick of grapefruit, lime and soft jalapeno pepper.

Crisp and clean, have a glass while making dinner, carry on with appetizers or pizza on the grill, $16.

2011 Cedar Creek Dry Riesling (Okanagan Valley, Canada) Subtle, elegant, with all the beautiful raciness and stony character associated with good Riesling, with flavours of peach and apricot, orange peel and green apple wrapped in honey.

Just off dry, definitely a vindesoif, $20.

2011 Marotti Campi Luzano Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore (Le Marche, Italy) Lovely almond, mineral and citrus, silky-textured, versatile and there’s

enough refreshing acidity to carry fat — as in pasta dishes or seafood, love it with nuts, really attractive.

Cellar some, wellmade Verdicchio such as this can be quite long lived; flavours and colours deepen and become even more complex with age, $25.

2010 Mar de Frades (Rias Baixes, Spain) Albariño is a hot grape right now and this bottling explains why — intense colour, medium body, dry with mouthwatering acidity, tasting of luscious stone fruit with a lingering, slightly herbaceous finish.

That it’s a pleasing match to seafood and fish is to be expected due to its Atlantic heritage, but try also with cheeses or grilled pork.

It’s a fun package too — the label is sensitive to temperature; when the bottle is chilled, a little ship magically appears, cheerily riding the waves on the label, $38.

a glass for every occasion city cellars fine wine

spirits

beer

Edmonton’s largest selection of fine wines.

Sunday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Friday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

10505 - 123 Street Edmonton, Alberta

www.citycellarsedmonton.com

www.prairiebistro.ca

2011 Backyard Gewürztraminer (Okanagan Valley, Canada) New! Saw for the first time at the spring VQA tasting. Easy drinking, off dry with subtle spice and fruit in harmony.

Great package, $20.

All prices are approximate. Find at Aligra, Crestwood, City Cellars 123, Keg & Cork, Liquid Harvest, Liquor Select, Sherbrooke, Unwined, Lacombe Liquor. Not all wines in every shop.

www.toolsforcooks.ca

Where exclusive doesn’t mean expensive Lower level, NE Entrance # 5 • www.liquidharvest.ca Enjoy Centre, 101 Riel Drive, St. Albert

The Tomato | July August 2012 19

To Be In Pictures photos

20 July August 2012 | The Tomato

Call it a truck, a cart or a pod, street food is going mainstream in Edmonton.

Though food from a cart is a mainstay of street life around the world, we were slow to make the concept ours. For several years, the only street food you could find in downtown Edmonton was a poutine guy and the occasional Fat Franks hot dog (there’s a guy who has been selling pea meal bacon sandwiches at St. Albert Farmers Market for several years, too).

When Ariel Rosario’s and Raoul Canefranco’s cart called Filistix showed up on Rice Howard Way five years ago, it was revolutionary — and, a bit ahead of its time.

“I had lived in Germany where street food is standard, in the Philippines, everybody eats on the street,” said Ariel. “But it was really hard at first — people would stop, peer in the window, move on.

We really didn’t know if we could

continue after the first couple of years.

“We were on Rice Howard Way, we were at the City Market on 104 Street and at the Folk Fest, but it was still a tough go.”

Along with the bright green Holy Guacamole boler (round trailer) and Dos Amigos, they were a terrific option at the Saturday City Market. Sadly, these two are gone, perhaps casualties of arriving too early to the street food revolution.

Now, Diana Neubauer’s Fork and Spoon Brigade is a semipermanent fixture at the City Market. Her bright red and stainless truck specializes in hefty, and delicious, stuffed crepes filled with scrambled eggs, Irving’s bacon, tomatoes and lettuce.

Ariel credits the Food Network and shows like Eat St. in helping Edmontonians understand it’s ok to eat from a truck.

Eva Sweet, Bubba’s, Nomad, Drift and several others have all found homes at different farmer’s markets, on street corners or, in the case of Bubba’s, on an empty south-side lot.

Some restaurants are going mobile: Funky Pickle Pizza, the Act (from the Next Act) and the Lingnan are three most likely to be found around town.

Lorne Merrick’s Fat Franks is Edmonton’s original street vendor.

Merrick started 17 years ago with one hot dog cart. His company now operates 29 carts in Edmonton, including three permanent locations on Whyte Avenue, in the Central Academic Building on the U of A Campus, the 106 Street building on Macewan campus, and in Fort McMurray. Fat Franks will open their first diner-style restaurant this fall. “We’ll have 32 different items and draft beer,” says Merrick.

Street Food The Act (top left): Nathan McLaughlin, one of the three owners of the Next Act Pub, runs the truck. “We do What the Truck twice a month, and we’ll do Interstellar Rodeo, Taste of Edmonton, Canada Day Fireworks. We just started in June, so we’re still figuring out what’s good business. “We always have the Act Burger, and a feature burger such as the pb&j with peanut butter, bacon jam, cheddar. Our fish sandwich is really gaining popularity at lunch; maybe because burgers take eight minutes, the fish only five. “We’re thinking about another truck on the road, next season, with air conditioning.

Cooking burgers is hot work.”

Filisticks (bottom far left): Join the lineup for tasty Filipinoinfluenced fresh food like si sig, pork belly with ginger soy, hot chilies and lemon. The food on a stick concept? “Oh, long gone,” says Ariel. “The prep was just too much, I would have had to make my aunt a full time employee.”

Nomad (middle left): is two NAIT culinary guys, chef/ proprietor Mike Scorgie and Allan Suddaby, who practice nose to tail cooking. “We buy a Berkshire from Irvings, take it apart and cook it.” They use every bit if it, in melt-in-yourmouth kasekrainer (cheese sausage) or roasted pork belly and dumplings. They work with a long list of local farmers and ranchers. “We do a lot of brisket, too — 70 kg a week, and smoked chicken,” says Mike. Menus change daily.

Drift (bottom left): Nevin and Kara Fenske’s Drift truck is known for its amazing back bacon sandwich, which is featured in the Passion for Pork Promotion (passionforpork. com/recipes/back-bacon-brie-sandwich) “Our most popular sandwich is a play on bânh mi, made with pork belly. “Things are going well, we’re gaining momentum,” says Nevin.

Where To Find Food Trucks

Trucks change their locations due to construction (The Act had to move due to a tree planting), seasonal parking restrictions, or to go to a festival, event or farmers market. Lunch and evening locations differ. Most trucks tweet their menus and locations daily. Check websites for the latest locations, and What the Truck (whatthetruck.ca) for the next gathering.

Drift: driftfoodtruck.ca Eva Sweet: evasweet.ca Fat Franks: fatfranks.ca Filistix: filistix.com Fork and Spoon Brigade: whatthetruck.ca/trucks Molly’s: twitter.com/mollyseats Nomad: nomadkitchen.ca The Act: nextactpub.com, twitter.com/theactfoodtruck

He credits Fat Franks success to versatility. “We can go more places than a truck, we have the indoor steamer carts for large conventions, we’ve got it covered.

Our season is a bit longer, 7.5 months on average.

“I’m glad to see more choices,” Merrick says. “The trucks are a great addition — make the streets safer, and more fun.”

Food trucks are cool, and we’re flocking to them. People drive to a food truck, and they make dinner plans for a What the Truck gathering.

Finding the best spot to keep everybody happy, including city crews replacing trees or doing routine street repair, can be an issue. For example, The Act started off at the Boardwalk, then Churchill Square, near the Citadel. They are now at their third location on 107 Street. Why could this be a problem? It’s a question of having to establish a new clientele every time. Lunchtime crowds generally won’t walk eight blocks for a sandwich, and the season is short.

The recent dustup between a food truck parked on a city street and a nearby restaurant illustrates what can happen when someone thinks their fixed location business is being sideswiped by a mobile eatery.

Some municipalities have established distance restrictions.

London, Ontario, for example, requires trucks to be over 100 metres from existing establishments. The City of Portland now encourages new carts to organize themselves in pods. Some feel these sort of mini neighbourhoods of food carts have revitalized some otherwise sketchy neighbourhood parks in the process.

Let’s hope the City of Edmonton adopts a similar enlightened attitude and allows food trucks to continue to bring vibrancy, the enticement of wafting aromas and great food we can eat out of hand to our downtown city streets.

One burning question remains: Where’s the pyrohy truck?

What the Truck: whatthetruck.ca

The Tomato | July August 2012 21

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22 July August 2012 | The Tomato

| peter bailey

Look East “Getcha beer here,” bellowed the beer guy at a Detroit Tigers game. Seeing Blue Light beer in his cooler I muttered, “If I wanted water I’d ask for water,” quoting the old Labatt ad.

Odd. I am watching the Yankees play America’s pastime in America, and they’re selling Canadian beer.

I was ready to launch into my “why don’t they serve local beer at sports events” rant when somebody told me about the Michigan Craft Beer shop right at the ballpark. It stocked dozens of Michigan beers, including the classic Bell’s Oberon Ale. Oberon is close to my heart; I tried it over ten years ago at Bell’s Kalamazoo brewery, but I remembered it like it was yesterday.

This June, I was back in Ontario, with a few days in Detroit too. Food was eaten, beer was consumed and — I have to say — eyes were opened, and, not just with the ballpark experience.

Having lived in Ontario for many years, I had the opinion that the province was stodgy and slow to change, especially where beer was concerned. Ontario’s craft beers seemed dull when compared with the innovative beer in the west, or in Quebec.

So it was a pleasant surprise to visit Ottawa and discover a vibrant craft beer scene. One evening, I wandered into The Black Tomato, a bistro in an old limestone building on the edge of the Byward Market.

It was dusk but the evening was warm, so we sat out back in a pleasant cobblestone courtyard.

Our server explained the Lac Brome duck confit and suggested a good beer to match — Festivale Altbier, from local Beau’s Brewing, was a revelation. The beer’s crispness cut through the fat of the duck and perfectly complemented both the dish and the early summer evening.

Later I learned from Beau’s owner Steve Beauchesne that The Black Tomato was their very first restaurant account. Just a few years later, they now sell to over 600 restaurants, including over a hundred in downtown Ottawa.

Steve notes that they focused on chef-run, independent restaurants when they started out, which helped spread the word.

Another evening and another delightful dinner in the Market, this time at Ottawa’s version of Montreal’s Au Pied de Cochon — Murray Street Kitchen. I ordered Ian’s Fowl, matched with Beau’s flagship beer, Lug-Tread Lagered Ale. Lug-Tread is a Kölsch, a quirky beer style that combines the virtues of ale and lager — and pairs well with poultry.

It won a gold medal at the 2012 Canadian Brewing Awards this June.

Beau’s All Natural Brewing is an innovative brewery on a farm in Vankleek Hill, about 100 km from Ottawa. Only five years old, Beau’s is a success story, showing that nice guys doing things the right way can finish first. Indeed, their biggest challenge has been dealing with success. I asked Steve when we would see his beer in Alberta and he noted that they don’t even service all of Ontario yet. But a big new brewhouse this summer should allow them to think about other markets. Steve noted that the ease of entering Alberta’s market means Alberta is high on the list.

Beau’s is part of a new wave of adventurous breweries shaking up the Ontario craft brewing scene.

From Railway City in St. Thomas to Flying Monkeys in Barrie to Barley Days in Picton, there are nearly 50 craft breweries in Ontario now. I hope we see more of these beers in Alberta soon.

Cross-Canada Six Pack Wellington Arkell Best Bitter, Guelph, Ontario An English ale from one of the first wave of Ontario microbreweries, founded in 1985. Wellington’s goal was to brew English-style beers in Canada and they have succeeded mightily.

I can vouch for Arkell’s effortless drinkability, having enjoyed many a pint at the UWO grad pub in London, Ontario in the ‘90s.

Friendly, knowlegable WSET-trained staff.

9658 - 142 Street | 780-488-7800 | crestwoodfinewines.com

Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale, Barrie, Ontario One of the new wave of Ontario craft brewers. Founder Peter Chiodo says his brewery is “all about colouring outside the lines to bring out really provocative beers.” Here they add masses of Amarillo and Cascade hops to a pale ale by dry-hopping, to create a punchy, citrusy ale resembling an IPA.

Innis & Gunn Canada Day 2012, Edinburgh, Scotland A special beer produced for Canada Day in homage to Canadian fans of Innis & Gunn. Canada is the largest export market for Innis & Gunn’s oak-aged beer. At 7.7% alcohol, this year’s ale is a malty beast, aged for 49 days in oak. A wellbalanced beer: sweet, malty and a bit hoppy.

Alley Kat Saison d’Être Farmhouse Ale, Edmonton, Alberta A summer seasonal from the always-interesting Edmonton brewer. Saison or farmhouse ale is a complex style characterized by a fruity-earthy aroma and flavor with some spice. Alley Kat’s quaffable version is a perfect summer brew, tart with notes of citrus and pepper.

Whistler Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale, Whistler, British Columbia Whistler Brewing comes at the saison style differently, adding grapefruit zest and coriander to create a summer ale with a citrus tang in the finish. This is very much a beer with a grapefruit edge unlike the Stiegel Radler grapefruit, which is a shandy of lager and juice.

Yukon A.D.D. Imperial IPA, Whitehorse, Yukon The third in Yukon Brewing’s A.D.D. series of unique brews — this time an 8% alcohol double IPA. Don’t be scared off by the hops as this is an approachable introduction to the style, with the big hops muted and fruity in character. A drinkable, English version of the style.

Edmontonian Peter Bailey loves Alberta but misses the sun-dappled Ontario lakes of his youth.

The Tomato | July August 2012 23

kitchen sink

| what’s new and notable

restaurant ramblings The Blue Chair Café’s (9624 76 Avenue, 780-989-2861) Harold Wollin takes off on an adventure every summer. This year to south west China; “and maybe Sichuan, and Yunnan if it isn’t too hot or difficult to get to. I’m pretty excited to see the real China and see if Szechuan beef is really like they make it in every Asian restaurant in town.”

The Café is now serving their fabulous brunch daily. Yaaay! Don’t miss the chipotle hollandaise, and the pancakes with maple bacon are second to none. Come fall look for dinner/show packages with creative set menus.

Café de Ville Sherwood Park (cafedeville. com) is one of the restaurants featured at Savour Strathcona County: Spotlight on Herbs. Taste tickets are five for $5. Call 780-464-8095 to pre-order, or purchase day of. The Savour event coincides with Art in the West Plaza, a celebration of local arts and crafts with performers, artisans and family activities at the Strathcona Library.

One of our favourite Okanagan restos, The Vineyard Terrace at CedarCreek, opened for the season June 15 with new chef Christopher Thomas leading the culinary team. Also new this year is weekend brunch including a special yoga and brunch package. Sounds like heaven, as are the panoramic views of vineyard and lake. Call 250-764-8866 for reservations.

Louisiana Purchase (10320 111 Street, 780-420-6779) builds on 22 years of fine southern cooking with a new look — yes, the renos are finished — and live music Saturday nights 9:30-11:30pm. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It’s extreme makeover Hardware Grillstyle. When the restaurant closes for its annual summer break this July, the crews will move in to execute a raft of full-on design changes. The overall look is fresh and modern — the best sort of business casual. Looking forward to a sneak peek of Hardware’s new downstairs space: warehouse chic, craft beers and cocktails, urban rustic small plates and TV. Sounds like a super place for a drink pre- or postgames or theatre. Opening late fall.

Café de Ville (10137 124 Street, 780-4889188) possesses a delightful patio, one of the best in Edmonton, and offers some great summer cocktails to enjoy while on

24 July August 2012 | The Tomato

it: Mount Gay Eclipse is featured in the rumrita, an island version of a margarita, and we love the sound of the refreshing port lemonade made with Fonseca and lemon vodka.

The Blue Pear Restaurant (10643 123 Street, 780-482-7178) now offers à la carte pricing, meaning it’s possible to drop in for a casual glass of wine and an appetizer, or dessert. Two other great reasons to pop by — besides their good cooking — no corkage fee on Wednesday nights, and live jazz on Sunday nights. For menu, jazz line up or more information, visit thebluepear.com.

wine tasting happenings and events Unwined (512 Saint Albert Trail, St. Albert, 780-458-4777) presents a series of casual, in-store wine discussions on Tuesday nights called the Accidental Sommelier.

Talk and taste with fellow wine lovers and the occasional wine professional in an informal friendly setting. Drop in, attend one or all. Each session features wines of varying regions, colour and price.

If you are going to be in the Okanagan soon, don’t miss Joy Road Catering’s Dinner With a Winemaker series offered on select Thursday evenings: Tantalus Vineyards, July 12; Okanagan Crush Pad, July 1; Fairview Cellars, August 2; and Road 13 Vineyards, August 30. We fell in love with Joy Road’s attitude and sumptuous flavours at a lunch at Tinhorn, and relish every opportunity to enjoy their food. Visit joyroadcatering.com for the full schedule.

Wines of Argentina held a seminar in late June led by MW Barbara Philip (see Profile: M/J 2008) and husband Iain Philip, wine instructor at the Art Institute of Vancouver. Barbara is also the portfolio manager, European wines, for BC Liquor Stores. Check out Alison Phillips’ blog.aligrawineandspirits.com for her impression of the day.

Join Liquid Harvest for a tasting in the Prairie Bistro at the Enjoy Centre in St Albert every second Saturday 12-3pm, starting June 30; July 14, 27, and August 11, 25. Visit liquidharvest.ca for details.

Tastings at Aligra (West Edmonton Mall Entrance 58, 1423 8882 178th Street): July 1 Weekend Fifth Birthday Open House with in-store tastings, door prizes and cake; July 19, Fabulous at 50 Birthday Party, visit fabulousat50.com for tickets.

Want to tell your chenins from your chards? Or learn why some wines taste like vanilla and others like butter? Learn to taste like a pro in a Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) program, taught in 58 countries, and in Edmonton by Natasha Susylinski and Mary Bailey. Want to know your Chablis from your Champagne? Enroll in a French Wine Academy (French Wine School) class. For more information on WSET or FWA visit winecollege.ca.

product news Call The Kettle Black (12523 102 Avenue, 780-448-2861) wants to help us help The Food Bank. Bring three non-perishable items to the High Street store during the Christmas in July promotion between July 12 and 22; receive 25 per cent off your purchases.

The new Cally’s Teas (10151 82 Avenue, 780-757-8944) had their grand opening mid-June. The Whyte Ave location is stocked with over 250 loose teas, accessories, foods, and includes a quirky area to enjoy afternoon tea produced by baker Laurel Ferster.

Newget launched their new Salted Karamel Newget at Indulgence, and judging by the crowd jostling for a taste it was a hit — an ideal pairing of sweet/salt/ butter. The flavour is a collaboration with Heather Porrill’s Buttery Bites Caramels; newget.com, butterybites.com Lynn Hillaby at Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks (Enjoy Centre, 780-651-7373) is a big fan of the new Le Cadeau melamine dinnerware.

“It looks so much like china we have a sign encouraging our customers to touch it. It’s perfect for dining al fresco or glamping.”

All city and area farmers markets are now open: City Market 104 Street, Old Strath, Capilano, 124 Street Grand Market, Highlands, SWEdm, Callingwood, Sherwood Park, and St Albert — you can pretty much visit a different market every day of the week. Visit thetomato.ca for weekly updates on what’s hot, cool, and

delicious at all the markets around town.

Bonjour Boulangerie (Treestone) 8612 99 Street, 780-433-5924, will be closed August 5-15.

We’re excited about a new kitchen shop opening this fall in Millenium Ridge (Sherwood Park) called Pan Kitchen. Baskets in the Park owners Cathy Slobodian and Natalie Nelson’s new shop will feature a demo kitchen for cooking classes with guest chefs, and every sort of cooking and bakeware imaginable.

ATCO BlueFlame Kitchen’s newest cookbook, From the Grill, is a collection of 100 recipes that guarantees a simple backyard dinner can become a gourmet adventure. The Blue Flame books are always packed with tips on and barbecue safety and outdoor cooking (see: How to cook a pie on the barbecue, page 7). To order call 1-877-420-9090, atcoblueflamekitchen.com Try these delish new items at the Bon Ton Bakery (8720 149 Street, 780-489-7717): organic spelt, fig and walnut loaf made with stone ground spelt flour, applesauce, figs, walnuts, subtle spice, the new lemon cake, chiffon sponge layered with lemon butter cream and house made lemon curd, and the decadent raspberry almond tart. Also new is Mario Batali’s line of pasta sauces in five flavours, and Guy Fieri salsas in three flavours. Check out the small freezer chock full of flavourful (and Edmonton-made) Pinocchio Ice Cream.

The Beer Cave at Fine Wines by Liquor Select (8924 149 Street, 780-481-6868) now stocks over 600 beers. Learn more about the world of brew by attending a beer seminar hosted by hop-headin-residence Matt Slingsby (@ liquorselect).

There’s still some room in Gail Hall’s Seasoned Solutions Culinary Tour of Charleston, South Carolina, October 11

to 15, 2012. “We’ll explore the fresh, eclectic tastes of Low Country cuisine, where Southern hospitality reigns and the cooking is authentic,” says Gail. Itinerary and registration details at seasonedsolutions.ca.

Java Jive Coffee Factory (9929 77 Avenue, javajivecoffee.ca) has a new coffee, Sigri AA Papau New Guinea; honeyed aroma, medium bodied, with complex, balanced flavours. The effective (the valve system actually forces air out of the canister keeping everything inside fresh) Airscapes Stainless Canisters are now available in two sizes, and six stylish colors.

Deep south-siders will be happy that Co-Op Wines and Spirits has come to town, opening a 10,000 square foot Tasting Centre in McTaggart Ridge (south on Rabbit Hill Road). Enjoy browsing the extensive selection of wines, beers and spirits including private labels.

Soon, there’ll be another good reason to go south. Gold Medal Plates champ and Blackhawk Golf Course exec chef Andrew Fung will be heading up the crew at a new resto next door.

Send new and/or interesting food and drink related news for The Kitchen Sink to thetomato.ca.

bonjour

Matahari

A PA N - A S I A N D I N I N G E X P E R I E N C E

Dining, Takeout, Catering & Special Events 10108B – 124 Street • 452-8262

Ample free parking at rear with rear entrance available.

Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday, hours vary.

boulangerie

artisanale Artisan Bakery

8612-99 Street 780.433.5924 www.treestone.ca

The Tomato | July August 2012 25

no preconceptions.

The best way to enjoy our wines is to allow them the opportunity to entice your senses—you are your best wine critic.

The Other Red™ from raspberries.

The Barb™ from rhubarb.

www.barr.ca

780-819-9463

A beautiful room that has an old Italian feel with modern new age touches. The food mixes authentic Italian flavors with a modern twist.

Everything local, fresh and made in house.

Open Tuesday – Friday: 11.30 am – 2.00 pm Tuesday – Saturday: 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm

780-757-2426 cibobistro.com 11244 - 104 Ave (Oliver Square)

26 July August 2012 | The Tomato

feeding people |

trent wilkie

Cooking outdoors Cooking over a fire is tough.

Being a canoe guide off and on for the past fifteen years, I know this first hand.

The intangibles of rain or bugs or wind are just the beginning. There is also which types of wood burn the longest and produce the best heat? What order do you cook in?

What is the best way to disperse the coals to get a nice even source?

On top of all this, cooking outdoors offers more than just the challenge of the fire. There are your reasons for being outdoors. Are you on an extended canoe trip? Are you escaping the city to get out into the clean air for a quick getaway? Are you introducing your family to the outdoors, doing what I like to call car camping, with your car parked right at your campsite?

On an extended wilderness trip of any kind, it is important to listen to your body. Obvious? Perhaps, but not always done. There isn’t a grocery store to stop by for a quick snack. There isn’t electricity for hundreds of kilometers. Heck, there isn’t even a roof. If you get sick or hurt, there isn’t anyone around to help, so paying attention and eating well is paramount.

you can be prepared for a phonefree weekend whether it rain or shine. Just remember, even if it is raining, you can still enjoy the outdoors. This is where food is imperative. All you have to do is prepare for the worst.

Pour all into pitcher. Will be ready when you arrive (even tastier after a bit of a hike).

Whenever I cook outdoors, I try to keep three things in mind.

Simplicity, flavour and nutrition.

If the foods you are cooking don’t have all three of these, then save them for the kitchen. Everything tastes better when you are outdoors, so you might as well keep yourself as healthy as possible when you are out there.

Now it is the morning after your escape and you need something to fill your stomach. You can do this without all the unhealthiness of a cooked meal in a bag.

Wilderness canoe guide Trent Wilkie considers the deep dark woods a therapy that comes only at the cost of comfort. He is also a member of the Mostly Water Theatre Comedy troupe.

quinoa salvation The ancient grain is perfect for an extended outdoor trip and is cooked like rice.

1¾ c

quinoa

½ c

lentils

½ c

raisins

When traveling with a group, you must look out for your trip mates.

Hunger can affect people in many ways. Some become sluggish.

Others get confused easily and in some cases it can make people pretty sick. Watching what you eat and when you eat can turn an uncomfortable and somewhat dangerous outdoor experience into a positive life long memory.

1 pkg

low sodium soup mix

Everyone has felt this at some point; the inexplicable need to get out of town. Work is too much or things aren’t going your way or you just need to see trees without houses around them. Problem is, time is of the essence and you don’t have anything planned. This is not the problem that it may seem. The preparation for this is more about what you take rather than how much. In under an hour

Delicious and refreshing, with a little bit of that summer feel. To be done before leaving and placed in a cooler.

diced beef jerky (not necessary, only for carnivores) Place all in 3.5 cups of boiling water.

Eat when mushy.

Serves 4.

sangria

1 bottle

white wine

1

diced apple

2 fruit cups in their own juices 1 orange 1 lemon 2 handsful

frozen mixed berries

one pan breakfast burritos for two

4 eggs ¼ c

salsa

1

sweet pepper , diced

3

green onions, diced

½ c

old cheese, grated

4 links turkey sausage, sliced ¼ inch thick 4 small

flour tortillas

Mix everything with the eggs, and throw into pan over small fire or camp stove on medium. Steam tortillas: while eggs are cooking, wrap the tortillas in tinfoil with a slightly moist paper towel and throw in the fire for a few minutes.

Makes 4 burritos.

banana fire wonderfulness The key to any family camping experience is keeping the children happy. I don’t care what is going on in your life or what type of mood you are in, if the kids aren’t having a good time, there is no way you can. The challenge is showing them the outdoors while still keeping that safety-of-home feeling inside them. Good food does this very well.

Take a banana. Slice open tip to tail.

Place trail mix (peanuts, raisins, dried fruit, chocolate chips) inside slit, wrap it in tinfoil. Watch the kids’ faces turn to amazement as you throw it directly in the fire. Say aloud: “What have I done?” Leave it there for 3-5 minutes, depending on fire, pull it out with a stick. Let cool. Unwrap and eat with a spoon.

pie Continued from page 10

over medium-high heat until liquid starts to bubble. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer until rhubarb is almost tender, stirring only occasionally to keep rhubarb intact, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a colander set over a bowl. Drain well. Add this syrup from bowl to skillet. Boil until juices are thick and reduced to 2/3 cup, adding any additional drained syrup from bowl, about 7 minutes. Mix in the jam, and cool mixture in skillet 15 minutes.

Fold in the rhubarb pieces gently to prevent breakage.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out larger dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Roll out smaller dough disk to 11-inch round; cut into ½-inchwide strips.

Spoon filling into pie dish. Arrange 6 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly apart. Arrange 5 dough strips atop filling in opposite direction, forming lattice. Seal strip ends to crust edge. Stir cream and 2 t sugar in small bowl to blend. Brush over lattice, but not crust edge.

indulgence Continued from page 13

miso vinaigrette

Bake pie until filling bubbles and crust is golden. Cover edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 55 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream.

hazelnut pavlova with strawberries A pavlova is pie-shaped and gluten free.

Make this with just-picked strawberries, bright red and juicy.

10

egg whites

2¾ c

superfine sugar

1¼ c hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, and ground 1¼ c

heavy cream

½ kg strawberries, hulled and sliced into large chunks Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl to stiff peaks. Add half the sugar and beat again to stiff peaks. Gently fold in nuts and remaining sugar. Pour meringue onto center of prepared baking sheet.

Carefully spread meringue out into an 8-inch wide circle. It will look like a tall cake.

you don’t have one, don’t fret — then place slices between two sheets of parchment, or plastic wrap. Start in the center of the meat and begin to pound it, working toward the outside.

Your goal is to get the meat as thin as possible, but not to turn it into a mushy mess.

1 T

red miso

1 c

canola oil

1 t

Dijon mustard

2 t

white soy

1 t

Sriracha

to serve:

2 T

fresh lime juice

1 t

sesame oil

Place a layer on the plate. Dry the meat of any excess water that has come out from the flattening process — three or four slices is a nice portion.

Season the with the nicest salt you can find. Place a generous amount of vinaigrette on the meat and top with the coffee crumb. Add your choice of greenery on top, such as arugula or pea shoots, to add some freshness.

Create an emulsion with the miso and mustard by slowly whisking in the oil. If it splits, add some of the lime juice, it should come back together.

Add remaining ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning.

carpaccio Start with a lean cut of beef — tenderloin or eye of round would be ideal — cleaned of all surface fat. Cut the beef very thinly against the grain — A meat slicer is i deal for this, if

Makes 4 servings.

Bake for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 275°F, and bake another 40 minutes or so until it is browning on the edges, dry on outside and slightly gooey inside. Remove from oven and set aside to let cool. A few cracks are to be expected.

In a large bowl, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks. Carefully run a spatula or knife under bottom of meringue to loosen it and transfer to a platter.

Spread the whipped cream over, and heap strawberries attractively on top.

Serves 4-6

berry cobbler ½ c

sugar

1½ T

cornstarch

7 c (mixed fresh berries — use no more than 1½ c strawberries; halved, if large) strawberries, saskatoons and raspberries make a delish combo.

1½ c

flour plus more for surface

¼ c sugar plus more for sprinkling 1½ t

baking powder

½ t

salt

pickled sundog radishes Chef Vincent Horvath, 4404 Delta Edmonton South Chef Horvath lightly pickled early season radishes from Sundog Farms and served them in a cone with sesame dressing, fresh greens and five-spice shrimp. Use the pickled radish and sesame dressing with rice noodles, in a salad roll or with shrimp or chicken.

pickled radish

5 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes ½ c chilled whole milk plus more for brushing

vanilla ice cream

Preheat to 400°F. Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add berries to bowl and toss to coat. Transfer berry mixture to a 2-quart baking dish about 2 inches deep. Set aside to macerate while making dough.

Whisk 1¼ c flour, ¼ c sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Add butter; using fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms. Add a bit more flour if necessary. Add ½ cup milk and stir just until dough forms.

Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 5 or 6 times, then pat dough into a 9x6 inch rectangle. Cut dough to form 8 rectangles, or cut out circles — whatever you like. Arrange biscuits on the fruit, brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until fruit is bubbling and biscuits are just cooked through and golden all over, about 35 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Julienne radishes by hand or with a mandolin.

Combine sake, vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, ginger and peppercorns in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Strain out garlic, ginger and peppercorns and pour the hot liquid over the julienned radishes. Allow to cool in refrigerator overnight.

sesame dressing ¼ c

rice wine vinegar

1/8

c

white toasted sesame seeds

1/8

c

black toasted sesame seeds

1 bunch fresh red radish, washed and trimmed

3 cloves

garlic

1 T

fresh ginger

½ c

saki

¼ c

white onion

½ c

rice wine vinegar

1 c

canola oil

½ c

water

salt and pepper

½ c

sugar

4 cloves

garlic

sliced fresh ginger

12

black peppercorns

In a blender, add vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and onion.

Blend until smooth. Slowly add oil to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The Tomato | July August 2012 27

spicy orange pork chops ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen ½ c

orange juice

1 T

oil

1 T

fresh-cracked black pepper

¼ t

chili powder

¼ t

paprika

2 dashes hot pepper sauce 4

boneless pork loin chops

2 T

fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients (orange juice - hot pepper sauce) in a heavy Ziplock plastic bag. Remove 2 T of marinade, set aside. Add pork to remaining marinade and squeeze bag to coat pork; seal bag. Let stand 30 minutes. Remove chops from marinade and pat dry; discard marinade. Grill chops over low heat on natural gas barbecue for 30 minutes or until done, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serves 4.

grilled antipasto ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Serve as an appetizer, side dish or a light main course.

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces ½ c

cubed mozzarella cheese

½ c

pitted olives

Balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows) Grill sausages over medium heat on natural gas barbecue, turning occasionally, until browned and completely cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate and let stand until cool enough to handle. Slice sausages into ¼ inch thick pieces. Set aside.

Combine oil and garlic. Add cauliflower and bell peppers; toss to coat.

Place vegetable mixture in a grill wok or on a grill topper. Grill vegetable mixture over medium heat on natural gas barbecue, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Combine sausage slices, vegetables, cheese and olives in a bowl. Add balsamic vinaigrette and toss to coat.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

balsamic herb vinaigrette ¼ c

balsamic vinegar

3 T

fresh basil

1 T

chopped fresh oregano

1 T

chopped fresh parsley

½ T

freshly ground pepper

½ lb

mild Italian sausages

¼ t

salt

2 T

olive oil

2 cloves

garlic, crushed

1 clove

garlic, crushed

¼ c

olive oil

3 c

cauliflower florets

1 T

drained capers

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

28 July August 2012 | The Tomato

Whisk first 7 ingredients together (vinegar to garlic) until combined.

Gradually whisk in oil until blended.

Stir in capers. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Stir before using.

pistachio-dusted leg of lamb

eggplant with spicy tomato sauce

“Leg of lamb is a great thing to grill.

The leg has lots of tender meat that absorbs marinades well, and due to the contours of the boneless leg some pieces will get done more than others, which will please everyone.” — Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad Smoliak

Eggplant, an Alberta vegetable? The ones growing on my porch never get bigger than something for a flower arrangement — that’s it. The power of greenhouse growing is the answer.

Doef’s has fabulous looking eggplants — shiny, firm and unblemished; all ready to slice and grill. Don’t want to make the sauce? Use Bove’s Vodka Tomato sauce — versatile and delicious, tastes homemade, really.

3-5 lb

boneless leg of lamb

1 T grainy mustard (Brassica, my favorite) 2 T

olive oil

2 T fresh rosemary, rough chopped ¼ c

chopped garlic

2 T

fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 c

yogurt

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 c

pistachio nuts, finely crushed

Mix together mustard, olive oil, rosemary, garlic lemon juice and yogurt together. Smear this all over the lamb, pressing into all the crevices. Allow to marinate for 6 hours or over night.

Preheat grill to medium-high on one side and low on the other.

Remove the lamb from the marinade, and remove excess marinade from the lamb. Grill on hot side of the grill, if flare-up happens, move to the lower heat. The leg will take between 30-45 minutes for medium rare. Relax for 15 minutes, dust with pistachio and carve into ½ inch slices — awesome drizzled with pomegranate vinegar.

Serves 6-8.

1 clove

garlic

1 T salt-packed capers, soaked and drained 1 small red chile, ribs and seeds removed (or to taste) 6 T

extra-virgin olive oil

1 T lemon juice or red wine vinegar handful cherry tomatoes (about 6-8) 1 bunch

parsley

sml handful basil sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 2 large eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick pieces Put eggplants on a baking sheet, brush both sides with remaining oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high or make a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.

Definition: the application of dry heat to food.

Ah, but we know that grilling is the definition of summer. Yes, we grill in the winter, but it is only in summer we lay claim to the evocative aromas along with the equally compelling soundtrack of mower and lawn sprinkler, followed by beer-top popping. Meat, fish, bread, vegetables — it all tastes better when done on the grill.

Meanwhile, place garlic, capers and red chili in a food processor. Chop, then add oil and lemon and blend until fairly smooth and emulsified. Pulse in herbs until well distributed, or chop by hand and whisk together.

spicy mayonnaise

It’ll be chunkier, but no less tasty.

Whisk the mayo with Tabasco and tomato paste. Season. Reserve in refrigerator.

Cook eggplant, one each side until slightly soft and browned, about 6 minutes. Serve on a platter with sauce on the side.

bánh mi burgers Our favourite Vietnamese sandwich in Edmonton is at the corner of 106 Avenue and 97 Street, right by the bubble tea place, run by a mother and daughter team. The sandwiches are always so fresh and tasty, flavours in glorious balance, never greasy. They get it just right. The sweet/fresh/salty/fatty flavours of a banh mi sandwich are also excellent in a burger. Try with chicken or fish, even a slice of tofu if you are not a burger fan.

2

carrots, shredded

1

cucumber, sliced lengthwise

¼ c

unseasoned rice vinegar

1 T

sugar

In a small bowl, toss the carrots and cucumber with rice vinegar and sugar.

Let stand for 10 minutes then drain.

1/2 c

mayonnaise

2 T

Tabasco

1 t

tomato paste

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

burger 1½ lbs

ground beef chuck

1 clove

garlic, minced

¼ c

finely chopped mint

¼ c

panko crumbs

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper Preheat grill to medium.

Lightly mix all the burger ingredients together and season well. Check seasoning by cooking a bit of burger meat and adjust if necessary. Form the meat into 4-6 patties, about 1 inch thick. Cook the patties, turning once, until medium, about 12 minutes 2 T

unsalted butter, softened

1 24-inch baguette, quartered crosswise and split

for finishing 2 pickled jalapeños, thinly sliced 12

cilantro sprigs

4 slices

foie gras pâté

While the burgers are cooking, butter the baguette. As soon as the burgers are off the grill, lightly toast the baguette. Spread the Tabasco-spiked mayonnaise on the bread, top with burger, patty, slice of foie gras, carrot /celery, jalapeño slices and cilantro.

Close and serve immediately.

Grillin’ Goodies Stasia at Dansk told us about the Emile Henry BBQ Ceramic Grilling Stone designed for delicate foods such as fish and shellfish. The Emile Henry ceramic is extremely heat resistant, and can reach temperatures up to 500ºC/900ºF, which helps create a crispy finish. The solid surface of the grilling stone prevents the fat dripping onto the hot embers, or your kebabs falling into the grill. Black or red, $80.

We all love our cast iron pans but if they’re not properly seasoned they can be tricky. Staub has an enameled east iron pan, enameled both inside and out, made especially for the barbecue (and for Brad Smoliak’s cast iron potatoes). Regular price, $125 on sale, $90 at Dansk.

Danesco provides a variety of shapes and sizes for cooking small things on the barbecue: a wok topper with fairly high sloping sides; the shake and turn basket; and a grill topper.

Grilling vegetables is easy, cherry tomatoes don’t roll off the side, and they make handsome platters on the table as well, $15 and up.

We like these individual poultry thermometers, handy for chicken breasts or small Cornish hens on the grill. The silicon collar makes them easy to handle, $8 each.

Remember the Popeil Patti-stacker? Sold on TV? Well, this isn’t it, but it’s the next best thing. The Hamburger Press makes uniform, bun-sized patties. No more overworked, tough softballs posing as burgers on the barbecue. Comes with discs for easy separation, dishwasher safe, $12.

The Delmonicos Restaurant in NYC’s financial district is the original steak house, and the creator of such Americana as eggs benedict, lobster Newburg and the baked Alaska. They also make tasty sauces — a rich and tangy Caesar dressing, a smoky Chipotle steak sauce and the Classic l837 steak marinade. Pick up a bottle or two for camping, the cottage or to have on hand when time is precious, $8.

We love rubs — no muss no fuss especially when cooking outdoors. The UK-based spice company Bart’s makes an excellent line of dry seasonings, packaged in a handy tin, for fish, chicken and meat, plus an all-purpose aromatic jerk spice, $9.

Find at Bosch, Call the Kettle Black, Dansk, Italian Centre South Side, Sandyview Farms, Wild Earth, Zocalo, and other fine specialty shops.

Not all items in all stores.

The Tomato | July August 2012 29

according to judy

Well-bred

Spies, Lies and Video Tapes Good food used to be a reason to celebrate. It was the universal comforter, the ultimate peacemaker.

Now, thanks to reality television, food is war. And war, as we know, is hell.

Reality TV wasn’t bad enough with Big Brother and the godawful Housewives of Wherever? There wasn’t enough backstabbing, scheming and rotten behavior?

The destination for fine bread and European pastries.

Charleston Bread

8720–149 Street, Edmonton

Bonton-tomato Ad-June.indd 1

Untitled-1 1

| judy schultz

bonton.ca

12-06-01

I blame the Brits, who produced a show called Come Dine with Me, which spawned similar shows in Canada, including Come Dine with Me Canada, and Dinner Party Wars.

Then came Cupcake Wars, and a show called Chopped, guaranteed to embarrass/enrage some hapless cook before the credits roll. Add to this 4:47 PM Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen, both featuring tantrums by Gordon Ramsay.

And now, Restaurant Stakeout, with hidden cameras spying on restaurant waitstaff.

For sheer bad manners and nastiness, Come Dine with Me takes the cake. It’s also produced in New Zealand, my home-away-fromhome, where it’s marginally worse than the Canadian version.

Here’s the premise: An amateur chef cooks dinner for three or four total strangers, who meanwhile are upstairs, rummaging through the cook’s bedroom, making fun of his/her taste in everything from furniture to underwear. All this for the hidden camera, where they’ll later explain how awful everything tasted.

Money is the root of this particular evil, and the cook who scores the highest total points wins some dough, though not nearly enough to justify this silly show.

Then we have Restaurant Makeover, a scrappy homegrown feature that lasts an interminable

30 July August 2012 | The Tomato 4/11/2012 10:24:54 AM

hour. It’s painfully predictable.

With the kitchen torn apart, Igor, the temperamental construction honcho, announces that the Big Reveal can’t happen because essential widgets haven’t arrived.

Anyway, he’s tired of the whole thing and is about to take his table saw and nail gun and go home, which nearly reduces the restaurant designer to tears.

Meanwhile, back in the makeshift kitchen, the chef-in-residence stubbornly refuses to co-operate with the visiting celeb chef who is playing slash-and-burn with the old menu.

Comes the Big Reveal, (it happens, Igor or not), and guests rush through the door shouting highly original comments like “OhMy-God!” One night I counted five OMG’s, just for openers. Riveting stuff, this.

Back in New Zealand, I watched a terrible food show involving kids in a bake-off. A little girl produced a chocolate cake for the judges, only to have it fall upside down on the floor, leaving her sobbing into the cameras, which continued to roll, recording her humiliation for posterity and the entertainment of the studio audience. Wild applause followed.

Such fun, reality television, where the art of cooking devolves into competitive free-for-alls that make cage-fighting look like Sunday in the park.

Why is it suddenly cool to watch real people suffering in a kitchen?

The current food television debacle makes me long for the singlecamera action of PBS and Julia Child, losing her glasses, dropping her omelets.

Old hat? Definitely. Uncool?

Probably. But she never made a child cry on television.

Food and travel writer Judy Schultz divides her time between Alberta and New Zealand.

She has a TV for sale.

Chef Sean O’Connor of Red Ox Inn has a passion for roasted Pork loin with confit potato salad and sprout hash.

Get the recipe, enter to win dinner out and fall in love at passionforpork.com.

Brought to you by Alberta pork producers.

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6/18/12 3:10 PM

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