Formerly City Palate
The flavour of Edmonton’s food scene | March April 2010 | thetomato.ca
A Food Lover’s Working Vacation Memoirs of a Food Tourist Winter Farmers’ Market Dinner
WAITER, THERE’S A DIETITIAN IN MY MENU. Health Check ...now in restaurants! TM
Choosing healthy meals in restaurants just got easier with Health Check. Each Health Check menu item must meet nutrient criteria developed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s registered dietitians, based on recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide.
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Contents editor
Features
Mary Bailey marybee@shaw.ca
publisher BGP Publishing
copy editor Amanda LeNeve
designer Bossanova Communications Inc.
sales Bianca Osbourne biancaosbourne@gmail.com
contributing writers Mark Anielski Peter Bailey Darcy Dietz Krysta Forrest Patty Milligan Judy Schultz
illustration/photography Gerry Rasmussen
layout and prepress Bossanova Communications Inc.
printer Worldcolor
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 780-940-7996.
the tomato is published six times per year: January/February March/April May/June July/August September/October November/December by BGP Publishing 9833 84 Avenue Edmonton, AB T6E 2G1 780-431-1802
6 8 10 18 20
A Food Lover’s Working Vacation Advanced bootcamp at the Culinary Institute of America | Darcy Dietz
Easter Brunch A selection of recipes for a relaxed holiday
Winter Farmers’ Market Dinner Recipes by Blair Lebsack, Madison’s Grill
What Honeys My Lips Have Kissed Lola’s long journey from bees to honey | Patty Milligan
Memoirs of a Food Tourist When is too much not enough? | Mary Bailey
Departments
5 12 14 16 17 22 26 30
Dish Gastronomic happenings around town
Beer Guy Blessed beer | Peter Bailey
Wine Maven Mary Bailey
Feeding People The economics of happiness and the food we eat | Mark Anielski
Eating for Two Getting ready for a fit and healthy pregnancy | Krysta Forrest
Proust Questionnaire Melinda and Larry Stewart, Hardware Grill
Kitchen Sink What’s new and notable
According to Judy Notes from the sandbar | Judy Schultz
Cover: garlic sizzles in the pan at the Culinary Institute of America, Darcy Dietz photo.
www.KeepEdmontonOriginal.com Exercise your power as a consumer thoughtfully.
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www.thetomato.ca The Tomato | March April 2010 3
Coming soon! Tales on the Wine Route
NOW BAKING FRESH BREAD DAILY!
Brad’s Olympic Adventures Cook’s Tour
A Fresh-Baked Taste of Europe! The Italian Centre Shop now proudly offers our very own, fresh-baked European breads and rolls. Baked daily in our southside state-of-the-art bakery, and served from the deli counter at both locations, you can be assured of its freshness and authentic, old world European quality. Hot Dog Buns, White Bread, Hamburger Buns, Whole Wheat Sliced, Whole Wheat Buns, Medium Rye, Heavy Rye, Marble Swirl loaf, Pumpernickel loaf, Multigrain Sliced, French Bread, Pagnotta, Bavarian Rye, Crusty Buns - Regular, Crusty Buns - Baby, Bread Crumbs Regular, Bread Crumbs seasoned
The Taste of Spring Wine Maven Beer Guy Lunch in Cerignola
Erratum We neglected to add Where to Find information in the Bacon Quest article (J/F2010) Back Bacon: Irvings Farm Fresh www.irvingsfarmfresh.com Old Strathcona Farmers Market year ‘round, St Albert and Downtown Market in summer. Valbella’s Double Smoked: www.valbellagourmetfoods.ca 104 Elk Run Boulevard, Canmore, AB 403-678-4109 Sunterra Lendrum 5728 111 Street, 780-434-2610 Budapest Delicatessen: www.budapestdeli.ca 9308 Norwood Boulevard 780-471-4740
4 March April 2010 | The Tomato
gastronomic happenings around town | indulge yourself
let’s be frank
Mark your calendar for a decade of Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine, Monday, June 14, in the beautifully renovated grand ballroom of the Delta Edmonton South. Expect Edmonton’s best chefs working with top-notch local farmers and producers, preparing succulent dishes to pair with Canada’s best wines. Don’t miss it! Presented by Slow Food Edmonton. Tickets $50, are available after March 30 from the Junior League of Edmonton, 780 437-9739.
let’s go downtown Need a reason to go downtown? During the second week in March (5th-14th), over 30 restaurants, pubs, wine bars, and major hotels offer a prix-fixe, multi-course menu for as little as $15 during Downtown Dining Week. Participating establishments include the Hardware Grill, The Hat, Moriarty’s, and the new Zinc Resto-bar in the AGA. Check out the full line-up at www.edmontondowntown.com
california dreamin’
dish
Go ahead—indulge!.
The Tomato’s Frank Award honours the person, place, or thing that has most contributed to culinary life in Edmonton in the past year: farmer, rancher, chef, restaurateur, market/ grocery, scientist, food, or dish. The award is named for Frank Spinelli, who built a legacy in the grocery business, now carried on by his daughter Teresa. We applaud his vision, tenacity, perseverance, and sense of community and look for these qualities in Frank Award nominees. The 2009 Frank Award is shared by Monique Nutter of the Greater Edmonton Alliance (GEA) and Dieter Kuhlman, founder of Kuhlmann’s Market Gardens, for bringing the issue of urban farmland into the fore and into Edmonton’s Municipal Development Plan. Look for complete coverage in the May/June issue of the Tomato.
city chefs
Like you need another reason.
The California Wine Fair rolls into town Thursday, April 8 for an evening of great taste and even better schmoozing. This stellar fundraiser for the Citadel Theatre is always a fun time. Taste over 300 wines by some of California’s best producers. Tickets $60, Citadel box office, 780-425-1820 or visit wwwcitadeltheatre.com.
Don’t miss the Shaw Conference Centre’s 2010 fundraiser, Chefs in the City, Friday, April 30. Organizer chef Simon Smotkowicz promises six Edmonton chefs, winners of the High School Culinary Challenge, and members of the National Culinary team working with several local food producers. Expect duck, pheasant, chicken, goose, beef from six different producers, bison, elk, and wild boar to be on the menu. Tickets for the reception, dinner, silent and live auction are $175 plus GST, available after March 15 from www.edmontonchefs.ca or www.culinaryteamalberta.ca. The event is partially sponsored by Dine Alberta. Monies raised by Chefs in the City will go towards funding culinary scholarships for the High School Challenge and to Culinary Team Canada.
go fish
wine, explained
Fin's Seafood, an indispensable part of the Edmonton culinary scene, has been bought by food distribution giant Sysco. The business, started by Doug Sauve, his wife Nancy, and her mother Adele Irwin in 1994, had grown to 28 employees and a dozen trucks delivering highquality fish and seafood around the region. Doug, Nancy, and Adele will still get up and go to work everyday. “Sysco had no fresh fish business,” says Doug. “When they came to us we saw it could be a good strategic fit.” They remain in charge of the business and so far, “it’s business as usual,” says Doug. “We did have to get new plates for all the trucks—now they’re in sequence.”
The Creations (Sawridge Hotel, 4235 Gateway Boulevard, 780-989-4439.) Mission Hill Wine Dinner features one of the most engaging wine people in the world, Ingo Grady. Ingo’s depth of knowledge, lack of pretension and easy manner will beguile and delight as he takes dinner guests through the line-up of impeccable vintages. Tuesday, April 20, $65, book by tel 780-989-4435.
Ready and waiting at Creations.
The Tomato | March April 2010 5
Darcy Dietz story and photos
A food lover’s working vacation:
Advanced boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America After 20 years of university and private practice, another doctor and I decided we needed a break to do something we’ve always dreamt of. With barely a suggestion, we enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York; what is thought to be the number one Culinary Program in the world (says Paul Bocuse). The alumni of the CIA read like a who’s who of the most famous and talented chefs in the world.
On day one of our bootcamp, we were up at 5am (we didn’t sleep well anyway because we were so excited). After getting ready and driving to campus, we were standing in the welcoming area for our 6am start. After a brief orientation, we went to breakfast (anything your heart desires).
We registered, booked hotel and flights, and began dreaming. After years of hobby cooking, I thought I could handle “advanced,” there is a “basic” bootcamp as well. The CIA conducts a verbal exam over the phone before allowing you to register; it’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure you have the skills to handle the course you are registering for. When you arrive at the CIA for “advanced,” it is assumed you have mastered your knife skills, mise en place, flavour profiles and combinations, and all dry- and moist-heat cooking techniques.
We then met our fellow boot campers. All were passionate foodies, but a few stood out: an MTV producer, a personal chef on large private mega-yachts, a wine purveyor, several New York city socialites, and two doctors. We had a nice tight group of ten, but a maximum class size is 20. Following breakfast, we were off to lecture and meeting our guide/mentor/drill sergeant, Chef John DeSchetler (or Chef D.). It was then time to don our gear: checkered pants, white jackets, and optional neckerchief.
We arrived in New York a day early, wanting a full day prior to starting to get our bearings and explore beautiful upstate New York. The CIA campus, a former Jesuit Monastery, sits on a sprawling expanse of beautiful land on the bank of the Hudson River about a two hours drive northwest of Manhattan.
6 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Almost immediately, our first lecture on breaking down sides of beef, cuts, and general ways of cooking each was underway. We then learned all about brown and red mother sauces. After three hours of this, he assigned us into teams of two, gave each team an assignment of some type of beef, several side dishes, and several optionals.
I should mention that we were given a basic recipe for several items but there was no time for reading. If you didn’t know how to bone out, portion, and properly cook beef tenderloin (which was my first task), you’d be in the weeds before long. You are given about two hours to prepare your main, several sides and sauces, get it on a presentation plate, and create a family platter for 15-25 people. And if Chef D said he wanted service at 12:30, he meant it. At service, every team had to explain their dishes and what they did differently from basic recipes. Chef D was not rigid and he had absolutely no problem with you playing, as long as you show some degree of competence. We changed sauteed haricot vert from good to great by tossing in fine-diced pancetta, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, a julienne of red pepper, and gruyere. Chef D loved it. If he ever didn’t like something, he let everyone know why, but objectively, not harshly. After lunch, plates and flavours were graded and then we had several more hours of lecture. Class time every day was followed by either a tour of the entire campus, a wine tasting seminar, or an afternoon of food pairing and taste exploration. In our free time, my colleague and I visited the massive library or just wandered and watched the hundreds of students in any of the dozens of kitchens. At 6pm every night, we all met at one of the four professional restaurants on campus—French, Italian, American contemporary, and bistro casual. These restaurants are run almost entirely by senior students who rotate in and out of every possible position in the restaurant. You can smell the anxiety of the ones who love cooking and are placed in a server’s uniform for the first time. Similarly, the students who are born showmen loved performing tableside demonstrations. All food was incredible as was the endless supply of fine wine that was paired with every item we ordered.
LEARN TO COOK wITH AwARD wINNINg CHEFS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE COOKING AND PREPARING GOOD FOOD NAIT’S Hokanson Center for Culinary Arts inspires and teaches the endless possibilities for creativity in the kitchen. NAIT’s Culinary Arts courses feature internationally recognized hospitality programs taught by award-winning instructors in state-of-the-art-kitchens.
(HOS316) TOUR OF INDIA: Basics, Essentials & Regional Cuisine. Part of the International Culinary Tour series.
(HOS308) MEALS FROM START TO FINISH: All About Beef. Part of the Meals from Start to Finish series
Journey through ancient Indian culinary traditions through hands-on practice.Learn about ingredients, Indian pantry essentials, techniques, and practices.
From soup to salad, to dessert and wine, you will learn how to plan and prepare a complete four-course dinner with beef as the main attraction.
Hours: 12 Feb 22 to 26, 2010 | Mon, Wed & Fri, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Fee: $285 + GST
Hours: 4 Mar 20, 2010 | Sat, Tue & Thu, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Fee: $125 + GST
(BAK31) CAKES, PASTRIES & PLATED DESERTS. Part of the Baking and Pastry Making series.
(HOS405) Cooking for weight and Blood Sugar Balancing. Part of the Cooking for Health and Vitality series.
Learn to bake a wide array of both classic and trendy desserts and how to present them through different forms of plate presentation using garnishes and sauces.
Make food choices to help you lose weight and balance your blood sugar naturally. Gain basic knowledge and hands-on cooking techniques.
Hours: 12 Mar 9 to 16, 2010 | Tue & Thur 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Fee: $240 + GST
Hours: 12 Mar 23 to Apr 6, 2010 | Tue 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Fee: $285 + GST
Phone 780.471.6248 or visit www.nait.ca/ConEd
Education for thE rEal World
an institutE of tEchnology committEd to studEnt succEss www.nait.ca/continuingEducation
See ‘Boot Camp’ page 24.
The Tomato | March April 2010 7
A selection of recipes for
Easter Brunch Unless you have wee ones who
expect an egg hunt, Easter is kind of a relaxed holiday—no mad shopping rush, no caroling, no forced get-togethers. Yet, it can be a meaningful time to get together with friends or family. This collection of recipes is the same, do them all if you plan on 12 people, or pick and choose for a smaller group. Mix up a batch of Alberta bacon caesars, serve a pretty fizzy cocktail, make a pot of great coffee, and let the good times roll.
bacon-infused vodka 1 pkg
good quality bacon
1 btl
good quality vodka
Cook bacon until crispy. Pour bacon and bacon grease into a large wide-mouthed glass pitcher. Add vodka. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or, preferably, overnight. Take pitcher out of the freezer and remove the frozen layer of fat at the top of the pitcher. Strain vodka through a small-mesh strainer to catch any errant bits of bacon that were not caught in the fat. Repeat until the vodka is crystal clear, but slightly yellow. Use for the Alberta Caesar.
pomegranate sparkler Pretty, refreshing, and low in alcohol.
alberta bacon caesar
1-2 btls good quality sparkling wine (such as cava or prosecco)
Gavin MacMillan (of Toronto’s Bartender One) showed us how to make bacon-infused vodka at 2009 Sip!, the wine and food experience at Capital Ex. It makes an excellent caesar.
pomegranate molasses*
Pama liqueuer
2 c bacon-infused vodka (recipe follows) ¼ c
horseradish (or to taste)
generous shake celery salt (or to taste) generous shake Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
juice of one lime
juice of one lemon
Mix together all ingredients. Serve over ice and garnish with a crisp pickled bean or celery stalk. Drink with more bacon.
8 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Place a drizzle of molasses and Pama liqueur then top with chilled sparkling wine. Non-alcoholic version: place a drizzle of molasses and an inch or so of pomegranate juice in a tumbler. Top with soda water or lemonade. * Pomegranate molasses is available at the Italian Centre Shop or Mini Super Pars.
fennel and orange salad
This has been a banner year for citrus and you’ll still find juicy navels and luscious lycopene-rich Rio Star grapefruit in the produce aisles. 2 bulbs
fennel
3 large
navel oranges
1 small
red onion
juice of ½ lemon
extra virgin olive oil
one handful chopped parsley (optional) 1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper Wash fennel bulbs well and slice off tops. Reserve fronds. Slice the fennel into thin (matchstick) slices. Reserve. Slice onions into whisper-thin slices and place in a bowl of cold water for about ten minutes. Cut off a slice from the bottom of the orange so it will sit flat on the cutting board. Carefully slice off the peel getting as much pith and as little flesh as you can. Slice the orange into ¼ or ½ thick rounds. Reserve juices. To serve: place lettuce on a platter with fennel fronds (if using). Arrange orange slices on top of the lettuce. Dry onion and scatter on top of the orange. Follow with fennel and parsley, if using. Drizzle oil and the citrus juices over salad. Season and serve. Serves 6-8.
crilled grapefruit salad with rosemary syrup and crumbly topping The tasty grilled grapefruit with rosemary syrup at Diner Deluxe and the Avenue Diner in Calgary was the inspiration for this dish.
rosemary syrup 2 c
water
½ c
brown sugar
4
clean rosemary sprigs
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup and chill.
crumbly topping 2 T
cold butter
2 T
flour
¼ t star anise powder (or grind your own in a mortar and pestle) 1/8
t
sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Work the mixture with your fingertips until it is well blended and resembles a coarse meal.
grapefruit 2 -3 large ruby red grapefruit Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the broiler to high. Segment the grapefruit and pare off any excess white bitter pith. Place in a baking pan in a single layer and drizzle with the gin. Sprinkle grapefruit with the crumbly topping. Broil until the fruit is bubbling and shiny (about 7 minutes). Serve warm or cold with the rosemary syrup. Serves 6-8.
individual goat cheese, red pepper and pancetta frittata
Butter for greasing tins
Cornmeal for dusting
4
eggs
¼ c
cream and water
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper ¼ c
finely diced red pepper
¼ finely diced cooked pancetta* ¼ c
goat cheese or feta, in small pieces
1 small bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Grease one 24-cup mini muffin tin and dust with cornmeal. Whisk the eggs, milk, water, and seasoning in a large bowl until fluffy. Stir in red pepper, bacon, cheese, and parsley. Fill muffin cups almost to the top. Bake until the egg puffs and is just set in the center (about 8 to 10 minutes). Loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups with a rubber spatula and slide onto a platter. Serve hot or cold. Serves 24. * Pancetta is Italian bacon, which becomes nice and crispy when cooked. You can find it at the Italian Centre shop in both a hot or mild version.
fluffy scrambled eggs The secret to light and fluffy scrambled eggs is water. Adding water creates steam, which keeps the eggs light. Cook slowly and gently. Take off heat when just cooked as the eggs will continue cooking on their own for a few minutes. If you wish to add anything to the eggs, such as smoked salmon, add it right at the end. 12
eggs
2-3 T
water
1-2 thyme leaves, chopped very fine 3 T
unsalted butter
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
thyme and whisk until incorporated. Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until it foams and turn heat down to low. Slowly pour in egg mixture. Stir the eggs from the outside of the pan to the center with a rubber or silicone spatula, keeping the eggs moving along the bottom of the pan. Stir lazily creating large soft curds, for about ten minutes. Season and serve immediately. Serves 6-8.
quail eggs with assorted salts Quail eggs look like spring on a plate. Provide a place for shells and serve the salts with small spoons. Fresh Ardrossan quail eggs are available at The Italian Centre Shop, some Superstores, and in Chinatown.
sesame salt ¾ c
sesame seeds
1 t
kosher salt
In a baking pan spread seeds evenly and toast, stirring once halfway through toasting, until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool seeds and, in a food processor, pulse with salt until coarsely ground. 24
quail eggs
¼ c
sesame salt (recipe above)
¼ c
smoked salt*
¼ c
truffle salt
¼ c
fleur du sel
In a saucepan, generously cover eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and let eggs stand, covered, for 7 minutes. Drain water from pan and run cold water over eggs. If peeling, crack shells against side of pan. Arrange the salts attractively around the eggs. Serves 6-8. * Halen Môn Smoked Sea Salt available at Kerstin’s Chocolates.
potato rosemary focaccia A delicously chewy and flavourful flat bread that can be served warm, cold, or toasted.
2-3 green onions, finely chopped for garnish
2½ t (a ¼-ounce package) active dry yeast
Crack eggs into a bowl. Add water and whisk until foamy. Add seasoning and
4½ c
flour
2 c mashed, cooked baking (Russet) potatoes (approx. 1¼ pounds)
2 T grated grana padano or pecorino cheese 2 T
canola oil
1 T
salt
1 clove
garlic, peeled
2
garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 t
salt
1 t
crumbled dried rosemary
½ t
fresh-cracked pepper
1/ 3
c
extra virgin olive oil
1½ lbs small red potatoes (one small bag)
canola oil for the bowl
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1 cup warm water and let it proof for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Combine 4 cups of the flour with the mashed potatoes and salt until the mixture resembles coarse meal, add the yeast mixture,and stir the dough until everything is well combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead—incorporating as much of the remaining ½ cup flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking—for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, put it in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat it with oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until it doubles in bulk. While the dough is rising, stir together the garlic, rosemary, and olive oil in a small bowl. Reserve, covered. Turn the dough out into a well-oiled 15½- by 10½-inch jelly-roll pan. Press evenly into the pan and let it rise, covered loosely, in a warm place until the dough almost doubles again (approx. 45 minutes). Slice red potatoes into paper-thin slices and arrange on focaccia in an overlapping pattern. Brush with the rosemary oil. Discard the garlic. Sprinkle the focaccia with salt and pepper to taste and bake it in the bottom third of a preheated 400°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden. Let the focaccia cool in the pan on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
pesto-stuffed boneless leg of lamb Lamb is a traditional Easter meat in many cultures. ½ c
packed fresh basil leaves
¼ c
packed fresh mint leaves
¼ c
packed fresh parsley leaves
2 T pine nuts (or walnuts if pine nuts are not available)
1/ -½-lb boneless 3
leg of lamb, butterflied, trimmed of fat
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Place all ingredients, except the lamb and half the salt, in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Sprinkle lamb all over with the remaining salt. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pesto, spreading the rest over the top side of the lamb and roll closed. Tie kitchen string loosely around the lamb to hold it together. Rub the reserved pesto over the outside of the roast and place in a roasting pan. Roast until it registers 140°F degrees for medium-rare, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve the lamb into thin slices (or as thin as you can manage with the pesto) and place on a platter covered in fresh herbs. Remove string before serving. Serves 6-8.
chocolate espresso mousse What’s Easter without a bit of chocolate? Giada De Laurentiis’s mousse is lighter than most, using egg whites and whole milk rather than cream, without sacrificing flavour. ½ c
whole milk
3 T
sugar
¼ t
instant espresso powder
1 c bittersweet chocolate shavings or chips 3 large
egg whites
In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir the milk with sugar and espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling and the sugar is dissolved. Place the chocolate chips in a blender. Carefully pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined (a few seconds). Add egg whites and blend on high until lighter-coloured (about 1 minute). Transfer the mousse to 4 small cups or glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm (about 3 hrs).
The Tomato | March April 2010 9
Winter Farmer’s Market Dinner “It takes lots of time, but I find it fun,” says chef Blair Lebsack on why he loves to shop at the farmers markets. He gets inspiration for his daily menus. “If I see a multicoloured cauliflower sitting next to an onion, I’ll think, hey let’s put those together.”
menu Sylvan Star Cheese Fondue Grilled Apple Saskatoon Berry Compote Spicy Pine Nuts Baguette
Northern Alberta Pike Fillet Organic Roasted Garlic & Golden Beet Broth Candied Bacon
Duck, Duck, Goose In-House Smoked Duck Breast Potato-Onion Hash Pulled Duck Confit Parsnip Puree Brussel Sprouts Irving’s Berkshire Pork Belly Goose Two Ways Rillette | Toast Points Slow Roasted Breast Sour Cherry Pan Jus
Braised Nouveau Beef Short Ribs Celeriac Mashed Potatoes Mushroom-Marrow Farce Mushroom Confit | Pan Jus
White Chocolate Brownie Macerated Local Berries Campfire Sabayon
Many of the vendors have no idea that their veg are going on the plates at Madison’s “No, I don’t wear a chef’s jacket, just a hoodie and my jeans. I’m a regular now, though there are some I’ll phone ahead and some who’ll deliver and for some, like Eric and Ruby from Peas on Earth, I write my own receipts.”
suppliers
Anthony Bourdain may call eating root vegetables in the winter living like a Russian peasant, but that’s what we do. This menu is proof positive that eating seasonally is delicious, even in the winter.
Sylvan Star Cheese, Lacombe, www.sylvanstarcheese.ca
sylvan star cheese fondue
Transfer cheese fondue mixture to fondue pot set over flame and serve with baguette for dipping.
If you can’t find Sylvan Star’s Grizzly (aged) gouda, use the younger. The flavour will be milder but just as good. The fondue was presented in individual bowls—a gracious touch.
Optional: the fondue was served with spicy pine nuts, Saskatoon berries, and grilled apple as extra flavor components.
1 clove
garlic
1½ c
dry white wine
1 T
Cornstarch
2 t
Calvados
2 c coarsely grated Sylvan Star Medium Gruyère 2 c coarsely grated Sylvan Star Aged Gouda Rub inside of fondue pot with the cut sides of the garlic to flavour to the pot. Discard garlic. Add wine to the pot and bring to mild simmer over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and calvados together. Gradually add both cheeses to the wine pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent the cheese from clumping. Do this until the cheese is just melted and creamy—do not allow mixture to boil. Stir cornstarch mixture again then stir into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring until thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Bacon-Wrapped Alberta Pike in Roasted Garlic and Golden Beet Broth with Candied Bacon Broth 1 bulb
organic garlic
6 small
organic golden beets
1 sprig
fresh thyme
1 T
canola oil
6 c
chicken stock
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper Cut off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the top of the cloves. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap loosely in foil and place in 350ºF oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove when cloves are soft to the touch and beginning to brown. Cool and peel down to garlic cloves. Squeeze the garlic peel to extract any oil and reserve. See ‘Recipe’ next page
10 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Gouda and Gruyère cheeses
Northern Alberta pike Fins Seafood, 298 Cree Road, Sherwood Park, 780-449-3710
Organic garlic, beets, and carrots Peas on Earth at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market
Duck, goose and potatoes Greens, Eggs & Ham, Leduc at Ocean Odyssey Inland, 10027 167 Street
Berkshire pork belly Irving’s Farm Fresh at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
Sour cherries, saskatoon berries, wild blueberries, mushrooms Mo-Na Foods www.monafood.ca
Beef short ribs and marrow bones Nature’s Green Acres Nouveau Beef, www.naturesgreenacres.com
En Santé Campfire Wine En Santé Fruit Winery (at most local wine shops) www.ensantewinery.com
Assorted vegetables, herbs, fruit Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market
NEW!
www.originalfare.com Recipe from preceding page
Wash beets. Place into pot and cover with cold water. Cook over medium high heat for approximately 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Drain water and reserve beets. When cool enough to handle, peel skin off beets and slice into ¼ inch rounds. Place sliced beets, roasted garlic, and thyme sprig into pot with chicken stock, bring to a simmer and allow liquid to reduce by about a third. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove thyme sprig. Keep hot.
Pike 2 fillets pike (about 1½ lbs, de-boned) 7 strips thinly-sliced, good quality bacon
reserved garlic oil
sea salt and fresh cracked
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Experience different Original Fare restaurants before April 30, 2010 and you can enter to win a $250 Original Fare gift card! Have your entry form stamped at all participating restaurants.
pepper 2 T
white sugar
Cut pike into 6 equal portions. Wrap bacon around center of pike. Ensure bacon is thin enough it will get cooked through. Rub each fillet with the reserved roasted garlic oil, salt and pepper. Bake in a very hot oven (450-475ºF) for 6 to 7 minutes. Cut extra slice of bacon into thin strips and cook in a sauté pan. Take out bacon, deglaze pan with 1 T of water and add sugar. Cook until sugar is dark brown and caramelized, toss bacon back into caramelized sugar and cook for 1 minute or until liquid is mostly absorbed. Place on a sheet pan and separate bacon so it doesn’t stick together. Cool and break up, if necessary. Set aside to use as garnish on completed dish.
STREAMLINED GIFT CARD PURCHASING Now you can buy in Canadian dollars and use your credit card!
GOT A LIVE ORIGINAL VIP CARD? We will be redeeming your VIP points for Gift Cards in early spring. Have you moved? Access your Live Original VIP account online and update your contact information to ensure you receive your rewards.
wondering what a live original vip card is? Want to earn gift card dollars every time you dine at a participating Original Fare restaurant? Visit our website to find out about the VIP card program and how you can participate.
Looking for news ways to raise funds for your local, not-for-profit organization? The Original Fare program may be for you. Contact jessie@originalfare.com for details.
To serve, place equal amount golden beets and roasted garlic into 4 bowls. Ladle ²/³ cup of broth over beets. Place fish at center of bowl and garnish with candied bacon. Serves 4. See ‘Farmer’s Market’ page 24
The Tomato | March April 2010 11
beer guy
| peter bailey
Blessed beer! Can you find God at the bottom of a beer glass? God knows I’ve tried. Certainly, the hard-won wisdom gained elbow to elbow at countless crowded pubs, clubs, and beer tents is deep and profound. Alas, I’d be hard pressed to call this extensive beery knowledge spiritual.
In-Store Tastings | Wine Courses | Food & Wine Pairing • Premium wines and spirits including over 100 single malt scotches and 100 import beers • Unique wine accessories and customized baskets 5454 Calgary Trail South | www.bin104.com | 780.436.8850
Fine Wines by Liquor Select Fine Wines | Exceptional Staff | Private Tasting Room Join us for weekly tastings, private events and corporate functions in our private tasting room — equipped with LCD projector and screen. 8924 149 Street | 780.481.6868 | liquorselect.com | wine@liquorselect.com
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12 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Wine gets all the glory. We know Jesus turned water into wine. Passover and Holy Communion are both marked by the sharing of wine. Wine filled the Holy Grail at the Last Supper. I don’t want to get all Da Vinci Code, but c’mon. Twelve men meet for their good friend’s send-off and no one drinks beer? Not even Judas? Seems unlikely. Even Proverbs 31:6 advises: “Give beer to those who are perishing.” One wonders: if He was at the pub today, what would Jesus drink? Given that He was a man of the people, surely Jesus would be a beer drinker.
through the strength of her faith. Blessed St. Brigid! Happily, there’s no need to make beer out of bathwater today— just make a pilgrimage to your local beer shrine. A great choice for Easter would be an ale from one of the six remaining Belgian Trappist monastery breweries: Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren.
“Bless, O Lord, this creature beer, that Thou hast been pleased to bring forth from the sweetness of the grain: that it might be a salutary remedy for the human race.” – from the
If Belgian beers are heaven, then Trappist ales are seventh heaven. This is slow beer, brewed with care and patience by monks who pray their beer reveals the glory of God. Trappist beers are complex, strong, top-fermented ales tending to fruity and earthy tastes. These beers demand and reward your attention. They are bottle-conditioned, meaning yeast remains in the beer after bottling. The yeast acts on the beer as it ages, creating a deeper, more complex flavour in the beer as it changes and matures. It also means you may have a little yeast left in the bottom of your glass. Before brewers fully understood yeast, they called the mysterious stuff at the bottom of the bottle, “godisgood.”
Benjamin Franklin Roman Ritual once said “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Christianity and beer go way back. There is a whole Yes, you CAN find host of saints of God at the bottom of suds and apostles a beer glass. of ale. St. Brigid, the Irish saint of beer, made one barrel Peter Bailey, the son of lapsed Catholics, is of beer last all Easter weekend a true beer believer and beervangelist. He for 18 churches. She changed a blogs at petepicks.blogspot.com. leper colony’s bathwater into beer
Sacred and profane six pack The three devilish and three angelic beers below are well distributed in Edmonton. Péché Mortel is the only exception and requires a pilgrimage to a beer temple like Sherbrooke Liquor or Chateau Louis.
Duvel Moortgat Brewery, Belgium This crisp and delicious Belgian Strong Pale Ale is named for the Flemish word for “devil.” When a brewery worker first tasted it, he remarked: “This is a devil of a beer!” It is indeed devilish; its clear, golden colour and deceptive champagne-like taste cleverly hide the high alcohol. Beware!
Maudite Unibroue Brewing, Quebec Like Duvel, this Belgian Strong Dark Ale is devilishly drinkable. Maudite translates as “damned” and refers to a Québec legend, in which a group of voyageurs make a deal with the devil to get home to Montréal. This dark—almost black—ale hides its high alcohol under a fruity and spicy taste with a hint of caramel.
Unique custom baskets and trays
Péché Mortel Dieu du Ciel Brewery, Quebec "Mortal Sin" is a big, big beer—an American double/imperial stout. Montréal’s Dieu du Ciel (which translates as “Oh my God!”) is a quirky brewery unafraid to push the envelope. Often ranked as Canada’s best beer, Péché Mortel is a pitch black, dense stout with strong roasted flavours including bitter coffee.
Chimay Première (Red) Chimay Brewery, Belgium The good monks of the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Scourmont created the classic style “Dubbel” with this iconic ale. Reddish-brown in colour, Chimay Première is lightly fruity on the tongue, with a touch of caramel and a dry finish. It goes well with red meats, particularly lamb.
Orval Trappist Ale Orval Brewery, Belgium The bowling pin bottle, the architect-designed glass, and, most of all, its distinctive taste—the “goût d'Orval” — make this Belgian Pale Ale unique. The acquired taste and aroma (“barnyard”) comes from its use of the semi-wild yeast Brettanomyces in addition to dry-hopping.
He’Brew Messiah Bold Shmaltz Brewing, California He'Brew Beer (“the chosen beer”) began as an inside joke in high school. But the craft beer revolution, some chutzpah, and lots of Jewish humour made He’Brew a success. Try this sweet, malty American Brown Ale with your Reuben at Edmonton’s Urban Diner.
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.
The Tomato | March April 2010 13
wine maven
Diversify Your Palate. RICE HOWARD WAY
DOWNTOWN
10154 100 STREET EDMONTON
P: 780.757.2005
www.edmontonpubs.com
7th ANNUAL
| mary bailey
Countess Beatrice Contini Bonacossi of Tenuta Cappezana, one of Italy’s most historic Tuscan properties, built as a Medici hunting lodge, was the special guest for dinner at Sorrentino’s Downtown. Cappezzana is a top estate in Carmignano. The rules of the region require that Cabernet (Sauvignon or Franc, cultivated in the area since the early days) and Sangiovese are part of the wine’s cepage. Five outstanding wines were poured with the excellent dinner prepared by Kevin Lendum’s kitchen team. Highlights were the juicy and affordable 2007 Conti Contini Sangiovese in screw cap; the 2007 Barco Reale Carmignano DOC—plump tannins surrounding juicy fruit make it a Friday night goto wine, and the outstanding flagship 2005 Villa de Cappezana DOCG is the complete package—complex aromas, captivating acidity, and mouth-filling fruit. The other star of the evening was the Cappezzana extra-virgin olive oil and the luscious Vin Santo poured with dessert. The countess displays a bottle of prized Cappezana Vin Santo paired with Chef Kevin Lendrum’s polenta custard with stewed winter fruits.
MARCH 5 - 14, 2010
Fiorenzo Dogliani of Barolo producer Beni di Batasiolo joined a lively crowd for dinner at Culina Highlands who cheered when he mentioned he had been to Edmonton 18 times. Wines poured included the estate Chardonnay, Barolo, and Barbaresco along with the delightfully fruity Moscato D’Asti. Batasiolo Barbaresco is not only a terrific example of the region, but it’s also one of the best priced wines in its category Fiorenezo Dogliani on the patio at Culina highlands.
Thomas Perrin of southern Rhone producer Perrin & Fils led a Fine Wines by Liquor Select tasting of several of the family’s wines: 2007 Perrin Reserve Cote du Rhone red and white; 2006 Gigondas; 2006 Vacqueryras; and the unsung hero of the south, 2006 Coudoulet de Beaucastel. Handharvesting of impeccable fruit, subtle winemaking and patient aging create wines that are superb expressions of their terroir. Thomas Perrin of Perrin & Fils demonstrates his new Flip video camera. 14 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Fresh daily
featuring locally-
sourced ingredients. Catering,
Rae Ellen, of Oregon producer De Ponte Cellars came to lunch at Culina Millcreek to sample releases new to Alberta. De Ponte is a family affair owned and operated by Rae and husband Scott in Dundee Hills—prime Pinot Noir country. This Pinot (the wines are made by Isabelle Dutartre) is blessed with lovely succulent fruit and an underlay of sweet, black earth—an elegant accompaniment to duck or salmon.
event calendar Saturday, March 6
Wednesday, April 7
Under the African Sky, Citadel Theatre, www.siyawela.ca
WSET Level Two begins, www.winecollege.ca
Tuesday, March 9
Thursday, April 8
Wine Journeys Series, California, www.bin104.com, 780-436-8850
The California Wine Fair, Citadel Theatre Fundraiser, Shaw Conference Centre, 780-425-1820
Friday, March 12
Monday, April 19 - 25
Appleton Estate Rum Tasting and Seminar, nv@pmacanada.com
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, www.playhousewinefest.com
March, 5 to 14
Tuesday, April 20
Downtown Dining Week, www.edmontondowntown.com
Mission Hill Wine Dinner, Creations Restaurant, 780-989-4435.
Friday, March 19
Tuesday, April 20
EPICurean Food & Wine Festival, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, www.fairmont.com
Wine Journeys Series, Italy, www.bin104.com, 780-436-8850
Tuesday, March 23
Friday, April 30
Francis Ford Coppola Wine Dinner, Pack Rat Louie, 780-433-0123, clevy@packratlouie.com
Chefs in the City, Shaw Conference Centre, www.edmontonchefs.ca or www.culinaryteamalberta.ca (after March 30)
Monday, March 29
Tuesday May 4
A Fusion of Art and Wine Dinner with Art of Wine Winery, Creations Restaurant, 780-989-4439.
A Taste of Argentina, Sutton Place Hotel, 780-420-1757.
Tuesday, March 30
Monday, June 14
International Winemakers Dinner, Madison's Grill, Union Bank Inn, 780-401-2222.
Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine, Delta Edmonton South, 780-433-9739
tasty pastries,
delicious meals
to go, butcher counter. Chef-inspired goodness at
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• In Crestwood: 9672 142 St. • 780-488-1110 In Hamptons: 5236-199 St. Hemingway Plaza • 780-486-1123
Doing your own thing. That’s the Clancy’s way.
Clancy of the Overflow is the legendary Aussie literary character, a free-spirited, wandering drover who led a life of adventure. Peter Lehmann has a lot of Clancy in him. He’s always done things his own way. His Clancy’s range is a nod to doing your own thing. Overflowing with flavour, these easy drinking wines are created especially for those with a bit of Clancy in them.
The PEOPLE, STORIES & WINES TH AT M A K E the BA ROSSA FA MOUS www.peterlehmannwines.com
MARTINS5690_PALATE2
Brett Norrie (Empson) and Rae Ellen of De Ponte Cellars enjoy lunch.
The Tomato | March April 2010 15
feeding people
| mark anielski
The economics of happiness and the food we eat As I write this article, my wife, Jennifer, is shopping at the Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
500 bottles of beer
on the wall.
REALLY. We stock 500 brands of beer
seven days a week.
SHERBROOKE
LIQUOR STORE 11819 St. Albert Trail
(east side of traffic circle)
455-4556
Jennifer is our household’s Chief Happiness Officer facilitating the well-being of our household. Jennifer and I, like most of you, are real economists according to the Greek word for economy oikonomia—meaning household management. Happiness also originates from the Greek word eudaimonia—meaning happy spirit. What makes our household happy? Good food prepared with creativity and love and spending time together and with our Mill Creek neighbourhood. Jennifer returns with a small bag of local hothouse tomatoes—they taste tomatoey, like a tomato should. She also has baby cucumbers, bacon, fabulous babaghanouj (made from eggplants), and labonaeh (a Lebanese yoghurt cheese) with locally-made pita breads, and— when in season—a bag of colorful bell peppers that our young daughters love in their school lunches. Relationships—friendships, family, colleagues—bring us joy. The strength of our relationships, our sense of trust, and our experience 10235 - 124 Street N.W. of reciprocity contributes Edmonton, AB significantly to our happiness. 780.488.7656
www.dahliasbistro.com In my job as an economist and MoNdAy to FridAy 11AM - 8PM consultant, I assess the well being SAturdAy 11AM - 5PM 10235 - 124 Street of N.W. communities and evaluate Edmonton, AB the economics of happiness. 780.488.7656 Psychologists have found that www.dahliasbistro.com what contributes most to our well MoNdAy to FridAy 11AM - 8PM and happiness includes SAturdAy 11AM -being 5PM our relationships with others (40 per cent of well being), our 10235 - 124 Street N.W. Edmonton, AB genetics, plus the quality of life of our childhood (50 per cent). Only 780.488.7656 10 per cent of our happiness is www.dahliasbistro.com determined by how much money we make, material wealth, and MONDAY to FRIDAY level of education. 11AM - 8PM What Jennifer experienced at the SATURDAY farmers’ market was an example 11AM - 5PM of relational capital—the joy of
16 March April 2010 | The Tomato
connecting with the people who grew the food we’ll eat this week. She may have experienced six to 10 different relationships with vendors at the market versus perhaps one or two relationships at a larger grocery store. While the benefits of these relationships cannot be measured in money terms, the dividends of joy and happiness are clear to anyone. Food connects. Learning about how our food was produced by a local farmer gives our family an appreciation of how much effort is required and we eat our food with new respect for those who are facilitating the happiness of our tummies. Studies show that locally grown produce and locally made food is ultimately good for our local economy. If you spend $100 at a local independent business, about $48 stays in our community. Spend $100 at a chain store and about $13 stays here. In other words, buy local and you triple the economic benefits to our community. There is also common perception amongst many people I talk to that locally grown food sold at farmer’s markets costs more than the food we could buy from large grocery store supplied by multinational food distributors. The truth is that there really hasn’t been an in-depth cost accounting of local versus imported food. If there was, it would be hard to rationalize the cost of transporting the average food item 2,400 kilometer (also known as food miles) from farm to table. With over 70,000 acres of some of the best agricultural land in Alberta lying within Edmonton’s city boundary, it makes no sense that we wouldn’t optimize our local food production to nourish over 750,000 Edmontonians. If we were to honestly measure our food miles, account for the full environmental, social and health costs and benefits, and include this information on our food label, we might make more genuinely
economic decisions. We could—if we chose to conserve this land for food production—ensure our food security. As I also explain to our daughters and to my business students at the University of Alberta, each dollar we spend is a vote for what we value most. Each dollar we spend in our neighbours business and with our local farmer, ensures the money circulates locally. I want to be clear that I'm not romantic about buying local, but instead want to make sure we compare the price of apples with the real price of apples (local or imported). This includes food miles and the return-on-happiness that comes when we engage each other face-to-face at the local markets. The case for local food is several fold: • It preserves species biodiversity of local vegetables, fruits, and other foods. • It’s fresher and tastes better. • It supports small-scale economies and communities in the face of globalization and cultural homogenization. • Money spent on local food has a greater money multiplier impact. • Buying food from farmers markets results in more engagement with other people and more relationships contributes to more personal happiness and, thus, flourishing communities. When Jennifer comes home on Saturday morning smiling, exclaiming “I love the market, I love food, and I love to eat” and our daughters consume those little red cherry tomatoes like candy, I know there is no price that can be attached to the joy of our experience. Mark Anielski is an economist and author of The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth.
eating for two
| krysta forrest, bpe, cpt
Getting ready for a fit and healthy pregnancy Join fitness professional Krysta Forrest, on her journey through a fit and healthy pregnancy. She will take us from the early stages of prepregnancy to being an active mother with a newborn. This column addresses the early stages before pregnancy. My life centres around the physical—both my job and passion is human movement. I have always maintained fitness. Yet, now I wonder how pregnancy and motherhood will change this? Some things in life can be put off for only so long. Is there ever a right time? If my husband and I want children—and we do—it’s time to get started. Physical exercise, healthy nutrition, and summoning your social supports are all part of preparing for pregnancy.
Getting or keeping fit Everyone tells us we’ll have no time after the baby. So, we made a special effort to go on lots of kayak and camping trips before baby. I also scheduled as many triathlons and road races as I could fit in. The skills I’ve learned in training for those events will be put to good use in the months ahead. For example, I would look at the calendar, schedule an event, and commit to a training schedule. How was that possible? Not without sacrifice. Evenings on the patio with a dark amber beer had to wait when I had a fitness goal in mind. That’s no different now. It’s still important to set realistic goals that match reality, create an achievable training plan, and then commit to the process. You must spend the time planning your schedule to ensure your success. Whether you prefer a set program or engage in exercise when you have a free moment, follow your plan. Whether you are new to exercise or are a seasoned athlete, choosing
an activity appropriate to your level of fitness is key. As obstacles interfere, make adjustments to find what works. Be flexible with time and type of activity if changes need to be made. It never hurts to post your plans on the fridge to keep yourself honest.
Nutrition Pre-pregnancy nutrition falls in line with regular healthy eating. The updated Canada Food Guide offers a detailed guide of foods and portions for a well-balanced diet. Key for anyone attempting to get pregnant is folic acid; this is essential for a growing fetus. Folic acid (also called folate) helps prevent neural tube defects in your baby, meaning healthy spine, brain, and skull development. The development of these tissues occurs early in pregnancy—often before a woman knows she is pregnant.
keep you on track and meeting the goals you have set for yourself. In becoming pregnant, I know my life will change in many ways, but how much will I really be affected? I need my body for my work in addition to the basic energy and strength to get through the day. Somehow, I’ll manage through the cravings, weight gain, fatigue, and hormone fluctuations; these are small inconveniences for the end result. In the meantime, I will strive to be the best me I can be, both to help with the pregnancy as well as to be a healthy mom for my baby. Coming up: accepting the truth, you are pregnant! Krysta addresses the first trimester paranoia. Choosing appropriate workouts and coping with sickness and fatigue. Krysta Forrest is a well-trained fitness professional currently on maternity leave.
introduces
Folate is in many foods: kidney, white, and pinto beans, chickpeas, cooked spinach, and asparagus, as well as orange and pineapple juice. Supplements are also available. Consult your doctor about the amount of folic acid that’s appropriate for you.
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Fitness Support Network A positive outside source of support helps fosters a positive outlook and keeps you motivated. It could be friends, joining a group or club, networking online, or even your physician. A weekly appointment with a nutritionist or dietician could be what you need to help stay on course. Explore new activities; you may be surprised where you will find the boost you need. Use these connections as resources to help
• Extensive malt whisky selection • By-the-glass wine, champagne & sparkling • Cheese, paté, charcuterie & gourmet haggis • Available for private functions
5482 Calgary Trail
780.761.1761
The Tomato | March April 2010 17 Bothy_8H.indd 1
10/19/09 9:43:47 AM
What honeys Lola’s long journey from bees to honey | Patty Milligan
my lips have kissed, and where, and why. in a fragrant mess of honey and wax. The not so good: I learned the hard way to pay attention while filling barrels—one of them overflowed on my watch. As I eyed the large pool of honey spreading across the concrete floor, I didn’t exactly cherish the fact that this miraculous liquid had been made by thousands of tiny insects visiting millions of flowers in the fields around me. Instead, I was enraged by the sticky grossness of it all and resented the extra hour required to scrape and squeegee it all up.
First, let me tell you a story about a honey my lips didn’t kiss. In 1993, I was hitchhiking with my friend Andrea in Chiapas, Mexico. We were riding with a businessman on the rainforest-lined highway between Ocosingo and San Cristobal de las Casas. Coffee vendors cropped up frequently along the roadside with sacks of beans stacked on rough wooden tables. Suddenly, a glint of gold caught my eye. The driver slowed down to make a turn. On the side of the road, a honey vendor’s children stood beside a table packed with gleaming, mismatched liquor bottles. They were full of honey from the jungle that surrounded us. The sight was achingly beautiful. I don’t know why I didn’t ask the driver to stop so I could buy some and taste it.
Eventually, I got my own hives and began selling my own honey under the moniker Lola Canola the summer of 2000. My confidence was quickly dashed in the early days at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market. The questions flew at me: “How long will this honey take to crystallize?” In my early beekeeping experience, I hadn’t ever had the chance to see the honey crystallize because it was quickly barreled and hauled away. “What is the moisture level of this honey?” “What flowers are the bees foraging on?” What flowers? Hmmm... I didn’t exactly know where the bees went to get the nectar. I didn’t know the answers to any of these questions.
Here’s my confession: though I first worked with bees in the summer of 1989, for a long time after that I was clueless about honey. I did have a couple of formative honey experiences that first summer I worked with bees. The good: I tasted willow honey (the first honey of the season in this area) right out of the comb; I grew to appreciate the smell of a healthy, honey-filled hive; and I spent the hot months of July and August on the extraction line, elbows deep
Most of us have spent our lives thinking that honey is honey is honey. Me too!
five easy ways to expand your honey horizon Bring honey home: Check out the honey at a market or grocery store when traveling. Pay attention to product origin. Be sure you’re buying local and not an import from Argentina, China, or the US. Seek out single origin: While multi-floral honeys from a different geographical area will always provide a new taste experience, look for honeys that are of single origin. They’ll have the name of a specific flower right on the label. Keep in mind that you are looking for honeys made from the nectar of a certain plant (i.e. raspberry, not honeys flavoured with raspberry juice). Choose raw: Choose raw (unheated), unfiltered honey. Heating and filtering affects taste. Have a honey tasting: Set up a tasting with three or so honeys from different floral sources. Aim to have a dark honey (forest, buckwheat, or manuka), a golden honey (dandelion, wildflower, or orange blossom), and a light/white honey (fireweed, acacia, or sunflower). Don’t forget to throw in Alberta’s signature honey as a benchmark. Moving from lightest to darkest usually takes you from the mildest to strongest flavours. Observe the colour, aroma, taste, and texture!
where to buy honey: Italian Centre Shop Lola Canola 10878 95 Street www.lolacanola.com 5028 104A Street City Market Downtown Seasonal
Planet Organic 12120 Jasper Avenue 7917 104th Street
St. Albert Farmers’s Market Seasonal
18 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Omonia Foods 10605 101 Street
Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market Saturdays
I clearly didn’t know that it made any difference. But new neural pathways fired up in my brain and when I finally understood the connection between flowers and honey, I embraced it. Now, I love seeing customers’ faces light up when they taste an unusual honey and understand that it represents a particular flower in a particular landscape. I’ve forgiven myself for that early ignorance. I understand that my experience partly reflects how the current agricultural commodity system works with its emphasis on production, homogeneity, and volume. Ask a grain farmer what s/he knows about milling flour or pressing canola and you may get a shrug and a comment like “I grow it; I don’t process it.” In addition to this, our collective grasp of the connection between our food and our landscape is tenuous at best. For instance, I’ve been asked whether I produced lavender honey. I don’t—actually, I can’t. No one around here can as lavender doesn’t grow in Alberta. The flowers that you see when summer comes around—all those blossoms that fill the fields in the countryside—are the source of your local honey. In Alberta, the big three are alfalfa, clover, and canola and most local honey will be a mix of those three. It’s a great honey! I’m turned on by Alberta honey; it’s light and mild and versatile and there’s LOTS of it (Alberta, on its own, is the fifth largest honey producer in the world). At the same time, I regret the limited choice of forage we have here for bees. Think of BC with its diversity of See ‘Honey’ page 25
Tinhorn_CityPalate.eps
3/26/2009
8:53:15 AM
TH E SUNTE R R A CA R D
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CM
MY
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CMY
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Sun ter ra –
hel pin
DRESSED UP & READY TO GO! g bu
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eop le e n
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A new twist on fresh
For dinner out, a family gathering, home parties or kicking back at the cabin, Tinhorn Creek has the wines for the occasion. Celebrating our 15th anniversary with a fresh look, we are proud to show you our 100% estate-grown varietal line up and Oldfield Series wines. At Tinhorn Creek we sustainably farm our land and create wines of merit. Our 150 acres of vineyards are located on two unique and diverse south Okanagan sites: the Golden Mile and the Black Sage bench. Our ability to blend the grapes from these vineyards and capture the best characteristics of each site sets us apart. Visit our spectacular estate winery in Oliver, BC and experience for yourself. We will welcome you with open arms. NATURALLY SOUTH OKANAGAN www.tinhorn.com
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The Tomato | March April 2010 19
Memoirs of a food tourist
When is too much not enough?
It
probably started with a lemon squeezer. A Mexican lemon squeezer my friend brought back from a trip to Matzatlan. It worked a charm. As did the ice cream scoop she returned with a few years later. Both have now been lost to the gadget gods but it instilled the thrill of the hunt. Who needs a t-shirt when you can bring back… salt? Yup a small box of sea salt found in a little grocery store in Cortona. I liked the package, which was not only attractive, it stated which beach the salt had been raked from. I was pretty sure I couldn’t get it at home. Of course, things are much different now—no carry on, no liquids, no extra weight. Security concerns threaten to take all the fun out of it for the food souvenirobsessed such as myself. The tougher things get at security the more inventive the food tourist has to be. I’m not suggesting to lie or to attempt to bring in anything illegal. But interpretation is always part of the story isn’t it? The French-made copper pot bought at a fire sale price in Seattle packed in my luggage came tagged with a little note from Homeland Security. Better that I know, I suppose, rather than a clandestine rummage through the suitcase. Still, it left an uneasy big-bro-iswatching kind of feeling. Compare that experience to this one—leaving Turin after Slow Food’s Salone del Gusto, five days of epicurian good times. Two nattily dressed security guards reached into my suitcase and opened it wide, then started handling the various cans, bottles packages, and sacks with, well, almost reverence. Murmuring as they replaced things, ahh miele,
20 March April 2010 | The Tomato
— Mary Bailey —
cioccolato sapore, ah yes salone del gusto si si slow food. Near the end of this curious examination, they looked at each other and said, “We go for lunch now,” and made to run off with the bag, followed by laughter and handshakes all ‘round. Now, that’s my kind of custom’s check.
“We always bring chocolate including over the counter chocolate.” It was Susan who introduced me to Ferraro Pocket Coffee, little missiles of dark chocolate around a sweetened espresso shot. “But don’t try to buy it in the summer,” says Susan. In Italy, even the candy is seasonal.
I am not alone in this. Our copy editor Amanda LeNeve also brings back food related souvenirs. “Last spring, I went to Maui and brought back pink Hawaiian salt and, of course, chocolate covered macadamia nuts,” she says. “When I lived in Germany, I fell in love with Apfelschorle (basically, apple juice mixed with carbonated water). I have not found an adequate replacement for it here, so whenever a friend visits from there or goes over on a trip, I always ask them to bring me back a couple bottles. Coffee and wine are also high on my list, as well as menus from restaurants I really liked.”
“We often bring back coffee. It’s so portable and each area has their own style or their own roaster,” she says. “It’s fun to try all the different kinds. Teas, candy, garden seeds, vacuum-packed cinghiale (wild boar) sausage, seafood in a can—things we can’t get here.”
My friend Lexa brought back a marvelously colourful handpainted sink from Mexico as carry on. ”It wasn’t actually that bad. I sat with it in my lap,” she said. It now sits in a bathroom, an evocative reminder of the exuberance of Mexico. “A can of tripe,” says Susan Giacomin, when I asked her what was the weirdest thing she had brought back from a trip. “It was for my mother. You know we always bring back different things for our mother.” Susan and her sister Barb own Winequest Wine & Spirits Agency. They are in a league of their own when it comes to hauling spoils from a foray to Italy, or anywhere for that matter. They are the only people I’ve met who schlep back more food and accoutrements than me. “We love all the regional specialties, but we don’t ignore more prosaic things,” says Susan.
Even Susan may be reaching saturation. When Barb asked her what she wanted from Barcelona, all Susan could think she really wanted was cookies. “Barcelona is known for its pastry and cookies,” she says. “Barb went to a bakery and had them help her choose pastry that would keep for a few days. She brought back the typical Cabell de Angel, puff pastry with a squash filling. They were delightful—fresh from the bakery in a flat box with a big bow.” The intrepid hunter-gatherer has to be on her toes, prepared for snoopy customs people (“We’ve had sausage confiscated,” says Susan), overweight luggage and irate fellow passengers. Here’s a tip: buy a wine box the next time you’re in the Okanagan. The kind with the styrofoam inner–liner for six bottles and a cardboard outer. Take it empty (as your second piece of luggage) and bring it back full. It’s good for not only wine and olive oil, but also anything in a glass container—soap, toilet water, jams and jellies... whatever. And they are fairly easy to manoeuver. Not only are things much more global now—it’s so much easier to find specialty goods right here— the last thing you want to do is cart something home that you can buy at a supermarket here (i.e. Baci
candy from Perugia, don’t do it). Often, the local supermarket is the ideal place to find the real prize— the one thing that will take you back to your memory in an instant. I used the last of the dishwashing detergent today. Not just any dish detergent, but the rosemaryscented, blue-coloured Casino brand that I picked up in a small grocery store shop in Montignac in southwestern France. They say smell is the sense that carries the most memory. One squirt and I am back in the hot sun and aromatic garrigue of the region. The cost? Oh, about $2 bucks. My latest obsession, actually not food related, a European mailbox, is proving to be a bit harder to come by. Not only do you have to find an old-fashioned ferramenta (hardware store), it needs to have a big enough selection of mailboxes that aren’t made of iron weighing 25 pounds or so. I‘ve learned my weight lesson. So, I roam the streets and ask at cafés and stumble down back alleys in my search. I have put a moratorium on salt. I have sea salt from every coast of Italy, France, and England. I have pink salt, grey salt, fleur de sel, (easy peasy). I have salt handraked by Roberto and his father. I have an amethyst-coloured crystal of salt (I bought that one because it’s so pretty). I have more salt than a Roman soldier. I could open a salt museum. But, a friend is leaving for Wales soon. That’s the home of Halen Môn, an excellent mild and flavourful salt. Maybe they have some in cool packaging we can’t get here. For the food tourist, enough is not in the vocabulary. Mary Bailey travels with a large suitcase.
Kitchen Sink from page 26
Special Event Rentals (6010 99 Street, 780-435-2211) is celebrating 25 years of providing everything people need for a successful party or event: tents, centerpieces, décor, linen, flutes, barware, nine patterns of silverware, and dishes. That’s a far cry from the single popcorn maker and cotton candy machine that owner Neil Goodkey started with. They’re offering 25 per cent off selected rentals and a flat $25 delivery charge. More anniversary specials at www.specialeventrentals.com. Kerstin’s Chocolates (10139 112th Street, 780-990-0011) offers chocolate classes on March 16 and April 20. Learn how to temper chocolate to make delectable confections such as truffles in a hands-on, three-hour class. Then take home what you make. Reserve space at www.KerstinsChocolates. com, $85 per person. Don’t delay; classes are limited to six students. Want a little Alberta flavour when you fly? So did Westjet. On outbound flights from Edmonton enjoy three different sandwiches from Edmonton’s Krave Catering, all made with Alberta meats, cheeses, and breads, along with a cheddar brioche and a cheese tray (different items on different flights). Calgary flights serve sandwiches from Calgary’s Spolumbo’s.
Tim Patrick and Maighread Axe of Terra Caritatis Patris Farm near Vermillion are starting a meats-based CSA (community supported agriculture) called EAT Food for Life. They raise Red Angus X beef (grass-fed, then dry-aged for three weeks, an expensive process that contributes much to flavour) and pastured soyfree turkey and chicken. They need 50 people to make this work—if you’re interested in the concept, call Tim or Maighread at 780-853604, or visit EATFoodforLife.ca. More coverage on CSAs in the May/ June issue New and/or interesting food and drink related news for The Kitchen Sink can be faxed to 780-433-0492.
kerstin’s chocolates the shop
CAREIT Hamptons (5236 199 Street, Hemingway Plaza 780-486-1123, www.careit.ca) is now making Eggs Benny with Irvings Farm Fresh back bacon. They’re available to go from 10am–2pm every Sunday. Enjoy the Catch of the Day Cooking Class at Sunterra Market Commerce Place (201 10150 Jasper Avenue, 780-4263791). Watch Red Seal chefs prepare five recipes and share tips for buying and cooking fresh, seasonal fish. Class includes dinner, wine, and recipes, $49.99 per person, March 29, 6:30pm. Call 780-426-3791 to register.
The Tomato | March April 2010 21
the proust culinary questionnaire
| mary bailey
Melinda and Larry Stewart, Hardware Grill In the late nineteenth century, French novelist Marcel Proust participated in an exercise, which could be thought of as the Facebook of its era—he answered a questionnaire about himself in a friend’s Confession Album.
Years cooking? Larry: 30 Melinda: (supervising Larry) 14.
Proust’s answers have been published, in one form or another, for more than a century. Many have used the questionnaire for their own devices, the most notable being Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire featuring celebrities. The Tomato now gives it a culinary twist.
Your favourite food and drink? Melinda: “Larry likes meat, any kind, and red wine. I like good red wine—life is too short to drink crap—and chocolate. But not together.”
Melinda and Larry Stewart own and operate the Hardware Grill in the historic Goodridge Block in downtown Edmonton. Long the home of the beloved WW Arcade Hardware store, the building sat empty until they opened the restaurant (with then-partners Brad and Leanne Smoliak) in 1996. Numerous accolades, top-notch reviews, and thousands of happy diners later, Larry and Melinda continue to deliver an exceptional dining experience. Hometown? Melinda: Edmonton Larry: Peterbourough, Ontario
Where would you like to live? Maui
What would you be doing if you weren’t cooking? Melinda: “Not nursing, I tried that. A synchro swim coach.” Larry: “In the architecture and design field—designing kitchens most likely.” What do you most appreciate in your friends? A sense of humour. Your favourite qualities in a dish? Simplicity. A cook? Brains, drive, passion, common sense. A wine? Complexity. Who would be at your dream dinner table (dead or alive)? Larry: “Gordon Ramsey, Wolfgang Puck, Robert Mondavi.” Melinda: “…and their wives.” Who would cook? Larry: “I would.” Melinda: “Pot luck.” Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Larry: “Besides four letter ones?” Melinda: “Larry says ‘note to self’ a lot, which actually means: note to me.” Current culinary obsession/ exploration? Melinda: “Mine is Annie’s Bunny noodles.” Larry: “Braised meats, slow cooking.” Meaningful/crazy cooking experience? Larry: “The craziest were the dry runs before we opened the doors. We were inventing the menu on the fly, going from concept to execution in the kitchen.”
22 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Melinda: “The most meaningful was when we went to San Francisco before opening with Brad and Leanne Smoliak. We would start at 11 and pretty much eat a meal every two hours at Farallon, Aqua, Boulevard, Postrio, One Market— all the great places at the time. It was an unforgettable experience; not that I’m in any hurry to do it again.” Best (cooking) thing that ever happened to you? Opening Hardware Grill. Mentors? Larry: “Bernard Rummel. He was the first chef I met who created standards, had manuals and pictures and recipes.” Melinda: “Larry would be my cooking mentor as he trusted me to get the job done and gave me responsibility early on.” Favourite casual cheap and cheerful/ afterwork food? We have kids now, so we don’t go out much after work. The kids (and Larry) like Joey’s for the burger and rotisserie chicken. Philosophy? Larry: “I learned in the time when hotels made everything and had butchers and bakers in house. That’s my inspiration. Young cooks can come here to learn and actually practice the skills they learn in cooking school. “The biggest thing is execution, day in, day out. You can have all the ideas and concepts in the world, but if you can’t execute, forget it.” Melinda: “We wanted to set the standard, for food, service, wine list, and an excellent product.” What’s next? Melinda: “The tasting menu is new, the chef’s table is new, and we’re open for lunch again after a short hiatus.” Larry: “We’re most excited about the Enomatic. It’s a system that keeps open bottles fresh (under argon—an inert gas) for up to several weeks. We’re one of the few in town to have the system, enabling our guests to enjoy a high quality taste of wine in the $10 to $50 price range. It gives our guests options. People still want a stellar experience but maybe don’t want to spend $200 on a bottle of wine these days. ”We can be casual. We’re a place centered around great flavour and there’s nothing pretentious about that.”
The Business Lunch at hardware grill.
Use your head, treat your clients. Monday to Friday 11:30 – 2:00 pm Dinner, Monday to Saturday from 5:00 pm.
Downtown in the historic Goodridge Block Corner of 97th and Jasper Reservations suggested 780.423.0969 | hardwaregrill.com
fit for foodies April 24, 27, 29, 2010 7:30pm The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium www.edmontonopera.com I 780-451-8000
Jealousy is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.
Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler
The Tomato | March April 2010 23
farmers’ market from page 11
Braised Nouveau Beef Short Ribs Danny and Shannon Ruzicka operate a family farm called Nature’s Green Acres near Viking. Their beef is grass fed and sent to be butchered much younger than conventional beef. 3 lbs
nouveau beef short ribs
1
yellow onion, chopped
1 T
canola oil, chopped
½ large
carrot
1 stalk
celery, chopped
3 cloves
garlic, crushed
3 sprigs
fresh thyme
¼ c
chopped parsley
3
bay leaves
2 T
tomato paste
1 c
red wine
2-3 c
hot beef stock
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper Cut short ribs into smaller pieces— roughly square—so that each piece includes a bone. Trim excess fat, if necessary, and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 310ºF. In a large braising pan, sear short ribs bone side up until lightly browned (about 5 minutes on medium-high). Remove short ribs and set aside. In the same pan, sauté onions and oil until lightly colored. Add carrot and cook until slightly softened. Add garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Sauté a few minutes more. If you do not have a braising pan, spread vegetables in an earthenware baking dish large enough to hold short ribs, or directly in braising pan. Arrange ribs on top of vegetables, bone side up. Pour in wine and add enough hot stock to just cover the ribs. On stovetop, bring liquid to a light simmer and turn off. Cover dish tightly with foil and place in oven. Begin to test for doneness after 1½ hours. A skewer or paring knife inserted into meat should encounter no resistance and meat should be nearly falling from bone. When they are tender, remove from oven. Serves 6.
Pour off and reserve braising juices. Strain braising liquid into a bowl and press solids to extract liquid. Allow liquid to settle, then degrease. Pour braising liquid in a pot and reduce by ¼. Pour liquid back over short ribs and reheat if serving immediately or cool and refrigerate and serve next day. Serve with sautéed mushrooms and mashed potatoes (add pureed celeriac to your mashed potatoes for some extra earthiness).
White Chocolate Pecan Brownie Victor and Elizabeth Craphko started En Sante winery as a way to make use of the abundant organic apple harvest on their property near Brosseau. After Victor’s untimely death, Elizabeth has carried on with daughter Xina making and selling their unique beverages.
½ T
lemon juice
2 T
campfire wine
2 T
sugar
½ c
saskatoon berries
½ c
wild blueberries
Put lemon juice and wine in a bowl, add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Put half of each of the berries in a bowl, mash with a fork to break-up texture and add liquid to the bowl and mash a little more. Add remaining whole berries and allow to soak together for two hours or overnight.
Campfire Sabayon 3
duck egg yolks
½ c
granulated sugar
¾ c
campfire wine
2 c
grated white chocolate
½ c
unsalted butter
1 T
melted butter or pan spray
½ c
granulated sugar
½ c
brown sugar
Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a stainless steel bowl until light and fluffy. Add wine and place over a bain-marie. Whip constantly until the mixture is hot and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2
eggs
Serve immediately.
½ T
vanilla extract
¾ c
bread flour
¾ c
cake flour
1 t
baking powder
¾ c
pecans
To serve: Place one portion of white chocolate brownie (make sure it is at room temperature) in center of plates (on all six plates). Top with macerated berries making sure you get some of the liquid as well. Top each dessert with an equal amount of the campfire sabayon.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Reserve a third of the chocolate and place the remainder in a bowl with the unsalted butter over a bain-marie. Stir frequently until melted. Line the bottom of a half sheet pan with parchment paper and brush melted butter over paper and sides of pan. Set aside. On high speed (if using a mixer), beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together flours and baking powder. Add flour to the sugar mixture and incorporate at low speed, scrape sides if necessary. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter mixture, followed by the reserved white chocolate pieces and the pecans. Spread the batter evenly over prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is set, but still soft. Let cool completely before cutting into 6 portions. Serves 6.
24 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Macerated Berries
boot camp from page 7
At the end of day one, we were exhausted, full of food, and 100 per cent sure we’d made the right choice. We have never slept so well in our lives. Then it all began again bright and early the next day. Each day following was more learning than the last, followed by cooking a major meal with that day’s protein. The remaining days involved the following: Day two: veal and offal. Day three: poultry—chicken, duck, and game birds including a special afternoon of breaking down and preparing foie gras. Day four: fish of all kinds including filleting our own product from whole sole, flounder, barramundi, and lobster. Day five was about oysters, squid, octupus, and sushi/sashimi. Our main entree prep also required a “compound salad.” This was an absolute blast inventing and presenting. By the end, we were extremely sad it went by so quickly. We worked hard everyday from 5am until 10 or 11pm, but were never sick of it. We came home with a heightened passion for cooking and preparing for small groups of friends as well as much larger groups. We learned timing and improved our presentation skills tenfold. Nothing will ever scare me in the kitchen again because my time at the CIA left me with such a sense of confidence. My CIA bootcamp was truly one of the best vacations I can imagine and I’m looking forward to going back for further boot camps and regional cuisine weeks. Cost for the bootcamp was $2,095US, (includes two complete chef’s uniforms, all meals, wine, a few extra goodies in your chef’s bag). Travel and accommodation are extra. If you want to, you can bring your own knives, but there is ample equipment available for everyone to use. Darcy Dietz brought his own knives.
Honey from page 18
honey crops—apples, blueberries, fireweed, raspberries, and more. Yet, despite our short season, despite our homogenous crops finding single origin dandelion, borage, or alfalfa honey is getting easier. I can’t wait to find local varietals of thistle, raspberry, mint, fireweed, sweet clover, and goldenrod. After that first farmers’ market summer, I (Lola) learned fast. Customers have helped me along the way—regaling me with stories about the year granddad’s bees got into the stinkweed, or about the barrels of buckwheat honey that came from Manitoba in relief shipments during the depression. The knowledge I’ve gained from ten years of standing at a market stall talking to people about honey is immeasurable. In addition to their stories, people have also given me honey. Lola Canola’s Museum of International Honeys features over 100 honeys from as far away as Brazil, Taiwan, Egypt, Mexico, or Malawi. I have a rosemary honey from Portugal—a gift from loyal customers. Mary Bailey brought me a delicious French honey with a delicate taste of anise produced from bruyere blanche, a heather-like plant. On my own travels, I’ve picked up some like avocado, blueberry, and olallieberry while on a farm tour in California. I’ve found unique
honeys closer to home: powerful manuka from New Zealand at Planet Organic, a mild orange blossom from the Italian Centre Shop, or a dark thyme at Omonia. Alongside these international delights, Lola’s museum boasts a wide range of Canadian honeys too: BC raspberry, sweet clover, and fireweed; Saskatchewan borage; or Manitoban sunflower or buckwheat. Though I love honey, I love sharing it even more—I dip into these jars to host tastings. My journey started with bees and it ended with honey. Or did it? My honey bucket list is still long. I want to visit the hives in Luxembourg gardens in Paris, sample rooftop honey produced by New York’s outlaw beekeepers, attend the famed honey festival in Argana, Morocco, taste the world’s most expensive honey from the nomadic beekeepers of Yemen, and spend a year in India working with Under the Mango Tree—my favourite honey company in the world.
Shop where the chefs shop.
278 Cree Road in Sherwood Park • 780.449-.3710 Open Monday to Thursday 10-5 • Friday to Saturday 9-6
Fabulous Asian Dining Experience
First, though, I’ll head back to Chiapas and pick up a whiskey bottle of honey from a roadside stand on the highway between Ocosingo and San Cristobal de las Casas. Patty Milligan is a small-scale beekeeper in the Bon Accord area. Lola Canola Honey has been operating at local farmers’ markets since 2000. As well as keeping bees and eating honey, Patti writes, talks, and teaches about both.
Thai, Japanese and Chinese specialities Over 200 menu items to choose from Visit our new sushi bar
10406 Mayfield Road • 780-489-7826
Specializing in “Kickin Ash Buffalo” locally raised bison dishes. Lunch and Dinner The warmest place in town.
The Tomato | March April 2010 25
kitchen sink
| what’s new and notable
restaurant buzz How about Easter Sunday Brunch at the Homefire (18210 100 Avenue 780-4898086)? Their buffet brunch includes an omelette bar and delicious bison specials. Great price too, $19 with coffee. The Blue Chair’s (9624 76 Avenue 780-989-2861) Story Slam is the place to be. Visit www.bluechair.ca for details. Sunday brunch and dinner now feature musicians such as Jan Randall, who has scored more than 200 movie soundtracks. Bring the family. It’s a dream come true—hot dogs and beer. BiBO Edmonton (9919 89 Avenue, 780-437-5588) has added duck hotdogs (smoked duck sausage) to the menu, made by talented in-house charcuterie guy Gerry, along with buns and yummy chutneys made by their baker Shari. We’re thrilled that Culinary Team Canada will, once again, be managed in Edmonton by the saavy and capable Simon Smotkowicz, founder of Alberta Culinary Arts Foundation. A major sponsor is the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) with funding to help the team promote Alberta meats in competition. Teresa Bradley takes over from Zana Murray as chef de cuisine at Millcreek while Zana is on maternity leave. We’re loving Culina's new kitchen blog www.thebackofhouse.com designed and created by Culina cook Stacey Brown to encourage Culina chefs to talk about what’s up in their culinary lives. Check it out!
openings Chef Daniel Costa (Red Star) and Patrick Saurette (formerly Il Portico) are both talking about fall openings. If we should be so lucky! The Montreal phenom, Cora Breakfast and Lunch (2920 Calgary Trail, 780-465-2672) is famous for its generous servings of crepes, waffles, French toast, and omelettes often named after the customer who inspired the item, served with a truckload of fruit. Cora Tsouflidou, an inspiring individual, has created a very successful franchise. Everybody should try it, if only for the patriotic novelty.
26 March April 2010 | The Tomato
wine tastings happening and events Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s EPICurean Food & Wine Festival March 19–21, tantalizes and delights with this year’s theme—chocolate. The weekend includes wine tasting, cooking demos, Friday dinner reception, Saturday breakfast, lunch, evening reception and gala plus Sunday brunch and two nights accommodations and gratuities from $749 per person. Visit www.fairmont.com. Madison’s and PMA Canada present the International Winemakers Dinner featuring eight wineries and producers, Tuesday, March 30, Madison’s Grill, (Union Bank Inn, 10053 Jasper Avenue, 780-401-2222). Expect six signature courses prepared by Blair Lebsack, with wines to suit. Tickets are $160 including tax and tip, call 780-401-2222 to book. Sign up for the Fine Wines by Liquor Select e-newsletter not only for new product info and upcoming events, but also for free seats at their popular Staff Wine Education Seminars. Details at www.liquorselect.com Creations Restaurant (Sawridge Hotel, 4235 Gateway Boulevard 780 989-4439) offers a Thursday tasting seminar led by their Food and Beverage manager and certified sommelier, Robert Dziurman, followed by a food and wine pairing dinner. By reservation only, $100 per person, call 780-989-4435 to book Bin 104’s Wine Journey series continues with Italy on April 20, April 27, and May 4, $125. Visit www.bin104.com to register. Learn about rum from the Rum Doctor, Michael Delevante, at the Appleton Estate Rum Tasting and Seminar, 2pm, Friday March 12, Four Points by Sheraton South, 7931 Argyll Road. Email nv@pmacanada.com by March 9 to book. Pack Rat Louie’s (10335 83 Avenue, 780 433-0123) Wine Dinner features Francis Ford Coppola. Enjoy five courses with six wines, March 23, $85 per person. Email clevy@packratlouie.com to book. Creations Restaurant (Sawridge Hotel, 4235 Gateway Boulevard 780 989-4439) holds A Fusion of Art and Wine dinner,
March 29, $65 per person. The wines are from the Alberta Artist’s series: 2007 Napa Chardonnay, The Eskiboys; 2008 California Chardonnay, artist John James; and the 2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, artist William Chad Willsie. Join Gail Hall on a Culinary Tour to San Francisco, May 20 to 24, $2,895US double occupancy (airfare additional). If you already left your heart in San Francisico, consider the Culinary Tour to Sicily, October 9 to 20, $4,995CDN double occupancy (airfare additional). Visit www.seasonedsolutions.ca to book. Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Intermediate Level Two begins Wednesdays, April 7 at MacEwan Downtown Campus. A new Advanced Level Three begins in October. Visit www.winecollege.ca for info and registration. Attention all wine lovers. The spectacular Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival runs from April 19 to 25. The global focus is rosé. Theme countries this year are Argentina and New Zealand. Visit www.playhousewinefest.com for tickets.
on the shelf Holy bergamot! Love Earl Grey tea? Don’t miss Cally’s Teas (8610 99 Street, 780-4323294) annual Earl Grey birthday party March 20, featuring sweets, tea (of course) and fabulous recipes using Earl Grey. Cally’s now stocks a variety of organic Alberta culinary herbs such as French tarragon thyme, skullcap, and blue verveine for cooking and tea blends. New are the artisan glass items from North Vancouver’s MadAboutGlass—lovely little works of art. Bernard Callebaut Chocolaterie (11004 51 Avenue, 780-436-0908, west door Manulife Place, 780-423-3083, 12325 102 Avenue, 780-488-0690). Among the Easter bunnies and baskets at the lovely Bernard Callebaut stores is the new 32 piece sampler box Premier Crus De Plantation, four unique single-estate dark (64-75 per cent) wafers and ganache from plantations in Venezuela, Madagascar, New Guinea, and Dominican Republic.
See ‘KitchenSink’ page 21
Explore ns. your opti o
A World of Good Value
Lunch Combos $8.95 Explore your options with a wholesome combo. Add a fresh soup or salad to your meal. A Panini and a small soup or salad OR a Large Hot special and a small soup or salad.
www.goodearthcafes.com
Spring into berry season.
GE Tomato Food and Drink 4.625 x 5.75.indd 1
2/12/10 2:52:02 PM
.
It doesn’t take much to make something special with Real Cream. It adds a naturally smooth texture and delicious flavour to almost any dish. See for yourself with the attached recipe, then check our site for more amazing ideas with Real Cream.
White Chocolate-Cream Filled Pastries 1 1 1¼ ¼ tsp 1 cup
397 g pkg. frozen puff pastry 170 g pkg. white chocolate, chopped cup whipping cream vanilla extract fresh or frozen raspberries
1 1 300 ml 1 ml 250 ml
1. Defrost pastry according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Roll out half of the pastry on a lightly oured surface to a 1" (3 cm) thick rectangle 4 ½" x 8" (12 x 20 cm). Cut the pastry in 4 strips 2" (5 cm) wide. Repeat with remaining half of pastry. 2. Place the pastry strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden; cool on a wire rack then slice in half lengthwise. 3. Place the chocolate and ½ cup (125 ml) cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and blended with the cream. Stir in vanilla. 4. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes until it is cool but not set, stirring occasionally. With an electric mixer, whip remaining cream (¾ cup or 175 ml) until stiff peaks form then beat chocolate mixture until thick and uffy. Fold in whipped cream. Spread a layer of the mixture on half of the pastry strips. Top with three raspberries and another layer of white chocolate cream. Top with remaining strips. Garnish with chocolate cream and a raspberry. Makes 8 servings.
Real Cream. www.realcreamrecipes.com
The Tomato | March April 2010 27
Don’t miss it! Join Edmonton’s top-notch chefs and local farmers and producers as they prepare succulent dishes to compliment Canada’s best estate and VQA wines.
June 14, 2010 Presented by Slow Food Edmonton. Tickets $50 available after April 15 from The Junior League of Edmonton 433-9739 • Silent auction • Fine Wines by Liquor Select on-site wine store
Tenth annual!
Indulge in an evening of fine VQA wines and prairie cuisine. 28 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Professional Wine Education for all Levels Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
Now offering wine courses in Edmonton. Courses satisfy the needs of the novice through to the professional sommelier. (WSET) Wine and Spirit Education Trust is widely referred to as the “Gold Standard� in global wine education. Register now!
1.800.667.7288 www.winecollege.ca
Shot on location in a Prominent Homes Ltd. showhome Dress by Who Cares?
The Tomato | March April 2010 29
according to judy
| judy schultz
Notes from the sandbar So there I was, ordering my first flat white of the morning in a coffee shop when the unthinkable happened: the waiter forgot my chocolate fish. “Oi! Where’s my fish?” And that’s how I established myself as a don’t-mess-with-me local. The inalienable right to a chocolate-dipped pink marshmallow fish with morning coffee is part of Kiwi food culture. It’s like the slice of cooked beet that comes with your burger. You miss it if it isn’t there. In New Zealand, knowing about the iconic chocolate fish is as vital as knowing that an Afghan is a chocolate cookie containing Cornflakes. If you wanted to make Afghans with Rice Krispies, you could substitute the local equivalent: Rice Bubbles. But then, as my cookie-loving neighbour Jim pointed out when I whipped up a batch with bubbles, “It’s not really an Afghan, is it? Tasty. But not an Afghan.” Local food cultures are my pet subject and this island in the Southern Pacific Ocean is rich in edible traditions. Knowing your Afghans from your Anzacs will mark you. Elsewhere, they’re both cookies, but down here they’re biscuits. I’m learning. I now recognize the huge purple plum named Black Doris and the strange green guava called feijoa, and I know that nobody peels the fuzzy green fruit with the paper-thin skin (the kiwi, a.k.a. yang tao: Chinese gooseberry). Seven summers into our Down Under experiment, I’m learning about baking at sea level and where to get the best hokey pokey ice cream—vanilla with long dribbles of cinder toffee folded throughout. I’ve been assured that hokey pokey is a true Kiwi invention, but wildeyed Australians lurk just across the Tasman Sea, eager to claim it.
30 March April 2010 | The Tomato
Then there’s the jelly tip, a sort of raspberry popsicle wrapped around vanilla ice cream, dipped in chocolate, and impaled on a stick. This being the height of the New Zealand summer, nearly two million jelly tips will be consumed, mostly at the beach. Slow Food is huge and there’s a growing fascination with indiginous edibles. Huhu grubs may never be popular picnic fare, but they’re a big item at the Wild Foods Festival down in Hokitika on the South Island. So are sea urchin eggs. Another specialty I haven’t learned to love: whitebait, tiny transparent fish, net-caught as infants, fried into patties, eaten with heaps of white bread. “I don’t know why we love whitebait so much,” says Paula, my Kiwi daughter-in-law. “There are so many betta ways to eat fish!” Kiwi foodways could be organized alphabetically. Think of paua (a shellfish), Pavlova (everybody’s favourite dessert), and pie—as in meat pie. According to my source, 60 million savoury pies are eaten here every year, including potatowith-blue-cod. Which brings me back to fish and the Kiwi favourite: fish and chips. Fish-wise, I’m attempting to eat my way through all the known species in the surrounding oceans. Here’s my personal best-with-chips for this year: gurnard, terrific in beer batter. Snapper of course (pronounced snappa). Then the three blues: bluenose, blue moki, and blue cod. Next, monkfish: sweet and delicious with or without batter. Finally, lemon fish. It’s one of our local reef sharks, small, meaty and delicious as sharks go. Apparently harmless, unless you hook a grumpy one, after which all bets are off. A shark is a shark, after all. Cheers from Down Under. Food and travel writer Judy Schultz works from Alberta and New Zealand. She is currently fishing for shark, hoping to land one that’s small and cheerful.
The successes of our patients show us just how courageous the human spirit can be. Please support the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation’s continued quest to enhance patient care and encourage their courage. Join the 500: our black tie benefit is an evening of live entertainment, inspiring art and decadent prizes‌promising to be unforgettable for you, and extraordinary for them. A benefit on behalf of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation
Friday, April 23, 2010 Shaw Conference Centre, Hall D Reception at 6pm Dinner at 7pm $250 for 1 or 2 for $500 Table of 10 for $2,500 To purchase tickets please call 780 735 6024 or visit glenrosefoundation.com
Courage. Encouraged.
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