The Tomato food and drink: November/December 2012

Formerly City Palate

The flavour of Edmonton’s food scene | November December 2012 | thetomato.ca

The Artful Table 2012 holiday issue

Not another restaurant ad.

When you combine upscale cuisine With a laid-back atmosphere, you get more than just another restaurant.

Gold Medal Chef, Andrew Fung, redefines dining with globally inspired dishes full of bold and robust flavours.

Complement this exquisite cuisine with a relaxingly casual environment, and you have a new kind of dining experience that celebrates comfort without sacrificing quality.

dining redefined

d i n e n i n e t e e n .c o m

5940 Mullen Way, edMonton • 780-395-1119

Where chefs, foodies and knife nerds shop

handmade Japanese kitchen knives

Pop-up

Edmonton Store

November 20 to December 31 to door Eatery t x e Daily 10am -6pm N Boars e 8422 109 Street Thre

www.knifewear.com • @KnifewearYEG

editor

Contents

Mary Bailey marybee@shaw.ca

publisher BGP Publishing

copy editor Amanda LeNeve

designer Bossanova Communications Inc.

contributing writers Peter Bailey Jan Hostyn Matthew Lakis Amanda LeNeve Judy Schultz Tracy Zizek

illustration/photography Kyle Brownrigg Amanda LeNeve Gerry Rasmussen To Be In Pictures

design and prepress Bossanova Communications Inc.

printer

Features

6 8 10 20 24 26 30 32 36 38

An Entertaining Menu A Cypriot Christmas | Matthew Lakis, Ousia Restaurant

The Artful Table Finding beauty in everyday objects

The Cuisine of Memory Chefs’ memories of holiday foods | Mary Bailey

Tracy Zizek’s Sweet Christmas Gather friends for a baking party | Tracy Zizek

Cook’s Tools What tool or gadget do working cooks use every day?

Liquid Gifts From cash-strapped friends and rich uncle Bob

The Dairy Down the Road Making cheese in Kitscoty | Mary Bailey

Pyrohy Plump pillows of goodness | Jan Hostyn

Beers, Beach and Burritos Off the resort in Playa del Carmen | Amanda LeNeve

Gold Medal Plates 2012 Edmonton’s sold out event creates winners | Mary Bailey

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

For advertising information call 780-431-1802.

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

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

thetomato.ca

5 12 14 16 18 22 34 40 42

Dish Gastronomic happenings around town

Feeding People Ernest’s Dining Room | Mary Bailey

The Proust Culinary Questionnaire Michael Freeland, Cococo

Wine Maven Mary Bailey

Alberta Pantry Edible gifts to give and get

Beer Guy Beer this year | Peter Bailey

In Season In defence of fruitcake | Mary Bailey

Kitchen Sink What’s new and notable

According to Judy Suzy’s Party: A Christmas Tale | Judy Schultz Freelance illustrator Kyle Brownrigg gathers inspiration from what each season has to offer. kylebrownrigg.com

The Tomato | November December 2012 3

Authentic, modern Malaysian cuisine

Fired up

flavour!

Butter Prawns

“A sumptuous riot of flavour and taste and colour; trust me… it’s worth the trip” – Graham Hicks, Edmonton Sun “The space is casually chic, service friendly, food refreshingly different.”

– Twyla Campbell, CBC Radio “EAST has a menu that is filled with unique flavours and textures that are definitely worth driving for!”

– Sharman Hnatiuk Vue Magazine “East charms you with a culinary point of view that’s unique in Edmonton.”

– Steven Sandor Avenue Magazine

Nathin Bye

Gold Medal Plate winner 2009 & 2012 Corporate Chef/Partner of East, Lazia & Wildflower

Reservations 780-457-8833 www.eastedmonton.ca 16049 97 Street, Edmonton (Namao Save-on-Foods Center)

gastronomic happenings around town | stocking up

not available in the United States, lives on in the prestige brands carried by the chain such as Mauviel copper and Le Creuset in custom colours. Casey Bond is the inhouse chef and culinary director, organizing guest chef appearances and demonstrations. While you’re there, check out the new Pottery Barn, part of the same ownership group.

If you were wondering what was up with that space next to the Duchess Bake Shop left vacant when they expanded one door south, wonder no more.

Check out Provisions (10720 124 Street, 780 7053344, duchessprovisions.com), a sublime cook’s paradise of a shop filled with specialty merch the website describes as ‘dry goods, extracts, compounds and preserves.’ We’ve only had time to do a quick look-through at the unique array, and can’t wait to do some serious shopping there.

masakage, sharakumomo, or konosuke?

isn’t 124 street grand?

The burgeoning culinary 124 is anchored near Jasper Avenue by the chocolate and gelato shop Cococo, the just-opened Bothy Wine & Whiskey Bar and Cookie Love, along with stalwarts Café de Ville, Col Mustards and Wilau Thai. Opening soon are Canteen, Pure Kitchen and the Mak on 124. Add in the Duchess Bake Shop, Provisions, Café Tiramisu and the right-around-the-corner Blue Pear, The Dish and High Street, and 124 is finally becoming a lively gastronomic hub — the urban food and drink destination everyone had hoped for.

We’re excited to watch this baby grow.

Can’t wait for Massimo’s Cucina Italiana.

Inside the Atco Blue Flame Kitchen Holiday Collection Cookbook is 100 useful holiday recipes in an easy to use spiral-bound book design, with one recipe per page, and lots of pictures, cooking tips and recipe hints. Find all your holiday favourites, such as quiche lorraine, sticky toffee pudding and spicy gingerbread men along with appetizers and terrific recipes for easy entertaining, carrot and tarragon bisque and a festive crown roast of pork with pumpernickel sausage. Here’s how to win a copy: visit tomato.ca, and send us a message called Atco Cookbook. Hurry, contest ends November 30! Visit atcoblueflamekitchen.com to buy your very own copy.

Knifewear in Garneau — for a limited time only.

so long to the independent bookstore Greenwood’s Bookshoppe has closed. Gail and her crew carried the best food and wine books; the store was an amazing resource for all. We’ll miss it very much.

Goodbye and good luck.

williams sonoma has arrived Williams Sonoma (8882 170 Street, 780 481-3618, williams-sonoma.com) opened mid-September to a flurry of excitement. Devotees of the highend merchandiser no longer have to troop to San Fransisco, Calgary or Vancouver for full WS immersion shopping therapy. The store is a 7,000 square foot culinary playground, stocked with equipment, bar ware, linens, cookbooks and specialty foods such as the Thomas Keller branded food line. Founder Chuck William’s original premise, to offer fine quality, obscure French cookware such as omelet pans and soufflé molds

Super-sharp Japanese knife nerd Kevin Kent is bringing his super-cool knife shop Knifewear to Edmonton. After a successful pop up at the Enjoy Centre in October, Knifewear will open in the Garneau area at 8422 109 Street, right beside Three Boars Eatery. Expect sexy knives, meaty cookbooks, cutting boards and even classic shaving gear. There are always tomatoes and potatoes on hand to test-drive the knives. The shop is open November 20 to December 23 and December 28 to 30 from 10am - 6pm daily; 10am - 2pm December 24 and December 31; and closed December 25, 26 and 27.

Don’t delay a visit, as it’s a holiday season location only.

December 31 it’s poof! Like Cinderella’s carriage.

a tradition of the season

west-enders rejoice The new Italian Centre Shop, number three, will open near West Edmonton Mall in the old Ethan Allan location (90 Avenue and 170 Street) in late spring 2013. But we don’t have to wait that long for Massimo’s Cucina Italiana (Massimo’s Kitchen), the new casual eatery beside the south side Italian Centre Shop (5028 104A Street), headed

by Tuscan-based chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi. Chef Mazzocchi, a guest chef at NAIT a few years back, has brought along cooks Alessandro Nassi and Kemal Franceschi to staff the kitchen in the 60-ish seat restaurant. Menus are still in development, but expect a fast lunch/slow dinner style with an emphasis on seasonal cooking.

We bet it will be delish!

dish

cook it long and slow Eight winning teams will compete for bragging rights at the first ever Edmonton Longnslow BBQ Competition Demo. Debra Wong, founder of the very successful BBQ on the Bow in Calgary, is orchestrating the day in conjunction with Northlands and Farmfair International.

Sample chicken, pork ribs and beef brisket cooked long and slow, southern-style. Saturday, November 10, Expo Centre, northlands.com.

They’re he-ere!

The Tomato | November December 2012 5

Ana cypriot Entertaining Menu christmas

Ousia: an ancient Greek word meaning the primary essence.

Matthew Lakis, Ousia Restaurant

At Matthew Lakis’ restaurant Ousia, the essence in question is the taste of the Mediterranean. Using local pork and lamb and seasonal vegetables, this kitchen borrows flavours and techniques from the cuisine of Spain, North Africa and the Greek islands to fashion something uniquely their own.

Matthew’s Christmas family meal from Cyprus starts with tarama, a savoury fish roe spread to slather on fresh pita, followed by smoky charred lamb, stuffed vine leaves, citrusy roasted potatoes and a refreshingly simple salad. For dessert? Fried dough dipped in honey.

“Every island has their specialty dishes or does things slightly differently,” says Matthew. “The ouzo, for example, is different on every island.

“Cypriot food is more rustic — you could think of it as village food. It took longer for Cyprus to modernize, the same with Crete, with all the lower islands. The old tradition was to use the whole animal — the trotters, souvla and brawn, which is a kind of a headcheese — to preserve the meat for winter. Nothing was wasted. My mom will occasionally make Cypriot sausage, loukanika, a smoked sausage made with red wine and spices.

“In Cyprus, lamb shoulder would be slow-cooked for five hours over charcoal grills outside. It was the man’s job. Some cooks marinate, some do a dry spice rub. We like to marinate in red wine, spices, lemon juice, then baste on the rotisserie.

It’s a family tradition for any holiday especially in the winter as it’s a very warming dish.”

6 November December 2012 | The Tomato

holiday menu for six tarama dip 1 sml jar tarama (200 g, approx 7/8 c)* 2 c

olive oil

8 slices stale white bread, crust removed

1 c (approx. ½ lb) pork, finely ground ½ c

white rice

2 T

parsley, finely chopped

2 t

mint, finely chopped

2 T

lemon juice

cold water

1 T

butter, room temp

1

shallot, minced

2 c

vegetable stock

¼ c

lemon juice

½ c

white wine vinegar

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

1 clove

garlic, minced

sea salt to taste

Soak bread in cold water for 5 minutes, squeeze dry and set aside.

In a food processor, beat tarama until it has softened. Gradually add the squeezed bread, shallot and garlic.

Mix until smooth.

While beating, add half the lemon juice and slowly drizzle the olive oil, alternating with the remaining lemon juice. Drizzle the vinegar into the processor and mix until combined.

The tarama dip should be smooth and hold its shape. It will firm slightly once chilled. Garnish with a kalamata olive and enjoy with pita bread.

Serves 4-6. * Carp roe can be found at Greek specialty stores.

koupepia (dolmathes) stuffed vine leaves 1 sml can (approx 375 g) preserved grape vine leaves 1

red onion, diced small

2 T

olive oil

500 g (approx. 1 lb) lamb, finely ground

Place the grape vine leaves in cold water. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, then place in an ice bath, then in colander.

Heat a sauté pan over medium. Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent, then remove from heat. In a mixing bowl add lamb, pork, rice, onion, parsley, mint, season to taste. Mix lightly until well-combined.

To shape the koupepia, place a vine leaf shiny side down on your work surface. Slice off stem if necessary.

Place about a

tablespoon of the mixture near the bottom end. Roll tightly while rolling the bottom end up and the sides in.

Line the bottom of a heavy saucepan with leaves. Pack the rolled koupepia closely and layer them, sprinkling each layer with lemon juice. Once all the layers are in the pot, cover with 4 vine leaves; add the butter, vegetable stock and any remaining lemon juice. Invert a heavy plate on top to keep the rolls in shape whilst cooking.

Cover the pan with a lid and place over medium heat. Allow to simmer gently for 1½ hours. The vine leaves should be tender when done. Remove carefully from pot and enjoy served hot or cold. Can be served with tzatziki or Greek yogurt.

Serves 4-6.

lemon potatoes 4 lg russet potatoes, peeled and halved lengthwise 2 T

olive oil

2 T

water

2 t

lemon juice

1 t

dried Greek oregano

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste Pre-heat oven to 325ºF. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until potatoes are well coated and place in a roasting pan. Cover pan with foil and roast until potatoes are golden brown and tender. Approximately 45 minutes. Serve potatoes with fresh lemon juice squeezed over.

Serves 4-6.

lamb souvla 1 lamb shoulder, deboned, cut into 3-inch cubes sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

large metal rotisserie skewers. Preheat a charcoal rotisserie grill to medium heat (you should be able to hold your hand where the meat will be for 6-8 seconds before it gets too hot). If you do not have a charcoal grill, use a gas barbecue on medium heat.

Place the lamb skewers over the grill and rotate frequently to cook evenly on all sides. If you have a motorized rotisserie, allow it to rotate slowly.

Baste the meat every 5 minutes with the reserved marinade. Cook the meat until crispy golden brown and medium rare to medium or 150ºF inside.

Cooking times will vary due to different grill temperatures. Remove meat from grill and allow to rest covered lightly with foil for 15 minutes.

4 t

fast acting dry yeast

2 T

honey

Serves 4-6.

2 c

warm water

horiatiki salata (village salad)

Coating

Gull Valley has delicious hot-house tomatoes available year-round.

icing sugar as needed

red onion, thinly sliced

Marinade

¼ c

kalamata olives, halved

1 c

fresh lemon juice

1 c

red pepper, medium diced

1 c

extra virgin olive oil

1 t

dried oregano

1

bay leaf

2 T

parsley, finely chopped

ground cumin

¼ c Greek or Bulgarian feta cheese, small diced or crumbled

1 t fresh rosemary, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced Season lamb liberally. Combine marinade ingredients together then add lamb pieces. Allow the lamb to marinade, refrigerated, for a minimum of 2 hours and up to one day. Reserving the marinade, skewer the lamb onto

batter salt

¼ c

3 T

extra virgin olive oil

1 T

red wine vinegar

1T

lemon juice

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

TAWNY PORT

A deep-fry thermometer is necessary to make sure the oil is always at the right temperature.

2 t

3 roma tomatoes, medium diced

10 YR OLD

loukoumades

(500 g) flour

cucumber, medium diced

2 t dried oregano

Serves 4-6.

2 c

2 c

1 t

Gently mix all ingredients together.

Season with salt and pepper. Can be made an hour ahead to allow the salad to develop flavour.

honey as needed ground cinnamon as needed Sift the flour, salt and yeast into a mixing bowl. Add honey and warm water and mix until well combined.

Cover with a damp towel and allow to proof in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375ºF, or you can use a heavy bottom saucepan half full of vegetable oil.

Once proofed, using a 1 oz scoop, drop batter into the hot oil. Fry until they puff into balls and are golden brown, remove from oil and place in a mixing bowl. Coat lightly with honey cinnamon, and icing sugar. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 4-6.

The Tomato | November December 2012 7

The Artful Table F ind ing b eauty in e v eryd ay obj ects

Wabi sabi: The Japanese concept of finding beauty in all things, and in impermanence.

Form follows function: Architect Louis Sullivan’s words (1896) became a design mantra. (Actually, it was ‘form ever follows function’ — but that doesn’t scan.)

Whatever your doctrine, why not use beautiful things each day?

This collection of tools and objects of spectacular design and workmanship make the everyday rituals of making coffee, preparing food or setting the table all the more pleasurable.

Usefully gorgeous Designer Geoffrey Lilge (and husband of one of our favourite cooks, Cindy Lazarenko) creates elegant boards from laminated solid walnut. The charcuterie boards can be found on several restaurant tables around town including Corso 32. The 2012 collection — designed, crafted and hand-finished in Edmonton — includes sensuous curved bowls, a stag cutting board and butcher block styles from $250. Geoff’s boards are

8 November December 2012 | The Tomato

sold in Hong Kong, New York City, at Williams Sonoma (in the USA stores, not the one here), Hillaby’s and 29 Armstrong. See the entire collection at onourtable.ca.

(promo price $280). The blade is micro-carbide steel with a Masur birchwood handle. The knife is both beautiful and functional. Gift boxed too. thepantree.ca.

Art of the table Zocalo’s limited edition art tables come in three styles suitable for all types of architecture and garden design: a contemporary look in homage to the artist Piet Mondrian; a classic Portuguese blue flower motif; and one, modeled after Italian majolica, called Circo Mediterranean sun.

The tops and chairs, hand-made for Zocalo in a bright, hardwearing, hand-painted ceramic with wrought iron bases, fold down for easy storage. Tables are 29 inches in diameter, ideal for breakfast or drinks. Tables $550, chairs $250 each. Set of table with two matching chairs, $1,000, zocalo.ca

The necessity of coffee Stovetop espresso makers are popular in European homes and this Danesco model takes the styling up several notches. Made in Italy of high quality 18/10 stainless steel, with a shiny chrome finish.

Makes six cups of espresso and handles gas, electric and induction stovetops with ease, $70.

A knife, the most essential of tools We couldn’t mention wabi sabi and not talk about Japanese knives. The Pan Tree Kitchen folks have the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Miyabi 8-inch Gyutoh on sale for the holidays

Beauty in the prosaic The Emile Henry deep lasagna dish is made in France from high resistance ceramic in four glorious colours: olive, blue pavot, pepper and muscade. It’s a generous size, 16 x 11 inches and handles oven to table with ease. Comes with a gift box, a handy server and a very good recipe book. The recipes are far from prosaic — spinach and goat cheese with bacon and hazelnuts, chicken with mushrooms, or apricot and almond lasagna, $90.

Cast iron forever Impermanence is a fine concept, but when it comes to cookware why not have something that will last generations? Frenchmade Staub cast iron cookware is beautifully designed and manufactured — cast in a singleuse sand mould, with large dimples on the underside of the covers. The dimples create a way for moisture to drip back into the food, essentially self-basting and keeping all the juicy goodness in the dish. Colours galore: black, grey, blue, basil, grenadine, cherry, lemon, aubergine. The five-quart, lidded casserole is on sale for $230 at Dansk.

“There is a variety of roasters and casseroles, but if I had to choose one, it would be the five quart,” says Stacia Nawrocki of Dansk. “I love it because it makes my favourite recipes for beef bourguignon, Hungarian goulash and lamb shanks taste exceptional.

My husband Bill loves how easy it is to clean.” danskgifts.com Find Stasia’s Hungarian Goulash recipe at thetomato.ca.

Copper for cooks All the good cooks use copper; Julia Child used copper. Why? It looks amazing, it’s so very French and it provides seamless heat with no hot spots. Bakers love thick, high-quality copper as egg whites whipped in a copper bowl are more stable. Mauviel, designed and manufactured in France, is considered top of the line and will truly last generations. Yes, it’s a bit of work to keep copper looking fabulous — consider polishing your pots a zen moment.

Mauviel Copper cookware, $165 and up, toolsforcooks.ca.

Lead free crystal By replacing the lead titanium and zirconium, Schott Zwiesel created the first lead-free crystal — so revolutionary they were able to patent it. The glasses resist chipping and scratching and do not break easily, yet are not heavy or clumsy in the hand. The ultramodern shape of the Pure line suits the aromas and flavours of fruitier, new world wine styles.

Bella Casa, $18/stem, bellacasadcl.com.

A trio of Italians Three superb design and manufacturing companies clustered in the industrial heart of Italy near Milan creating usable art for the table.

Why here? According to Alberto Allessi, the Lake Orta Valley in the Italian Alps has a centurieslong tradition in metal and wood handicraft that survives, no, thrives, to this day.

Sambonet When Guiseppe Sambonet registered the GS seal at the Turin Mint in 1856, he was carrying on a family tradition — his father before him had been a gold/silver smith.

In 1938, Sambonet became the first European company

to manufacture stainless steel flatware.

Sambonet’s design aesthetic is purely modern, timeless. Five piece cruet set: oil, vinegar, salt and pepper on a square tray, Hillaby’s $165.

Alessi Alberto Alessi has transformed how we view object design. His company Alessi works with over 500 individual designers such as Phillippe Starck.

“A true work of design must be able to move people, to convey feelings, to trigger memories, to surprise, to go against the grain.”

The Juicy Salif Citrus Juicer, conceived by Phillippe Starck in the mid 1980s, remains a modern design icon — affordable and highly functional art for your counter, Hillaby’s, $118.

Legnoart Legnoart (art of wood) is a younger company dating from 1946, with two distinct product lines, beautifully crafted wood items and a trendier design collection called Spicy. Darcy Kaser from Call the Kettle Black chose the Spicy Collection steak knives in chrome, black, green and red; set of six, $110, callthekettleblack.com.

Find at Bella Casa, Call the Kettle Black, Dansk Gifts, Hillaby's, The Pan Tree, Zocalo and other fine kitchen shops.

Artful Gadgets & Stocking Stuffers Fajita Cast Iron Skillet Dansk’s Stasia Nawrocki uses her skillet for a lot more than fajitas.

“I love that I can impress my guests and sear scallops or tuna right in front of their eyes at my dining room table.” Comes with a wooden trivet and fajita seasonings, $32.

Danesco Spoon Colander This multi-purpose tool works as both a spoon and a colander — perfect for scooping potatoes or to add more bottom (solids) to a soup bowl. Made of toughened nylon, and is both dishwasher safe and heat resistant to 240°C/480°F. Available in eggplant, red, and spring green, $9.

Danesco Garlic Crusher The no muss, no fuss way to crush garlic. By using downward pressure and a rocking motion this handy device crushes cloves quickly and evenly, forcing the bits up through the perforations.

Dishwasher safe, available in black and lime green, $12.

Colourful Wine Tags The all-silicone tags are dishwasher safe, and adjust to fit most stemware, at the Pan Tree, 12 for $11.

Tovolo Spatula Cooks can never have too many spatulas, especially when they come in every colour. Silicone blades with wood handles, at Hillaby’s, $13.

Silicone Cake Pop Mould Ideal for making uniform-sized cake pops, $22. By Cake pop sticks 50 per pack, $7, at Dansk.

Danesco Piggy Corkscrew This charming little piggy went to market and brought home a bottle of wine. Chrome-plated zinc alloy, $12.

Glass Tapas Dishes Glass tapas dishes come in brilliant shades of mango, orange, ruby red, light blue and purple. At Zocalo, plate $3, spoon $2.

Find at Bella Casa, Call the Kettle Black, Dansk Gifts, Hillaby's, The Pan Tree, Zocalo and other fine kitchen shops.

From extreme left: Geoffrey Lilge charcuterie slab with hole $150; walnut bowl $250; Zwilling J.A. Henckels Miy abi gyutoh knife; Danesco stovetop espresso maker; Emile Henry deep lasagna dish in Blue Pavot; Mauviel 26 cm copper bowl; Sambonet cruet set; Alessi Juicy Salif.

The Tomato | November December 2012 9

The Cuisine of Memory C h e f s ‘ m em ories of

Memories of holidays, happy, sad and bittersweet, come to us through a warm steamy haze, with visions of bundling up and shuttling from house to house, eating things we only get to eat once a year. It’s the time to look forward to a grandmother’s ham or a special dish, or not.

We didn’t do the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve,” says Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad Smoliak. “But we would have cabbage rolls, pyrohy, nachynka, somebody always made a salad, nobody ever ate it, and pickled beets. My wife and I are resurrecting the traditional January Ukrainian Christmas meal with good friends and family before the dieting starts.”

“Christmas to me was all the granny baking, and a very steamy house,” says Frank Olson, of the Red Ox Inn and Canteen. “We’d drive to Camrose and there would be 60 people in my grandma’s house. Eventually, Christmas was moved to the community hall. We’re Norwegion, so there’s the stinky fish thing packed in lye. We compensate by putting butter and sugar on everything else. My sister still makes lefse every season.”

Shaun Hicks of Glasshouse Bistro remembers Christmas as squash and turkey. “Brown sugar squash: squash roasted with brown sugar, salt and butter — it’s a staple, perfect the way it is.”

“I can remember counting the days to Christmas with my mom’s family, vibrating, waiting for grandma’s glazed ham. You can’t mess around with that kind of stuff!” says Brayden Kozak of Three Boars. “Sometimes they were monstrous, huge bone-in hams glazed with honey. It would have these sticky pineapple rings and crispy, sweet and sticky burnt ends.

That’s Christmas. The other thing that tastes like Christmas to me is nalysnyky, cottage cheese crepes baked in a pan with heavy cream. My family does one pan of nutmeg and one pan of dill. Growing up I loved the dill. I realize now I spent a large portion of my life snubbing the nutmeg, and it’s amazing.”

10 November December 2012 | The Tomato

Mary Bailey

“For the last 20 years or so we’ve entertained my wife Melinda’s family as mine is far away,” says Larry Stewart, Hardware Grill.

“We always have turkey. I bone-out and roll it, so it cooks more evenly and it’s easier to carve and serve. And smashed potatoes, of course, skin on, butter, cream, sour cream, lots of butter. Smashed potatoes are as solid in the repertoire as gingerbread, a Christmas staple at our house.”

What about the stuffing? Lindsay Porter, Mercer’s Catering, is a fan of her mother’s stuffing. “She puts sausage in it, minced sausage, just plain pork sausage, with lots of sage, and almond and walnuts. She cooks some in the turkey and some as a side dish so it gets a nice crust on top.”

Andrew Fung, XIX Nineteen, is a fan of the soup after. “In my family, it’s always turkey. Then my mom makes a really good congee using the stock she makes from the bones. It has a subtle, clean flavour. Congee is kind of a Hong Kong street food staple. Back in the old days people needed a small amount of rice to go a long way.”

Lynn Heard, Unheardof, believes people are biased about the cabbage family. “I think brassicas deserve more respect. I love sweet and sour cabbage, I don’t know why people don’t like Brussels sprouts. Who wouldn’t love them, steamed until al dente, glazed with maple syrup and a little balsamic, then tossed with some pecans which have been sitting in the maple syrup? I was dumbfounded the first time I saw Brussels sprouts growing in the ground — I had no idea they grew on sticks like that. But, then again, when I was a kid I thought people braided the tips of asparagus.”

Holiday meals come wrapped in intense family memories, some good, some not so good. Ryan O’Flynn of Bistro La Persaud recalls growing up in a family that cooked for a living.

“A chef never gets to experience Christmastime. I’d get picked up after school and taken to wherever

h olid ay foods

they were working. We grew up with roast beef; with over the top mashed potatoes dripping with sour cream and those awful dried chives, and I don’t want to be there. When people make that little volcano and put the gravy that came out of a package, what is it called, Bistro? In the volcano — I’m just not there. How about I show up after dinner for some nice scotch instead? “ For Doreen Prei, chef de cuisine at Zinc, the holidays take her back to being a little girl in the forest. “My grandfather and I always went to the Thuringian forest in the fall. We would go for a week and look for mushrooms every day. When Opa found some, he would fall onto the ground and embrace them. I was a very competitive 10 year old; I wanted to find more than him. Then we would sit on his balcony cleaning the mushrooms; chanterelles, cepes, porcini, then we’d dry them on East German communist newspapers.

My grandfather knew a hunter. He would get venison, marinate it in buttermilk to give it a bit of a tangy flavour, then put bits of speck into the flesh, then marinate some more with red wine. He would slow cook the roast and make a sauce of the roasted bones, red wine, some herbs, the dried mushrooms and some tomato paste. The mushrooms we had picked added such a delicious woodsiness to the dish. There was some juniper in the sauce too. We would have it with the dumplings from our region, (Thueringer kartoffelkloesse) and cabbage and apples braised with red wine and bacon. My Opa Karl-Heinz Bruessler is a fabulous cook. I was always with him in the kitchen.”

What is my cuisine of memory, besides my mother’s incomparable pressure cooker turkey soup? I spent a good decade of holiday meals at the kid’s table. Being the youngest, I was expected to run herd on all the nieces and nephews. When I finally got to sit at the grown-ups‘ table, I realized what I was missing — Christmas dinner was way more fun with the kids. Mary Bailey

retro-style honey pineapple glazed ham 1 can

(8 ounces) sliced pineapple

1 boneless fully cooked ham, approx 5-8 pounds 1/3

c

honey

1 t

ground mustard

¼ t

ground cloves

1 T

cider vinegar

maraschino cherries

Bake ham at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Drain the pineapple into a small saucepan and set aside the pineapple rings.

Add honey, mustard, cloves and vinegar to the juice and cook until reduced to a syrup, about half the volume.

Score ham; place pineapple slices and cherries over ham, securing with toothpicks. Spoon glaze over top. Bake for about another 30 minutes or so or until a meat thermometer reads 140°F, basting occasionally. Serves 8-12.

smashed potatoes Larry Stewart, the Hardware Grill 5 med red or white unpeeled new potatoes 3 fl oz

melted butter

3 fl oz

sour cream

1 ½ t

salt

½ t

pepper

¼ c

milk

Boil potatoes until fully cooked, drain well. Smash potatoes with skin on, add all other ingredients and mix well.

Potatoes should be a little bit chunky.

Hold warm in oven.

turkey congee

¼ c

canola oil

¼ t

salt

3 T

white wine vinegar

1 T

sugar

Chef Andrew Fung, Nineteen

½ t

whole grain mustard

1 T

chopped dill

1 clove

garlic, finely chopped

¼ t

salt

¼ t

freshly ground pepper

sweet cream to pour over pancakes (just to cover in one layer)

¾ c

long grain rice

9 c

turkey stock (recipe follows)

salt to taste

In a large pot, bring the water and rice to a boil. When the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to medium low. Place the lid on the pot, tilting it to allow steam to escape (the same as you would do when making cooked rice).

Cook on medium-low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice has the thick, creamy texture of porridge (1 to 1¼ hours). Add the salt, taste and add seasonings if desired. Serve with any kind of fish, pulled turkey meat, chicken, ground beef or pork.

turkey stock 4 kg

turkey bones

8 L

cold water

1 t

kosher salt

1 t

mignonette pepper

1 sml

carrot

1 sml

leek (white part)

2 stalks

celery

1 onion 1 bouquet garni 2 cloves

Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and discard. Cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. There should be about 2 c.

Combine Brussels sprouts, lettuce and green onions in a bowl. Set aside.

Cook bacon and pecans in a medium sauté pan over medium heat until bacon is crispy. Remove from heat.

Drain bacon and pecans on paper towels. Drain off all fat from the pan and return to low heat. Add oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic; cook, scraping to loosen browned bits, for 30 seconds. Return bacon and pecans to the pan. Season. Pour dressing over sprouts mixture and toss to coat.

Serve immediately. Serves 8.

nalysnyky (cottage cheese filled crêpes) There are probably as many recipes for nalysnyky as there are good cooks who make it. We’re using Olga Drozd’s recipe from the Ukrainian Classic Kitchen.

garlic

Remove excess turkey fat, place turkey and cold water in large saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and continually skim off surface foam.

Chop vegetables to a mirepoix (fine dice) and add to stock. Season with salt, pepper, bouquet garni and garlic.

Simmer 1 to 1½ hours. Degrease if necessary. Strain stock by a fine strainer. Cool and refrigerate.

brussels sprout salad with warm bacon and pecan dressing Adapted from the Atco Blue Flame Kitchen 2012 Holiday Collection Cookbook ½ lb

Brussels sprouts

6 c

torn romaine lettuce

½ c

sliced green onions

1½ c

chopped bacon

½ c

coarsely chopped pecans

Mix cottage cheese, eggs, salt, 1 T sugar and dill.

Spread over each pancake with filling and roll up like a jelly-roll. Arrange in a well-buttered casserole, and pour sweet cream over.

Bake at 300°F for 35 minutes. Uncover toward the end so that they will brown a little.

Serve with sour cream. Makes about 12 nalysnyky.

For dessert nalysnyky, leave out the dill and add nutmeg and add a little more sugar if you like it a bit sweeter.

lynn heard’s sweet and sour red cabbage “We use olive oil so the vegans can enjoy it too. Add white vinegar near the end to hold the colour, and check before you take off the heat that the mixture is the right combination of juiciness, sweetness, sourness and saltiness.”

– Lynn Heard, Unheardof Restaurant 4 T

crêpes 1½ c

milk

1 T

sugar

¼ c brown sugar (depending on size of cabbage)

¼ t

vanilla

2 t

1¼ c

all-purpose white flour

2/3

1½ t

baking powder

¼ t

salt

1 t

oil

2 c

creamed cottage cheese

2

eggs, well beaten

1.

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1 head red cabbage, shredded into ¼ inch strips

eggs, well beaten

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olive oil

2

Mix eggs, milk and 1 T sugar together.

Add vanilla and oil. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to milk mixture, stirring until smooth.

Using a greased frying pan, fry the batter into thin pancakes using ¼ c of batter per crêpe. Use a 7-inch nonstick crepe pan or any non-stick pan of that size. Swirl the batter around to cover. I use a brush to lightly brush pan each time with oil or butter. Set aside.

It’s as easy as

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Pour oil into a heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add chopped cabbage, then add salt and sugar.

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10-12-10 7:44 AM

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Drain in colander immediately, check seasoning. The cabbage freezes really well this way.

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The Tomato | November December 2012 11

feeding people

| mary bailey

Ernest’s Dining Room

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What looks like a very nice dining room is actually a classroom where NAIT culinary arts students learn the ropes both back and front of house.

“We are licenced for 160 guests,” says Samantha Wall, culinary instructor and dining room manager. “We offer contemporary classic cuisine à la carte Monday to Thursday throughout the school year. In practical terms, it means we reopen the restaurant four times per year.

“Second year culinary students work in the dining room for 24 days. They jump right in — it’s baptism by fire. We try to get them comfortable through mock service but there is nothing like facing their first few tables.

“Their day starts at 9:15 with theory, such as etiquette.

Then to the kitchen for pre-service, tasting the specials, then back to the dining room to set and stock. Doors open at 11:30.

After service, they’ll have one more theory class.”

Essentially, Ernest’s is a 160-seat gastronomy lab. While some of their contemporaries are out front learning to balance plates and diner’s requests, fellow students are learning every section of the restaurant kitchen. NAIT’s program covers contemporary (main course hot), cold buffet (garde manger) and patisserie.

Everyday, à la carte service teaches students the daily ins and outs of running a restaurant while creating an excellent experience for guests. The Friday buffet is where students really get a chance to perform.

“The buffet is our student showcase. Each student dreams up what they are going to prepare, goes to their instructors with a

12 November December 2012 | The Tomato

plan, then executes the dishes.

Friday buffet is spectacular.

“We want cooks to learn to talk with guests through working the interactive stations, where they could be searing lamb chops, flambéeing shrimp, carving stuffed pork loin or making pasta.

“Our students wanted to work with more local suppliers. They said they wanted know ‘what’s close to me and how can we be more sustainable?’ We use beef from Spring Creek Ranch, lamb from Tangle Ridge, duck from Four Whistle Farm. Our walleye/pickerel is from northern Alberta and our cheese is from the Cheesiry. Our president Glen Feltham says he ‘wants to support Alberta because Alberta supports us.’”

“Any given Friday from patisserie: chocolate truffles, carrot cake, linzer torte, pumpkin spice cake, grandmothers‘ recipes, chiffon cakes, ice cream bombe, mango, passion fruit and vanilla bean ice cream, tarts, and fresh fruit.

“People used to say they couldn’t come because parking was impossible. Now we have complementary parking passes in Lot C, and three times more metered parking on both sides of the street with 12 reserved for lunch every day.“ The experience pays off. The youngest Culinary Team Alberta to date won a gold medal and finished second overall in the regional competition at the IKA World Culinary Olympics held in October in Erfurt, Germany. The four chef members and the pastry chef had only completed their culinary schooling within the last year. The World Culinary Olympics was their first international competition.

Team members Myles Fedun, pastry chef Meaghan Koop, and Peter Keith are NAIT grads.

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Tomato, November/December Issue

12-10-02 8:04 AM

the proust culinary questi Michael Freeland, Cococo 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.

have you been

Frenched?

www.themarc.ca • 780.429.2828

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.

Michael and Ken Freeland and CEO Brian Beck head the group that brought Bernard Chocolaterie out of receivership last year. During the process came the notion to refresh the entire idea of what a chocolate shop could be.

the holiday season with manager stacy dieckman and chef cory welsch Excited for the season? We sure are! Celebrate in style.

Let us help you turn your holiday party into something ® special at Moriarty’s Bistro l Wine Bar .

Bringing people together… one glass of wine at a time.

10154 100 Street, Rice Howard Way | 780.757.2005 | moriartysbistro.com

EP04 MOR-Holidays-TOM.indd 1

The result is Cococo, bright and airy, with lots of chocolates and truffles for purchase, but also great coffee, pastry, dessert, and gelato to enjoy. A key ingredient to the mix was maître chocolatier Derrick Tu Tan Pho, an internationally lauded, Moriarty’s Bistro|Wine Bar award-winning chocolatier, and 10154 100 Street, Rice Howard Way author of Chocolate at Leisure.

Edmonton, Alberta www.moriartysbistro.com Derrick, who had been the director of the Chocolate Academy of Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer, inspires 12-10-09 5:37 PM Cococo innovation while nurturing the traditional Bernard Callebaut line of chocolates.

The new Cococo, 10103 - 124 Street, joins Bernard Callebaut locations in Manulife Place, Pleasantview Shopping Centre, (near Southgate) stores in Calgary and Banff, and another 22 independent dealers across North America.

Illustration, from left: Ken Freeland, Derrick Pho, Brian Beck and Michael Freeland.

14 November December 2012 | The Tomato

Hometown?

Oakville, Ontario Years making chocolate We’ve been in the chocolate business for almost 28 years.

Derrick Pho, our maître chocolatier was 1994 apprentice of the year in Montreal, 18 years in chocolate.

Where would you like to live?

No question, in Alberta.

Albertans have the most creative entrepreneurial spirit I've encountered.

Your favourite food and drink?

Spicy Thai food with a cold beer.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in choc business?

I’d be a starving musician.

What do you most appreciate in your friends?

I have a great bunch of friends, all ages and all types. I guess the common characteristic is they have fun with whatever they’re doing.

Your favourite qualities in a dish?

It’s got to be clear about what it is.

A chocolate?

Purity of flavour.

A wine?

Qualities I notice in a wine?

Whatever qualities my girlfriend BJ tells me I should notice — she’s the wine expert.

Who would be at your dream dinner table (dead or alive)?

Mick Jagger, Steve Jobs, BJ, Socrates, Winston Churchill. They all could bring dates except BJ. Who would cook?

Not me.

Current culinary obsession/ exploration?

The last two years have been spent defining, then refining the direction of our company — both within Cococo and as part of the wider

ionnaire community we live in — from the design of the stores, the product offerings, everything. We have to be quality in everything we do, but we don’t build our biz on chocolate snobbism. A chocolate shop should be a fun place to be. You could say that is our philosophy.

Meaningful/crazy cooking experience?

I have a limited professional chocolate education as that’s not my role in the company, but I have taken courses at the Callebaut Academy in Chicago. My contribution was something of a gong show, I had chocolate on the ceiling, and I took a lot of ribbing there. The academy incidentally, was built by Derrick. He designed the labs, chose the equipment, and developed the courses.

Mentors?

My father Don Freeland, and Milton Hershey, the father of chocolate in North America is an inspiration to me, especially when it comes to social responsibility.

Philosophy?

Good or bad, life is interesting What’s next?

Who knows?

Favourite casual cheap and cheerful commercial chocolate bar.

An Eat More bar.

The Tomato | November December 2012 15

wine maven love italian wine?

beyond wine Holy cork popping! September 28 saw over 350 people open a bottle of wine at the same time in under 30 seconds. Why? To break a Guinness record of course.

The vivacious and Thirsty Traveller, Kevin Brauch, orchestrated the mass cork-popping. The record was set last year in Vegas and all are confident that the 2012 attempt, held to celebrate the opening of the massive Wine and Beyond Windemere (6276 Currents Drive, 780 4395130, wineandbeyond.ca), will become the new record. The southwest location is the largest liquor store in Western Canada, with over 6,000 wines, 2,500 spirits and 1,800 beers.

meet tuscany’s donatella cinelli colombini The Amici dell’ Enotria wine group is holding a vertical library tasting of Colombini Brunello di Montalcino, followed by dinner on Wednesday, November 7 at Bistecca Italian Steakhouse, (2345-111 Street). Tasting, $65, dinner $120.

There may still be some tickets left to meet and taste with one of the top people in wine today. Email info@winequest.ca to purchase tickets.

16 November Decmber 2012 | The Tomato

Don’t miss the 5th annual Italia with Gusto on Friday, November 23, featuring over 75 wines and premium grappa di Bassano. The walk-around tasting with silent auction and regionallyinspired cocktail foods is organized

by Italian wine specialists Barb and Susan Giacomin of Winequest in support of the E4C school lunch program. Italia with Gusto takes you from the northeast corner of Italy, to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia and through every Italian region in between. It’s informative, entertaining, delicious. Italia with Gusto tickets, $75, in advance only, Italian Cultural Centre, 780-453-6182.

tasting sake with koji kawakami, Yoshi no Gawa Saké.

Mr. Kawakami is the 19th generation president of Yoshi no Gawa Saké, thriving craft brewer in a business dominated by factories such as Geikkakan and Hakatsuru. The tasting was informative — saké is much more intricate than one might expect, with degrees of rice polishing, fermentation techniques and aging all contributing to the quality of the final product. The Kawakami family started brewing saké in 1548 in Niigata, before the rise of the samurai. By teaching the farmers to brew saké the family business provided year-round employment for seasonal farm workers, bringing stability to the rural culture. Tasting highlights: Goku Jo Ginjo saké, with heady aromas of fennel, tangerine and white flower, balanced, not starchy, flavours ending with a long, soft finish. Koji called it the “full story.” Yoshi Special Premium saké is made just for Canada — clean and crisp, tasting of pear and almond. Find Yoshi no Gawa Saké at Sherbrooke, Crestwood, Bin 104, Furusato and Mikado. Not all sizes in all stores or restaurants.

mr. alberto arizu

of Bodega Luigi Bosca visited Edmonton this fall.

Our love affair with Argentine wine, especially Malbec, shows no sign of ending. This makes Mr. Arizu very happy.

“Argentina has a long history of wine culture. We are the fifth largest wine producer and the seventh largest consumer in the world, but things are changing. We used to drink 90 l/person. Now that’s down to 30 l/person. We have a modern life now, no more lunch at home followed by a nap in the afternoon.”

Luigi Bosca was an early adopter of a cohesive export strategy, and export 60 per cent of their fine Mendoza wines.

“At the same time, we have maintained our domestic market. One of every five wines sold in Argentina is Luigi Bosca.”

The Vistalba Valley is perfection for wine growing; the alluvial soils provide drainage and minerality, with lots of spring water from the Andes, and chilly nights encourage bright fruit and levels of acidity.

Tasting highlights: Malbec has a reputation as a cheap and cheerful quaffer, yet has so much more to offer. Luigi Bosca was instrumental in creating the Luján de Cuyo Denomination of Origin. The 2009 Malbec DOC is flawless, with sweet silky tannins, spicy herbs and a fabulous finish.

alessandro lunardi, US market director of Luce della Vite, led a vertical tasting of Luce at the Hardware Grill. He compares the 2001 Luce to the 2009 Luce: “When the wine is young, it’s driven by the Merlot; rich, dark and sweet. As the wine ages, the Sangiovese becomes more dominant and elegant.”

Why did Frescobaldi choose to make a Merlot/Sangiovese blend when most super Tuscans are Cabernet Sauvignon/ Sangiovese? “Sangiovese and Merlot respect each other — it’s a two act play.”

The younger vintages seemed more Italian, with less overt oak, more mineral complexity and a fine tension between the fruit, tannins and acidity. “I hope you can sense that this wine is not constructed. It is a wine of the place, it’s of the vineyard.”

Luce started life as a joint project of the Frescobaldi and Mondavi families.

Frescobaldi purchased full control in 2005, after Constellation bought Mondavi.

event calendar friday, november 2

thursday, november 15

Tannat and Tango Tasting Unwined Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

The Acclaimed Bordeaux of 2009, Crestwood Fine Wines & Spirits, 780-488-7800

saturday, november 3

thursday, november 15

Fabulous @ 50 Trade Show & Martini Party, Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com

Portuguese Wine Maker Dinner with DFJ Vinhos, Bistro La Persaud, 780-758-6636

sunday, november 4

sunday, november 18

The Power of Raw Food with Preet Marwaha, Amaranth Whole Foods Market at the Enjoy Centre, 780-651-7367

Steve Cavan, Saskatoon’s Paddock Wood Brewmasters Dinner, Urban Diner South, tarquin@themanorbistro.com

wednesday, november 7

wednesday, november 21

Chef Richard Toll, Holiday Entertaining Cooking Class, The Pantree Kitchen, 780-464-4631

Days of Wine and Proses with Laurie Greenwood, Unwined Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

wednesday, november 7

friday, november 23

Get Shiraz Over Here with Ken Bracke, Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com

Italia with Gusto: Italian Celebration of Fine Wine and Food, Italian Cultural Centre, 780-453-6182

wednesday, november 7

wednesday, november 28

The Pacific Northwest, Bin 104 Fine Wine & Spirits, 780-436-8850

What's your Forte, the world of fortified wines, Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com

wednesday, november 7 Dinner with Donatella; Brunello di Montalcino’s Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Bistecca Italian Steakhouse, info@winequest.ca.

tuesday, november 13 Big Red Tasting, Unwined Fine Wines, Spirits and Ales, 780-458-4777

tuesday, november 13

wednesday, november 28 Christmas in November, BIN 104 Fine Wine & Spirits, 780-436-8850

tuesday, december 4 Whiskey Regions of Scotland with Andrew Walls, Unwined Fine Wines, Spirits and Ales, 780-458-4777

wednesday, december 11

Tastes of Europe Dinner, Sabor Divino, sabordivino.ca

Suave Bruts and Seductive Bubbles, Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com

wednesday, november 14

mark your calendar

Cally’s Christmas Party Cally’s Teas, 780-757-8944

780.458.4777 • info@unwined.biz www.unwined.biz • 2, 512 St. Albert Trail

friday, february 8 For the Love of Wine, Kids Kottage Foundation, kidskottage.org

The Tomato | November December 2012 17

alberta pantry Edible gifts to give and get Canada Tea by VitalyTeas Fanta Camera’s Edmonton-based tea company started with Canada Chai, a concentrate sweetened with Alberta honey and Quebec maple sugar. “The Canada teas are made with herbs from Chickadee Farms, an organic farm north of Edmonton on the banks of the Pembina River,” Fanta says. Why would I buy Egyptian chamomile when I can create continuity by doing business locally?” Find VitalyTeas at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market, at Save on Foods, Organic Box, Carbon Boutique and in restaurants. vitalyyteas.com. Canada Teas, 15 pyramidal tea bags, $10.

Blue Kettle Ginger Dressing and Dipping Sauce

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18 November December 2012 | The Tomato

“The ginger dressing is our number one product,” says co-owner Carol Olivieri. It’s easy to taste why. The versatile mayonnaise-based sauce packs a wallop of savoury ginger flavour. Glaze pork, chicken or seafood, or as a dip with steak, salmon or steamed vegetables. Find at Bon Ton Bakery, Italian Centre Shops, Paddy’s Cheese, Sandy View, Acme Meat Market, the Butterdome Christmas Craft Sale, and their Open House, on Saturday November 24. Blue Kettle Ginger Dressing and Dipping Sauce, 350 mL, $7, bluekettle.ca.

Bacon by Brad R&D chef Brad Smoliak will have a new product on shelves in time for the holidays. Bacon by Brad is a sweet/savoury blend of Alberta-raised pork bacon, onions, maple syrup and spices, similar in texture to a jam or marmalade. “l love bacon,” says Brad.

“And this makes bacon easy — you don’t have to fry it, the flavours are already there. Make a grilled cheese, or use in pasta.” Find it at Save-On Foods, and at kitchenbybrad.ca. Bacon by Brad, 125ml, $9.

Food You Can Cook Puerto Sweet Chile Sauce Not your mama’s chile sauce — this jelly packs a punch. The balanced sweet/hot flavours (in three spice levels) wake up a ham sandwich or add allure to a simple grilled cheese. Personal chef Elaine Wilson of Allium Food Works has developed a tasty line of herb and spice blends, sauces, marinades and curry bases. As much as the Puerto jelly is Mexican in inspiration, Elaine purchases most of the peppers and other ingredients she needs at Doefs’s and the Italian Centre.

Available at the City Hall Saturday Market. Puerto Sweet Chili Sauce, 125 mL, $5, ElaineWilson.com.

Zinter Brown Mulling Spice We are never without Pomegranate Pepper Pot, loving its zingy kick on charcuterie boards or cheese plates. The Onion and Bacon Jamboree makes a wonderful dip for chicken satay. (Did you know that savoury jams are not allowed to use the word jam in Canada? It’s reserved for jams made with fruit. Go figure.) “Our mulling spice was huge last Christmas,” says owner Joanne Zinter. “We’re introducing tangerine, and a zesty cranberry.

Mulling spice is versatile: poach pears, or add organic apple juice and gin for a lovely punch.” Zinter Brown Mulling Spice Mix, 100g, (makes 10 L) $6.

Available from zinterbrown.com.

Cococo “The holiday chocolate-covered cherries are the most special thing we do,” says Mike Freeland of Cococo. Fresh B.C. bing cherries are soaked in brandy. When ready, the cherries are dipped in fondant, followed by chocolate. During the curing the brandy dissolves the fondant, leaving the spiked cherry surrounded by sweet mellow brandy.

“We actually have to create a three-legged base for each cherry so they stay suspended in the middle of the chocolate during the process.” Cococo, 10103 - 124 Street, Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut Manulife Place and Pleasantview Shopping Centre, cococochocolatiers.com.

Peter Johner Swiss Chocolatier Retirement for chef and former Pack Rat Louie owner Peter Johner may be dipped in chocolate, but not all the time. “We’re retired,” he says. “We don’t want to be so busy we don’t have time for hiking and skiing.” Peter’s chocolate of choice? Swiss of course! He uses Felchlin to craft deliciously unique wine as truffles in Amarone, Champagne, and Pinot Noir flavours, as well as nutty pralines and chocolate bark. Find at Everything Cheese, Culina Muttart and Il Forno. Or, make your own. Peter offers chocolatemaking classes at his charming studio west of the city in early 2013. pjohner.chocolaterie@gmail.com, 780-987-0333.

Jacek Chocolate Couture Love of fashion and chocolate in equal measure inspires Jacqueline Jacek to create three impeccable chocolate collections a year. “The winter collection Bijou d’Hiver, has rich, deep flavours, pomegranate, port, something nutty for the holidays,” says Jacqueline. Jacek bars are named for style icons: Audrey, Jackie, Frank, Stella (McArtney, we presume) and La Marguerite. “For my mother,” Jacqueline says.

“As she is always perfectly accessorized. ”The Jacek Christmas ornament comes in milk and dark, sits in a clear plastic sphere, with a ribbon, under $14. Find Jacek at Café Haven, Under the High Wheel, Cally’s Teas, Bon Ton Bakery, Old Strathcona Farmers Market and at the studio: 406 Kaska Road, Sherwood Park, jacekchocolate.com.

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Newget We love Newget — its chewy texture, its not too sweet finish and fabulous blend of flavours. There’s something for everyone in the line up: Dark Berry Blast, Xpresso, white chocolate and the surprising crunch of cocoa nibs; and our current favourite, Salted Caramel. Find Newget at the Bon Ton Bakery, Gracious Goods, Orbits5, City Hall Saturday Market, November 17, 24, December 1, 8, 15; and the Fabulous @ 50 Experience, November 3, newget.ca.

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The Tomato | November December 2012 19

Tracy Zizek’s Sweet Cafe de Ville executive chef Tracy Zizek loves to bake. She started her career as a pastry chef, yet now is really only able to indulge in the occasional baking extravaganza.

Gather a few friends for a baking party and use these recipes to make your own sweet Christmas.

marble chocolate almond bark Bakers prefer weight for accuracy.

Baking is finicky at the best of times; the more accurate the measurement, the better the product. Most chocolate has the weight on the package, so it's an easy eye-ball, if needed. Tips for tempering chocolate: always make sure your work surface is free of dust, moisture and debris and that your tools are clean and dry. Temper white chocolate first, then the dark. Have your house temperature at 19ºC. If the air temperature is cool, the chocolate will temper more easily.

3 oz whole almonds with skin, roasted 6 oz

dark chocolate, tempered

6 oz

white chocolate tempered

to temper chocolate: Melt down dark chocolate. Make sure that the chocolate temperature is between 115ºF and 120ºF. Pour 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a cool work surface (marble or granite preferred).

Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate into a thin layer over work surface. Using a bench scraper, gather chocolate back into a pool in the center. Take temperature of chocolate.

The desired temperature is 82ºF. Keep spreading and gathering until 82ºF is reached.

When chocolate is 82ºF, place back in bowl with remaining 1/3 chocolate. Stir together well. Take temperature. The working range for dark chocolate is between 88-91ºF. Repeat the same procedure with the white chocolate. Final working temperature for white chocolate is 8688ºF.

20 November December 2012 | The Tomato

procedure for bark:

macadamia nut dragées

On a parchment lined sheet pan, using the tempered chocolate, make a rectangular shape by placing about 2 T dark chocolate next to 2 T white chocolate. Continue to do this until all chocolate is used up and you have built a rectangular shape.

Dragée are hard shelled candy like confetti, the Italian wedding candy.

Sprinkle almonds over the top. Using a butter knife, slice through chocolate to create a marble effect. Leave chocolate to set for a minimum of 4 hours.

1 lb (452 g) macadamia nuts, substitute almonds or hazelnuts, if preferred 3 T

butter

When chocolate is set, pick up the slab and drop onto counter top. It should shatter into pieces. Place pieces into a container and into freezer for storage until ready to use.

1½ c

dark chocolate, tempered

¼ c

cocoa powder

whipped shortbread cookies 1½ c

butter, softened

2¼ c

all purpose flour

¾ c

icing sugar

garnish such as chopped pecans, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, crushed candy canes (optional) Place butter and sugar in electric mixing bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed, using paddle attachment. Scrape down bowl. Add in flour and mix on low until combined.

Continue to mix on high speed for 9 minutes. Every 3 minutes, stop the mixer and scrape down bowl well to ensure even whipping.

Drop dough onto baking sheet by rounded tablespoons onto parchmentlined baking sheet. Place garnish on top of each cookie.

Bake at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes until light golden in color.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

¾ c

granulated sugar

¼ c

water

Combine sugar and water in heavy bottomed pot. Mix well.

Bring to boil and allow the mixture to reach 230ºF then add all macadamia nuts. Stir constantly. The sugar mixture will crystallize (turn white and have a grainy, sandy texture).

Continue to stir constantly. The sugar will melt and give the nuts a shiny caramel coating. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Turn out on a parchment lined sheet pan. With 2 forks, separate all the nuts so they are not touching. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, melt and temper chocolate.* Place nuts in a metal bowl. Pour 1/3 of the chocolate over nuts and stir until nuts are completely coated and the chocolate sets.

Repeat 2 times. On the last time, just before the chocolate is set. toss the nuts in the cocoa powder.

Serve immediately or freeze for later use. * See almond bark recipe for tempering instructions.

Christmas christmas fig pudding Christmas fig pudding and Jam Jams are family classics in our house. The recipes come from my grandmother Leona; I spent years making these recipes with her. I also managed to set one microwave on fire and scorched a tabletop setting the rum in the fig pudding alight.

2 eggs 1 c dried Mission figs, cut into small pieces

to serve: Using a barbecue lighter, set fire to the rum. The alcohol in the rum will burn off and heat up the pudding at the same time.

When flame is extinguished, spoon pudding into bowls. Serve with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

jam jams 2 c

brown sugar

2 c

soft butter

4 eggs

1 c

suet*

12 T

Rogers’ golden syrup

2 c

fine breadcrumbs

4 t

baking soda

¾ c

granulated sugar

vanilla paste to taste**

¼ c

molasses

6-7 c

flour

¼ t

salt

2 T

milk

Your favorite flavour of jam or jelly

1 t

baking soda

¾ t

cinnamon

½ t

fresh grated nutmeg

Your favorite rum

Beat eggs well, mix in the rest of the ingredients and pack into a wellgreased bowl. Place tin foil over top and secure tightly with string.

Place bowl in a large pot and fill pot with water until the water level reaches ½ way up the bowl.

Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a steady simmer for 2 hours.

If you need to add more water during the cooking process, make sure that the water has come to boil first.

When cooled, place in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

When ready to serve, pull from fridge at least one ½ hour before serving. Flip pudding into a heat-resistant/fireproof container such as a glass baking dish.

Pour rum over and soak pudding.

Make sure to have a little rum in the bottom of the dish.

PAIR YOUR FAVOURITE CHAMPAGNE WITH MORE THAN CAVIAR, TRY QUICHE Try ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen’s Quiche Lorraine from our 2012 Holiday Collection cookbook with your favourite bubbles and make breakfast a celebration!

Download the recipe now atcoblueflamekitchen.com/Holiday

Cream the sugar, butter, eggs, syrup, baking soda and vanilla with your mixer. Work in flour to create a soft dough. Roll out onto a floured surface, about ¼ inch thick. Cut out rounds.

Bake in a 350ºF oven until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).

While cookies are still warm, spread the underside of one cookie with your favorite jam/jelly and place another cookie on top. Allow to cool completely before packaging. ** The vanilla paste is a Nielsen-Massey product that I get through the restaurant supplier Qzina. It is a gellike vanilla concentrate with vanilla seeds. The one I buy is 1.5 kg, which might be a bit large for the home baker; Duchess Bake shop carries the product in a smaller size. Regular vanilla will do as well. * Suet can be found at most grocery stores at Christmas, though you might have to ask where it is. Shortening or butter could be substituted.

Tracy Zizek hasn’t set a microwave on fire for years.

The Tomato | November December 2012 21

beer guy

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Beer this year

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Fine Wines, Spirits, Ales and Accessories

A unique selection of over 800 wines, monthly wine tastings, and quality customer service.

3845 - 99 Street 780.461.0191 www.kegncork.com

“It takes an entire community to ensure that the tradition of sharing and caring continues and that no one is left behind at Christmas time.

With your support, all Edmontonians will have the opportunity to celebrate with a festive meal this Christmas.”

Kevin Lowe, Honourary Campaign Chairperson

Text CHRISTMAS to 45678 for a $10 donation

christmasbureau.ca 780 454 6074

22 November December 2012 | The Tomato

| peter bailey

Text HAMPER to 45678 for a $5 donation

“Beer for a long time in Alberta was blonde and fizzy.

This year there seemed to be definite change in attitude toward craft beer.” – Neil Herbst, Alley Kat Brewing Most of the beer sold in Alberta is still blonde and fizzy, but Neil is right to be happy. His brewery expanded, adding capacity and a more consistent brewing process.

He says “you’d be hard pressed to find a better group of people making beer anywhere.” Shane Groendahl, the indefatigable organizer of Edmonton Beer Geeks Anonymous, agrees, noting “the Edmonton beer scene has grown exponentially.” Shane points to the success of the EBGA and their successful cask ale festival, an Alberta first.

In fact, we beer geeks hide it well, but inside we’re as giddy as school kids about the Edmonton beer scene. Sure, we’re no Portland or Victoria or even Calgary, yet.

Alberta has fewer craft breweries per capita than almost every other province in Canada, but with Wild Rose and Alley Kat we have two of the best in Canada. Yellowhead sold so well this year that they ran out of bottles in April. Amber’s Brewing lost their home to rising rents, but they quickly found a new place in St. Albert co-habiting with a brandnew brewery. Hog’s Head Brewing launched late in the year. No blonde and fizzy for these beer geeks — their flagship beer is feisty Hop Slayer IPA, with 100 IBUs. Head Brewer Bruce Sample began as a homebrewer, and was named the Edmonton Homebrewers’ Guild’s Brewer of the Year in 2009.

More mainstream bars and restaurants are showing interest in craft beer, albeit painfully slowly.

IPA doesn’t bite! Craft beer champs like the Sugarbowl, Wunderbar and the Pourhouse continued to carry the flag. Exciting new foodie entries like Three Boars and Canteen gave beer a respectable place at the table. The big box beer bar concept arrived with the opening of MKT in the old train station off Whyte,

followed by The Underground downtown. In 2013, Calgary’s Craft Beer Market opens on Rice Howard Way. Big box beer retailing began too, with the opening of two Wine & Beyond stores in October. With over 1,800 different beers, the Windermere location is beer heaven but I fear for those delightful beers sitting on open shelves under bright lights. Something fun and new at Wine & Beyond and at Keg n Cork is a growler bar. Fill a 32 or 64 oz growler bottle with craft beer at the tap, take it home and you have beer for a week (or, ahem, a shorter time in some homes). Still, Sherbrooke Liquor continued to lead the way for retail, hitting 1,000 beers, brewing intriguing beer with craft brewers and engaging with the community.

Sadly, after eight years at Sherbrooke’s helm, manager Jim Pettinger moved on in October.

Stores like Sherbrooke meant Edmontonians were able to try local beers from all over the world, whether a lager from Iceland (Ölvisholt Brugghús Skjálfti) or a Belgian golden ale from Michigan (Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza).

My fellow hop heads enjoyed seeing IPA’s continued rise as the beer du jour, while other trends included hybrids like witbier IPA and the shandy concoctions like Stiegel Radler Grapefruit.

My beer highlight this year was an eye-opening trip to San Diego. With over 50 breweries around town, it is truly one of the great beer cities. Coming back to Edmonton from another trip, I drove in from the airport with that bittersweet feeling when you arrive home. Soon enough, I was at the Sugarbowl with a Blanche de Chambly in hand. The sun shone in from the open patio and hit the brass of the bar taps and suffused the bar with a golden light. I looked around at the glowing faces in the room, and thought: “There’s no place I’d rather be right now.” A friend, a good beer and the late afternoon sun: the best of Edmonton in 2012.

Bistro | Catering | Special Events

Year of Beer Six-Pack Nøgne Ø India Pale Ale, Norway Part of the wave of Scandinavian craft beer, Nøgne Ø ("naked island") overcame many obstacles to brew the kind of beer they wanted in a country fond of blonde and fizzy beer. Brewed with Pacific Northwest hops, this is a big, brash American IPA — from the land of the fjords. Match with a Nordic noir novel by a fire on a cold Alberta night.

Experience the international award-winning culinary talents of Chef Emmanuel David for lunch or dinner.

Visit www.lapersaud.com for complete menus, service hours and convenient online reservations.

This summer, be sure to enjoy our spacious, licensed and delightfully sunny outdoor patio!

Westvleteren 12, Belgium The best beer in the world? Perhaps. Brewed by a small Belgian monastery that refuses to accommodate modernity by increasing production or distributing widely, the mystique makes it the most sought-after beer in the world. This year Albertans got to try it as the monks needed funds for an abbey renovation. A classic quadrupel dark, rich Belgian ale.

La Cité Francophone

8627 91st Street NW, Edmonton, AB

(780) 758-6636 www.lapersaud.com

Big Rock Saaz Republic Pilz, Calgary Big Rock has tried to brew a hit lager for years without much success (see XO or Gopher), but with Saaz Republic they may have created a winner. Brewmaster Paul Gautreau told me Big Rock’s new CEO has set him off leash. Gautreau promises this Czech pilsener with a gentle Saaz hop bite is the start of more good brews to come.

Alley Kat Darn Tartan, Edmonton Alley Kat is having fun these days. The year-round beers like Full Moon are found more and more around town, while the seasonal brews and the single-hopped Dragon IPA series are snapped up quickly too. Darn Tartan is their final Big Bottle of 2012, a revised version of their Scotch ale, this time with a bit of heavily peated malt.

Phillips Longboat Chocolate Porter, Victoria An odd thing about Canada is sometimes it’s easier to get beer from half a world away than from a neighbouring province. BC’s Phillips Brewing conquered the mountain barrier and got their beers into Alberta in 2011. Their Hop Circle IPA was my go-to summer beer, but this delicious, very-chocolaty porter will get me through the winter nights.

Green Flash West Coast IPA, San Diego This classic American IPA hop monster is San Diego in a bottle: brash but smooth, like the surf off Mission Beach. During brewing, Green Flash layers in a fruit bowl of assertive, citrusy American hops, including Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial and Cascade, making for a multi-dimensional hop experience.

Peter Bailey realizes now that learning to surf might have been easier before drinking the IPA.

Man u li fe Place 10180 - 101 Street 780.423.3083 Pleasantvi ew 11004 - 51 Avenue 780.436.0908 G le nora 10103 - 124 Street 780.488.0690 www.bernardcallebaut.com

The Tomato | November December 2012 23

Cook’s Tools What tool or gadget do working cooks use every day? What’s the most practical and useful tool in their kit?

Brayden Kozak of Three Boars loves a spoon.

“They are practical, simple. Maybe something you don’t really expect, but I use them for plating, tasting, everything, rather than tongs. Yeah, tongs are good but they beat the crap out of your food.

“I have a heavy stainless steel spoon with a nice big bowl. There’s something about it — if I can’t find it, I start to freak out.

“Filliep is a spoon nerd too. He has a gorgeous silver spoon with intricate handles he got from somewhere — we both have a collection. A spoon is a pretty fantastic tool.”

Lindsay Porter, Mercer’s Catering, and Brad Smoliak, Kitchen by Brad Smoliak, can’t live without their microplane graters.

“I find it’s a tool I can use quickly to add a lot of flavour,” says Lindsay, who was previously the exec chef at 4th and Vine Wine Bar. “Besides my wine glass, it’s really important,” says Brad. I use it for desserts, for grating chocolate or zest, and for savoury things as well — it’s multiple use and easy to clean, not to mention very durable.”

“My favourite tool in the kitchen?

It’s always a toss up between my knife or tongs. Let’s go with tongs,” says Larry Stewart, Hardware

Grill. They’re an extension of my hand, when you’re plating, or taking stuff out of the oven.

Which kind of tong?

“I use the short 9-inch type.”

Which knife?

“I use a German knife, a Wusthoff Trident I’ve had for years. Our sous, Jesse Chalmers, the same. I guess we’re pretty elementary.”

Frank Olson of the Red Ox Inn and Canteen is also a fan of a pair of tongs.

“I like the long Oxo tongs as I’ve burned the hair off my fingers enough times. I am also a big fan of my new cutting board by Boos — it’s huge and heavy, I don’t even have to use a cloth under it to keep it from moving around. They are a similar look to our new tabletops for Canteen from Nova Scotia. They are made from end-cut larch wood, with a beautiful pattern.”

Ryan O’Flynn, Bistro La Persaud: “My favourite tool is a water bath used in sous vide cooking. If you put a beef tenderloin in a water bath at 54 C you can cook it to medium rare and it’s medium rare all the way thorough, with no rings of medium or well done. You can use a blowtorch to caramelize the outside for flavour and texture. An immersion circulator takes any vessel and turns it into a water bath. If we’re busy, I can put an immersion circulator in a back sink where we can confit pork belly for 48 hours. You could put an immersion circulator in a cup if you had to. We use both all the time.”

Matthew Lakis, the owner of Ousia, says he can’t work without a mortar and pestle.

24 November December 2012 | The Tomato

“A mortar and pestle suits the style of cuisine I’m into — we make spice blends and pastes and grind nuts often. I use mine daily to grind cumin and coriander seeds and cinnamon stick, for things like ras al hanout.

“I do like the marble style as I find there’s more force than a wooden one. Things grind more easily and quickly, but, my family did bring back a nice olive wood one from Cyprus.“ Sometimes a chef’s tool isn’t something you can put in the dishwasher or carry in a knife roll.

Chefs, like dancers and athletes, rely on their body’s ability to stay healthy to keep working. “My favourite tool? These days it’s the meds for my back,” says Lynn Heard of Unheardof Restaurant.

“That’s what keeps me cooking.”

Andrew Fung’s can’t-live-without tool? “My knife, my Misono Japanese-made, 10 inch, Swedish steel knife. It’s very light, I’m a small guy and it fits perfectly. It’s always sharp, never dull, really good quality.” Andrew, Edmonton’s top chef at Gold Medal Plates 2010, Hardware Grill alumnus, and former chef at Black Hawk Golf Club, is the exec chef at the new Nineteen.

Shaun Hicks, Glasshouse Bistro at the Enjoy Centre, the new name for the Prairie Bistro, loves his knife.

“My knife is 5½ inch chef knife.

It’s a hand-forged Japanese knife called Masakage Shimo from Knifewear with a super-light, super-thin blade made from Shurigami carbon steel. I can do anything with it — I can cut beef, vegetables. It’s razor sharp and makes a super clean cut.

”That and a boning knife, I’m set.”

Darcy Radies from the Blue Pear says: “The Thermo mix is really our go-to thing. We make pasta, you can sauté things, we start our risotto in it; you can put a steamer unit on top and steam your fish. I just made two litres of Romesco sauce.

“When I got it, I really didn’t know how to use it. But once Tom Moody closed and the food processor broke, we started to learn to utilize it. It cleans up a lot of counter space. It makes a lot of noise. So does the Vitamix, which really only makes soup.”

Doreen Prei the chef de cuisine at Zinc is never without some variety of offset spatula.

“In Germany I worked with an award-winning pastry chef. He always had one. I was with him for six months — you had to have one, otherwise you wouldn’t survive in the kitchen.

“If something is burning, I just walk by, take out my offset spatula, and take it right off the stove. It’s good for cooking scallops. I don’t like a scallop to be touched by tongs — you have to be gentle. I carry it in my pocket, when I go into the dining room people ask; ‘what is that in your pocket?’

“This one, I got this one in Paris, in a beautiful shop. It is very thin and elastic. I have one that is a little stiffer, good for ganache or terrine and pates.”

The Tomato’s favourite kitchen tool is the dishwasher.

Photos by To Be In Pictures

We asked several chefs to talk about their favourite tool and why they are never without it.

Granted, their kitchens work a bit differently than a home kitchen, but trust a hard-working chef to find the one piece of equipment to make their time on the job easier, quicker and more effective.

Zinc’s Doreen Prei flips for her offset spatula.

Who wouldn’t enjoy spooning with Three Boars’ Fillliep Lament and Brayden Kozak.

Shaun Hicks of Glasshouse Bistro looking sharp with his Masakage Shimo.

Frank Olson hugs his new Canteen tabletop/cutting board.

The Tomato | November December 2012 25

Liquid gifts

From cash-strapped friends and rich uncle Bob

We ask our friends of the vine (and the barley) to suggest both great buys and the ultimate gifts for our annual rich uncle/cash-strapped friends column.

We are looking for soulful wines and spirits, the offbeat producers and regions, the not-Parker-rated beauties, always of course, with an eye for value. We asked for the finds, the hidden gems, the too-good-to-betrue wines and spirits.

We asked for a delightful gift, one under $25, something we’d love to receive from that friend with more taste than money; and the other, a sky-is no-limit bottle that anyone would be thrilled to find under the tree from the wealthy and generous relative we call Uncle Bob. What a selection we have for you!

Suggestions range from vintage bubbles to rare single malts, expressive whites to cheap and cheerful under $20 reds, even a deliciously fresh and frothy artisan cider. There is something on this list for all wine and spirit lovers for all occasions.

Barb Giacomin, WineQuest Wine & Spirit Brokers winequest.ca

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Pergolas Old Vines Tempranillo (Valdepeñas, Spain), $14 “Viva old vines! A fabulous fiesta of a wine with blueberry and blackberry notes, a touch of earth, vanilla and some mineral, you won’t wait for mañana to open a bottle. After the first tasty sip you’ll be so shocked by the low cost you may run out to get a case. ¡Ay, qué bueno!”

From the rich uncle 2003 Capezzana ‘Ghiaie della Furba' Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) 3L (back vintage), $300 “This is the only time I want to hear the phrase ‘super size me.’ This super Tuscan (Cab, Merlot, Syrah blend) has loads of Tuscan character — distinct, deep and full-bodied, boasting intense aromas and flavours of dark fruits, leather, spices and coffee beans.”

Peter Seepish, City Cellars 10505 -123 Street, 780-420-1650, citycellarsedmonton.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2008 Velenosi ‘Il Brecciarolo’ Rosso Piceno Superiore (Le Marche, Italy), $20 “An aromatic and complex blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese from an under-appreciated region of Italy. Has body and persistence with marasca cherry and spice flavours, and the well-integrated tannins provide a warm, satisfying finish.”

From the rich uncle 1964 Bowmore Oloroso Sherry Cask (Islay, Scotland) $1,972 “Bottling of a single cask that produced only 300 bottles, part of the same batch of oloroso casks that produced the legendary Black Bowmore.”

Paulette Scott, Alberta sales manager, Pacific Wine and Spirits Inc. pacificwineandspirits.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2011 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough N.Z.), $23 “Fantastic Sauvignon Blanc with great minerality; fresh, crisp and alive.

Mouth filling — gorgeous lychee and

26 November December 2012 | The Tomato

elderflower matched by passion fruit and honeyed ripeness.”

Trapet’s offerings, patience and time usually lead to some seriously fine drinking down the road.”

From the rich uncle Torres Jaime 1 Brandy (Penedes, Spain), $123 “A special blend from the oldest soleras (30 years) named for the founder, Jaime Torres Vendrell.

Complicated, in the best way.

Complex bouquet, with coconut, dried fruits and spices. Round, lush and velvety on the finish. Fingerlicking amazing!”

Domenic Manocchio, The Wine Cellar 12421 102 Avenue, 780-488-9463, thewinecellar.ab.ca

From the cash-strapped friend 2008 Kamiak Red Gordon Estates (Columbia Valley, Washington, USA), $24 “This well-balanced, medium-bodied blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Syrah possesses ripe red fruit and spicy pepper notes. Great just for sipping, would also work well with medium-hard cheeses, pork or poultry dishes.”

From the rich uncle 2009 Chambertin Domaine Trapet Père et Fils (Burgundy, France), $283 “A powerful wine, chock full of tannins and somewhat austere at this point.

But when this Pinot Noir comes around, it is going to be gorgeous.

Like many of

Graham Usher and Bill Medak, Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits, and Ales #2 512 St. Albert Trail, St. Albert, 780-458-4777, unwined.biz

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Pergolas Old Vine Tempranillo (Valdepeñas, Spain), $14 “A great little wine that you'd want to take to dinner at a friends. Decent and quite approachable. Your friends will think that you are a wine genius.”

From the rich uncle

From the rich uncle

Auchentoshan 1978 Bourbon Cask (Glasgow, Scotland), $446

Piper-Heidsieck Brut NV (Champagne, France), $52

“This whisky is for the collector. If we could afford one, it would be very hard to resist opening the bottle.

A superb single malt — a dram to savour.”

“Like most sommeliers, I love to show off sparkling wines, and how food friendly they are, any chance I can get. Notice the warm golden colour and lively bubbles that deliver rich aromas of apple, pear, lemon, toasted nuts, fresh rolls and soft oak.

Perfect with traditional holiday meals, popcorn with butter, and sipping with good company.”

Erin Rosar, sommelier manager, Co-op Wine & Spirits 5962 Mullen Way, 780-432-2258, coopwinespiritsbeer.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2012 Louis Latour Chardonnay (Ardeche, France), $14 “The understated label and reasonable price may make you think is it ‘too-good-to-be-true.’ Can we really enjoy McIntosh apple, vanilla custard, lemon and hints of toasted almond flavours in a medium-bodied wine that pairs wonderfully with food at this price? Yes, we can!”

Lionel Usunier, owner, Keg n Cork Liquor Company 3845 99 Street, 780-461-0191, kegncork.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage (California, USA), $18 “It has a lovely peppery nose of raspberries and plum with saturated black cherry flavours and fresh acidity.

This negociant is a ‘wine god.’ His wine always, always over-delivers.”

From the rich uncle Bruichladdich DNA 36 year old Single Malt Scotch (Islay, Scotland), $800 “This unique one-off release is a blend of Bruichladdich’s oldest and rarest spirit.

Extremely limited availability.”

Juanita Roos, Crestwood Fine Wines & Spirits 9658 142 Street, 780-488-7800, crestwoodfinewines.com

From the cashstrapped friend 2011 Basa Blanco, Telmo Rodrigues (Rueda DO, Spain), $19 “This aromatic, fullbodied white wine is predominately Verdejo — an absolutely perfect autumn white expressing layers of aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, lime

and crisp ripe apples, along with a deliciously creamy finish.”

From the rich uncle 2004 Tantalus Vineyards Traditional Method Riesling 1.5L (S.E Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, B.C.), $150 “The winemaker, David Paterson, considers this magnum of bubbly to be his best ever. Sold out in BC in a flash, but a few bottles are about in Edmonton. Classic aromas from the only ingredient, Okanagan Riesling — lime, wet stone and Granny Smith apples, and on the palate lemon cream, lime zest and honey-coated bubbles.”

Deb Pirker, territory manager, Grady Wine Marketing gradywinemarketing.ca

From the cash-strapped friend 2008 Castillo de Almansa Reserva (Almansa DO, Spain), $12 “Expect spicy black fruit and toasty aromas, a touch peppery on the palate, with soft tannins. It’s the number one selling Spanish wine in western Canada for a reason — it’s an easy, everyday red wine that overdelivers at the price.” Pictured page 26, far left.

From the rich uncle 2008 Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford, Napa Valley, USA), $190 “This gorgeous, enticing, richlyflavoured wine is remarkable for its understated elegance and finesse, with subtle touches of green and black olive, dried currant, sage, cedar and dusty, loamy earth. Wows you with delicacy!”

Julie Ward, sales agent, Lifford Wines & Spirits liffordwine.com

From the cash-strapped friend

From the rich uncle 2008 Seña (Valle de Aconcagua, Chile), $120 “Seña is the iconic Chilean Bordeaux blend created by Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi — elegant and complex with abundant raspberry, blackberry and baking spice aromas and flavours, along with silky tannins. and great structure. Extraordinary cellaring potential.”

Alison Phillips Aligra Wine & Spirits West Edmonton Mall Entrance 58, 780-483-1083, aligrawineandspirits.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2010 LAYA Bodegas Atalaya (Almansa DO, Spain), $13 “This well-balanced Grenache Monastrell blend has a complex nose of ripe red fruits, a luscious mouth feel and a long, smooth finish.”

From the rich uncle 2009 Painted Rock Icon Red (Okanagan Valley, B.C.), $60 “This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cab Sauv, Petite Sirah and Syrah has a rich texture, succulent fruit and a surprising minerality.

It’s wild yet sophisticated — a true expression of the unique terroir of the Skaha Lake escarpment.”

Ryan Everitt Trialto Wine Group trialto.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2011 Dearly Beloved ‘I Thee Red’ (Central Coast, USA), $20 “Dearly Beloved brings together Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese and Carignane to create a perfect union — aromas of dark cherry, plum and spicy vanilla oak with blueberry, black currant and toasted vanilla bean flavours.”

2010 Map Maker Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, NZ), $24

From the rich uncle

“Perfect example of classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc — intense aromas of passion fruit, freshcut grass and citrus grapefruit, and tasting of exotic guava, blackcurrants and elderflower.”

“An intense ruby colour with immense and complementary aromas of fruit, fur, smoke, mineral, nutmeg

2009 Beaurenard Châteauneuf-duPape (Rhone Valley, France), $50

Please see ”Liquid Gifts” next page

The Tomato | November December 2012 27

liquid gifts

From the rich uncle

from page 27

2011 Sandhill Small Lot Viognier (Okanagan VQA, B.C.), $39

and gingerbread. Delicious now, after some time in a decanter, or cellar for up to 20 years. From one of the Rhone’s greatest producers — an ideal option for any serious wine connoisseur.”

Tara Smith, wine and spirits manager, Sherbrooke Liquor 11819 St. Albert Trail, 780-455-4556, sherbrookeliquor.com

From your cash-strapped friend 2009 Le Vieux Pin ‘Le Petit Blanc’ (South Okanagan, B.C.), $23

CITY HAUL Visit us year round.

City Market Downtown on 104 St. is now open indoors at City Hall.

Saturdays, October 15TH through May – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm city-market.ca

“Because of my summer spent in the gorgeous southern Okanagan Valley working in the tasting room at Le Vieux Pin, I’m a little partial to their wines. This is a fun, easydrinking white blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and a smattering of others.”

From your rich uncle 2004 Veuve Cliquot Le Grand Dame (Champagne, France), $436 (1.5L) “If my rich uncle were to leave a bottle for me under the tree, I would hope it’s a large bottle of Le Grand Dame. I happen to be a bit of a ‘bubblehead,’ believing that if most of the world had a glass of bubbly every day, it would be a more pleasant place. Champagne also happens to be incredibly versatile and pairs well with most foods. Finally, if you get a large bottle, you can share it with more friends, which is the best part of enjoying nice wine.”

Pictured page 27, left.

Sandi Hollas, Peller Estate peller.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Peller Estates Private Reserve Syrah (Okanagan VQA, B.C.), $23 “Pepper, smoke, raspberry, cherry, mint and savoury spices, with a herbal note. The palate is chocolaty, smoky and carries a lot of oak, all in a crowd-pleasing style suitable for barbecues big and small.”

28 November December 2012 | The Tomato

“A beautifully aromatic white — tangerine, peach, apricot, floral and yellow plum. Juicy peaches, sweet citrus and ripe apple flavours in a dry, medium-bodied style with the rich mouth-feel characteristic of Viognier.

The finish lingers with refreshing flavours of tangerine, lemon drop, and white peach.”

Pictured page 27, right.

Anita Jarmolicz, International Cellars internationalcellars.ca

From the cash-strapped friend 2011 El Petit Bonhomme (Jumilla, Spain), $15 “Sweet generous aromas, plummy red fruits, full body and soft tannins from a blend of Monastrell, Garnacha and Syrah. The winemaker is Montreal-born Nathalie Bonhomme.

Delicious wine, superb value.”

From the rich uncle 2006 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Barossa Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia), $75 “Stonewell is made from the very best of the Lehmann growers’ Barossa Shiraz vineyards, a dozen small old vineyards, the oldest planted in 1885.

These sites produce sparse bunches with tiny berries, creating a wine of intense flavour, strength, opulence, a velvety finish and remarkable longevity. Excellent with rare roast beef, or lamb rack, also a wonderful partner to mature cheddar and fresh crusty bread.”

Hayley McRae, Artisan Wines artisanwines.ca

From the cash-strapped friend 2010 Valle dell’Asso Mazzo Rosso (Puglia, Italy), $15 “A fresh, medium-bodied Negroamaro and Cabernet blend tasting of tobacco, plum and cinnamon. Perfect for dinner with friends or fireside drinks.”

From the rich uncle Francois Voyer Napoleon Cognac (Cognac, France), $100 “This complex and elegant Grand Cru Cognac is aged between 14 and 20 years, with compelling aromas of jasmine, peaches, vanilla and spice.

Voyer Napoleon is the Cognac of choice of uber-chef Alain Ducasse, and it is a perfect pairing with most cigars.”

Stacey-Jo Strombecky, Nobilis Wine Importers and Clarus Wine & Spirits claruswine.com

From the cash-strapped friend Domaine de la Minotiere Cidre Femier Bio (Normandy, France), $12 “The domaine’s orchard is planted with several ancient varieties of cider apples — Bisquet, Binet Rouge, Clos Renaux, Peau de Chien, Petit Jaune — each making a contribution to the unique personality of this deliciously refreshing organic cider.”

From the rich uncle 2002 Bollinger Grande Année (Champagne, France), $200 “A blend of 60 per cent Pinot Noir and 40 per cent Chardonnay sourced from two thirds Grand Cru and one third Premier Cru vineyards. Always a precise Champagne, offering hints of marzipan, bread dough, baking spice.” Pictured page 26, right.

Valerie Albrecht, sales agent, Crush Imports

dried fruits, toffee and cloves. Enjoy it pure, hand-warmed, with a good cigar or Valrhona chocolate, while admiring your recently acquired Rembrandt.”

Scott Parker, regional manager, Moët Hennessy Portfolio chartonhobbs.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Terrazas de los Andes Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina), $19 “The Terrazas Reserva wines, hand harvested from select estate vineyards within the top districts of Mendoza, Tupungato, Vistalba, Perdriel and Cruz de Piedra, stand out for their aromatic intensity and complexity.” Pictured page 27, centre.

From the rich uncle 2007 Cheval des Andes (Mendoza, Argentina), $79 “The joint venture between Chateau Cheval Blanc and Terrazas, a Bordeaux-style blend of Malbec, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, results in a magical encounter creating a refined and subtle, yet complex ‘grand cru’ of the Andes.”

Pictured page 27, centre.

Natasha Susylinski, Treasury Estates tweglobal.com

From the cash-strapped friend 2009 Maison Roche De Bellene (Burgundy, France), $23.

crushimports.com

“A tasty, easy-drinking l pinot noir with red cherry and spice flavours and silky tannins from Nicolas Potel.”

From the cash-strapped friend

From the rich uncle

2006 Bodegas Vinedos Del Jalon Claraval (Calatayud DO, Spain), $18

2008 Penfolds Bin 620 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia), $1,100

“Enticing aromas of black and dried fruit, followed by wafts of spice and balsam. The palate delivers savoury, ripe tannins, structure and balance.

One sip, and I am transported to Spain.”

From the rich uncle Ron Millonario XO Reserva Especial Rum (Peru), $130 “A super-premium rum for the connoisseur, round and full-bodied, with a fine sweetness and flavours of

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The Tomato | November December 2012 29

The dairy down the road

Rhonda Headon makes local sheep’s cheese at the Cheesiry in Kitscoty. mary bailey The first thing you notice traveling around eastern Tuscany is the storybook landscape — medieval hill towns standing sentinel over tall columns of cypress marching up hill and down dale amidst rows of orderly vines. The next thing you notice is sheep, lots of sheep, dotting every available hillside.

Small rounds of creamy, semihard pecorino (sheep’s cheese) are as ubiquitous as Chianti in these parts. It’s in pasta, on pizza, in a panini, eaten for a snack with a bit of tomato or fruit. It is the everyday cheese of the area.

Some have achieved PDO (E.U. certification of unique qualities) status but most of the pecorino

eaten here is made by hand, and it’s from the dairy down the road.

It’s a landscape that captivated Rhonda Headon on her first trip to Italy. The idea that you could make cheese, using milk from your own sheep and sell it to your neighbours — that you could be the dairy down the road, captivated her next.

“I celebrated my 30th birthday in Italy, and I visited a farm near Pienza,” says Rhonda. “It was a beautiful location and they did so many things themselves: wine, a certain breed of local pig, olives and their cheese. They had a campsite and people came for dinner. It was an agriturismo,

intriguing to me. Their cheese was just for the local area. They were milking about 100 sheep. I brought Brian (we weren’t married yet) to visit. Then I came with my mom.

“I came back and worked for room and board, for six weeks, working with an Austrian cheese maker for two weeks. Then I was on my own to make the cheese. I spent my time in the aging rooms, washing the cheese, daydreaming something like this.

“When I came back, people would say ‘what are you going to do now?’

I would jokingly say, ‘I’m going to make cheese.’

“So I did.

“It made sense. Brian’s family had a dairy farm until 1997. We still had 24 stalls for milking and all the infrastructure and knowledge. We renovated the barn for sheep, then brought sheep from southern Alberta. Our sheep are an East Friesen cross, which are the Holstein of sheep, good milk producers.

“They spend all year on grass. We have three 30-acre pastures and rotate on mixed grass and alfalfa.

Hedge Haven (Brian’s family farm) cattle also graze here.”

It looks more like Ireland than Tuscany the day Café de Ville’s chef Tracy Zizek and I drive out to Please see “Dairy” on page 33

30 November December 2012 | The Tomato

Well-bred Rhonda Headon, Tracy Zizek and Alyssa Belter.

The destination for fine bread and European pastries.

Milk becoming curds and whey, on its way to becoming cheese.

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Moving the harp through the setting milk to release the whey.

Pouring curds and whey into molds in the incubator.

Squeezing whey out of the curds to form cheese.

The Tomato | November December 2012 31

Pyrohy Jan Hostyn

Whenever the urge to reminisce about the holidays strikes, I recall the velvety creaminess of homemade eggnog, the heady scent of not-so-neatly cut gingerbread men and an assortment of hopelessly scraggly and, yes, rather-ugly-but-definitely-unique Christmas trees.

Then I see flour, clouds and clouds of it, and that vision elbows every other memory aside.

Flour makes me think of pyrohy.

My family’s Christmas Eve feast was all about the ubiquitous dumpling — platters and platters of the plump creatures. You couldn’t wander an inch without a pyrohy invading your field of vision. There were trays of pyrohy patiently waiting to be cooked, their pillow-y soft bodies all lined up in neat and tidy little rows, covering almost every surface imaginable.

There were dishes of piping hot crescents being passed from one eager hand to another, there were half-eaten lukewarm ones littering everyone’s plates. There were heaps of leftover orphan dumplings dotting the kitchen counters.

These pyrohy were all homemade, by us — my mother and assorted configurations of the four sisters.

The exact make-up of our pyrohymaking crew changed yearly, depending on who happened to be

32 November December 2012 | The Tomato

doing what, but mostly it depended on who could think up the most convincing excuse to vacate the premises.

My mom, having been raised as a good Ukrainian farm-girl, did not know how to make a few. Nope, anything fewer than a gazillion was simply inconceivable. Making pyrohy was a day-long, all-out pyrohy fest. And we did make a gazillion, or so it seemed — all on Christmas Eve. That was simply how it was done. I don’t even think my mom knows why we did it that way. We just did.

My mom, the official pyrohy master, reigned supreme. Huge bags of flour took up residence on the kitchen table. She made the dough, she made the filling (always, always cottage cheese), and she rolled out and cut the dough. Then she made more dough, more filling, then tackled more rolling and

cutting. We, her small but relatively efficient little pyrohy-making army, did as we were told. We were her pyrohy-filling and -pinching minions. We stood, we filled, we pinched. Over and over again.

As the day wore on, her pace became more frantic. The dough cutting became more haphazard — flash, flash, flash, mounds of dough were instantly transformed into a multitude of vastly differentsized squares, rectangles and even triangles. No uniform and easy-topinch-shut circles ever made an appearance in our kitchen, thank you very much.

I remember two huge pots of water on the stove — at least one of them always had a mass of pyrohy swimming in it — the condensation from all of that boiling water running down our windows. My mom’s face, beet red by now, and deadly serious.

I remember filling my plate with countless pyrohy, and the sauce I ladled lavishly — onions sautéed in copious amounts of butter.

I don’t remember my mom sitting down, ever.

And I remember the flour. How it sifted from the top of the fridge to the rim of the kitchen windowsill to the little holes in the salt and pepper shakers. How it took up residence with the knives in the cutlery drawer. How it playfully lodged itself in my mother’s hair and on her eyebrows and even in her wrinkles. How it managed to leave a light dusting on my pillow, like a little reminder just in case my exhaustion threatened to erase the memory of the day.

As if that would have happened – the day was unforgettable.

Today platters of the dumplings still dominate my table whenever Christmas Eve is celebrated at our house. We prefer potato/cheddar filled and a lovely round biscuit cutter makes the whole filling and pinching process manageable. I never make them on Christmas Eve. A few quiet nights in November suit me just fine.

But the flour still flies. Even in our snow-challenged years, my home will always be blessed with a white Christmas.

Jan Hostyn’s pyrohy are always perfect ovals.

Rhonda and her assistant Alyssa Belter spend two days on each batch — heating the milk, adding culture, adjusting with rennet, cooking the milk, drawing the harp through the curd to break it up and loosen the whey, then moving it all to the incubator where they will spend several hours filling molds and squeezing out the whey.

“We flip the molds every 15 minutes, to keep a good shape,” says Rhonda. “We’ll come back twice tonight to flip again, then next morning they go into a brine bath.

“We pasturize the fresh milk, then add culture and rennet. We let it sit overnight to let the cultures grow to get the right texture, then salt and package. It keeps for two to three weeks.

“We call our aged cheese, the Tuscan-style pecorino, La Bianca.

It is a surface-mold ripened cheese.

“It has an edible rind and a rich and creamy inside, like Camembert, younger and softer with rich flavours. It’s not like the hard Pecorino Romano, which most — chefs especially — are familiar with.

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“When I sell to Paddy’s, it’s a bit immature, not creamy yet. It’s optimum flavour point is when it’s rich and creamy, but it is delicious at every stage. For example, if it’s a little harder you can use it in a grilled cheese sandwich.”

Y

Rhonda’s cheese has a delicate grassy floral flavour complimented by a pleasantly earthy undertone.

Try a wedge with wine, use with any pasta dish, or on a cheese board. “Our cheese has really great flavour for pizza,” says Rhonda.

UM QUAL MI IT RE

SH

.

Est

E

The spotless room smells fresh, like sweet milk. Alyssa and Rhonda concentrate on every pull of the harp, checking the curd, the temperature. When it’s time to move to the next stage, the two muscle the incubator, essentially, a large stainless steel vat made by

The Cheesiry also offers a soft fresh cheese called Fresco, in plain and garlic chive flavours.

FR

“After we finish here, they go into the aging room for two weeks.

We’ll wash and flip two times per week. Then we’ll move to the big aging room where they will be flipped and washed every two weeks until the two month stage (cheese made from raw milk cannot be sold until it is two months old).

We’re the only raw milk cheese in the province, at this time.”

It’s grueling, physically demanding work, yet strangely contemplative.

Each batch determines it’s own timing, not by the clock but by the milk. The rhythm in the cheese room echoes the rhythm of the seasons.

E

Kiscoty in the pouring rain. Fields and pastures are every shade of green found in nature. Rhonda usually requires several days milk for a batch, but with the spring rains they are making cheese almost every day. As the summer comes and goes, this slows to two batches a week until late fall when cheese making stops completely.

Then it’s time to breed the sheep.

RO

1976

FE

From page 31

the local Hutterites, to its position on the floor.

P

dairy

CO ASTED

F

Cheese making is finished for the year, and Alyssa has gone back to the coast, working again at Farmhouse Cheese in Agassiz.

Rhonda is accepting applications for 2013 assistants. Be prepared to work extremely hard, and be governed by the rhythm of the milk.

Find Rhonda’s hand-made cheese at Paddy’s Cheese, Everything Cheese, Blush Lane, The Good Food Box, Janice Beaton Cheese Shop in Calgary, and at several restaurants including the Bothy and Café de Ville.

Mary Bailey likes La Bianca with fettucini and black pepper.

The Tomato | November December 2012 33

in season

| mary bailey

In defence of fruitcake “We have 19 students in the baking program this year and not one had tasted fruitcake.”

Alan Dumonceaux is the chair of Nait’s Culinary Arts Baking program. “There’s an urban myth that fruitcake tastes terrible.”

Chef Dumonceaux thinks this is due to the number of poor quality, foul-tasting fruitcakes on the market.

“A $1.99 festive cake? That’s not fruitcake. There’s no fruit in commercial bun mix which is what most of these are made with. It’s candied rutabaga.

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“A really good fruitcake has a high fruit concentration and balance of ingredients. It’s made with good quality fruit; lemon and orange peel, candied green and red cherries, pineapple, melon balls, raisins and currants.

Our fruitcake is 65 per cent fruit.

“People now want something sweeter, less curranty,” Alan says. “Though a cool take-off on fruitcake is an all tropical cake, made with dried pineapple and mango.”

The traditional Canadian fruitcake is a British tradition, yet holiday breads and cakes made with dried fruit and nuts have a rich history in several European cultures.

Think saffron-scented raisin Santa Lucia buns, Tuscany’s chewy pan forte or the sublime hazelnut cake from Piedmont. Or panetonne, the now fashionable sweet bread from Milan. Traditional panetonne starts with a soured dough and rises for over 20 hours. It’s studded with citrus peel, dry raisins and sometimes chocolate.

Fruit cake/fruit bread? “If it’s yeasted, it’s a bread but they are so rich and moist we think of them as cake, like a kugelhupf.”

Alan is a big fan of kugelhupf, which is of German, Austrian or Alsatian heritage, depending on who you talk to.

What makes a good kugelhupf?

“It’s a rich, soft dough with a high butter content, which means not a lot of stability. You have to handle carefully and use a Bundt pan. I like to line the pan with softened butter and sliced almonds.”

Along with beating the drum for excellence in fruitcake, Alan teaches sugar art, pastry, chocolate making and artisan baking — the art of good bread.

“What is good bread? the crust will have hints of a rich mahogany hue, there will be an open cell structure to the inside, and a long lasting aroma and flavour. Good bread is not just a holder for sandwich meat.”

Why are baking recipes always in weights?

“With bakers percentage means everything. When I create something new, it’s all about the relationship the ingredients have with each other. It’s a formula. That’s what we need to achieve consistent results.

“It’s easier to create a metric weight from a percentage. Weight is always more accurate, as a cup of flour will weigh differently every time you scoop. Buy a digital scale in one-gram increments that goes up to at least 2000 grams, 5000 is even better. I paid $19 for mine 20 years ago and I think I’ve replaced the battery once. Some even count calories for you.”

Both the Bon Ton and Upper Crust make a fine, fruit-rich fruitcake.

Find panetonne in festive holiday boxes at the Italian Centre Shops.

Learn more baking secrets at NAIT Continuing Ed. Note: R ecipes courtesy of NAIT School of Hospitality. In order to illustrate the teaching method, we did not convert to TOMATO house style.

kugelhuph (type: pre-ferment/ sponge and dough) 145g

bread flour

132g

water at 27ºC

Add raisins and peel, mix on low speed just until they are evenly incorporated.

35g fresh yeast or 14 g active dry or instant direct yeast Mix flour, water at 27ºC and yeast by hand until incorporated. Let stand for 20 minutes.

87g butter 87g

After 20 minutes mix the sponge and all other ingredients together except raisins and mixed peel for 5 minutes on low speed then mix another 5 minutes on medium speed.

fine sugar

130g thawed whole egg (2½ whole fresh eggs) 7g

fine salt

13g

buttermilk powder

203g

bread flour

25g

fresh yeast

101g

sultana raisins

35g

mixed peel

Rest the dough for 30 minutes on the counter covered with saran wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

Divide the dough into 3 equal loaves.

Round and rest for another 20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, soften some butter and grease the inside of a Bundt pan with butter, then coat with thin-sliced almonds.

Make a hole in the center of the rounded dough piece, then place into Bundt pan. Allow the dough to rise so it fills 2/3 to ¾ of the Bundt pan.

satisfy your

Bake at 370ºF oven for 25 minutes or until a rich golden brown color is achieved.

78g thawed whole egg (1½ fresh eggs) 20g

white corn syrup

Removing from oven and tip onto a cooling rack. Brush with simple syrup.

You can also then drizzle with a water icing.

59g

bread flour

14g

2 per cent milk

1g

vanilla or lemon extract

Makes 3 kugelhupf.

light fruit cake (type: sugar batter) 118g

green cherry glace

118g

red cherry glace

78g

pineapple glace

78g

mixed peel

235g

sultana raisins

78g

fine sugar

78g butter 39g

bread flour

5g

fine salt

Condition fruit: wash and drain overnight Cream sugar, shortening, flour and salt for 3 minutes on low. Add eggs and corn syrup slowly, mixing on low speed for 3 minutes scraping down after each addition. Add flour alternatively with milk. Mix until smooth. Add fruit by hand. Fill either an aluminum foil pound cake container or metal pound cake container until full. Wet hand and smooth the top of the fruit cake. Bake at 350ºF until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and there will be a slight golden color on top, approx 2 hours. Makes one 1 kg fruit cake.

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Tomato, November/December Issue

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The Tomato | November December 2012 35

Beers, beach and burritos Off the resort in Playa del Carmen ~ Amanda LeNeve ~

A long weekend in Playa del Carmen? Why not!

once considered a sacred place by the Mayans. Over the years and through Playa’s growth, the location had been neglected, overgrown and polluted. Wanting to bring this sacred part of Playa del Carmen back to life, Aldea Corazon owners cleaned up and rejuvenated the spot, and now restaurant guests can enjoy their meals next to a cenote (a natural sinkhole from a collapse in limestone exposing groundwater underneath) amongst native vegetation — a beautiful respite from busy 5th Avenue just out the front door.

Playa del Carmen, fishing village turned tourism metropolis on the Mayan Riviera, about 70 kilometres south of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, is well-known to Albertans for its white sand beaches and blue Caribbean waters.

Though famous for its party scene, my sister and I were looking to experience the other side of this charming city that wouldn’t have us woo-hoo-ing at Coco Bongo all weekend, and coming home with a week-long hangover.

I was surprised again and again by the diversity and standard of cuisine available in Playa del Carmen. Playa has long been a vacation destination for European travelers — and that influence is obvious as you stroll through its streets. Listen closely and you’ll hear a number of European languages — Dutch, German, Italian, French, Iberian Spanish.

There’s really something for everyone and with a little digging and asking around, these little treasures are worth looking out for — on and off the main drag.

We checked into Hotel El Punto, located right on bustling 5th Avenue, convenient to both the nightlife scene and the beach.

Over the course of the weekend, we experienced many unexpected treasures. On the rooftop of Hotel El Punto is the restaurant/bar La Azotea, where we spent a perfect evening sipping on tasty cocktails and snacking on delicious woodfired pizzas and several other yummy bites all while watching a Caribbean sunset.

Mi Pueblo, kitty-corner to the hotel, served an incredible Mexican feast complete with queso fundido — essentially melted Manchego, Oaxaca and Parmesan cheeses flamed with tequila and eaten with handmade tortilla chips — and one of the most satisfying desserts I’ve had in a long time, crepa de cajeta — a goat-milk crepe drenched in a caramel also made from goat’s milk. Topping it all off was our very own personal mariachi band performance.

Calle Corazon is one of my favourite pockets of Playa. The street is a little loop that connects to 5th Avenue on either end and is lined with big beautiful trees that twinkle with white lights at night.

Photos by Amanda LeNeve

We wanted to dig a bit deeper into what the city had to offer, culinarily speaking.

Top: Meat! at HC de Monteray; bottom left: Sur’s wine manager, Capi, shows off some Mexican wines; bottom right: a mariachi band serenades diners at Mi Pueblo.

Two of the best restaurants in town are located on this enchanting little street: Sur, an Argentinian steak house and Lateral, a seafood and steak restaurant. Managed by the same group of owners, Sur and Lateral share a good wine list featuring Mexican wines, which Sur’s wine manager, Capi, is passionate about. Specifically, Mariatinto and Santo Tomas Unico — both powerful reds (a Nebbiolo and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) that paired well with Sur’s delicious and meaty Argentinian fare.

36 November December 2012 | The Tomato

Both Sur and Lateral have a relaxed, yet special, atmosphere with their patios extending right into the middle of Calle Corozon. The high quality of both ingredients and food preparation made both of these restaurants somewhere I wanted to return to and hunker down for a couple of hours amid the trees and sparkly lights.

Aldea Corazon is also not to be missed. This restaurant celebrated its grand opening while we were there and is the result of a major rejuvenation project. The location of the restaurant is at the original heart (corazon) of Playa del Carmen,

The best way to find out what’s worth checking out? Ask the staff.

Francisco, our enthusiastically helpful front desk clerk, directed us to El Fogan, a busy place at the corner of Calle 6 and 30 Avenue serving delicious Mexican fare at very reasonable prices, too. Perhaps it was the elation of leaving the Edmonton winter behind us, but this lovely open air restaurant several blocks off 5th Avenue was everything we were looking for.

With three airlines offering direct flights to Cancun, Playa del Carmen makes an ideal destination to get away from the Alberta winter. If you don’t have a whole week available, try a long weekend — it worked perfectly for us.

Amanda likes long walks on the beach... and piña coladas.

Other spots we loved Los Tabernacos (1st Avenue between Calle 10th and 12th): want to catch a hockey game or have a craving for poutine?

This is a little French-Canadian bar filled with Quebecois transplants.

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Buckets of beer on the beach: there are several little bars with lounge chairs right on the beach. For 150 pesos, you can get five bottles of beer and a nice spot to catch some sun — not a bad deal.

HC de Monteray (Avenida de Constituyentes — across the street from the Mega supermarket): we were charmed by the staff here, which was true actually, pretty much every place we visited. If you’re craving a steak, this is a great place to get it.

Las Quesadillas (Calle 8, just off the beach): a good, inexpensive, family-run spot with great tacos.

Close to the beach and the centre of the city — easy to pop into during an afternoon on the beach.

Join us for tastings and entertaining ideas at our 4th Annual Open House

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

The Tomato | November December 2012 37

Gold Medal Plates

Edmonton’s sold-out event creates winners in sport and gastronomy

W

here to start with Nathin

Bye’s imaginative dish?

A pavé, dreamy layers of golden beet, potato and fontina cheese topped with a perfectly sunny-side up quail egg wearing a sweet and silky egg floss hat, alongside a crazy-rich savoury panna cotta with deep flavours of whiskey, smoke, maple and the surprise of a sweet and smoky barbecue pork paté inside; a clever little irresistible pop tart made with dried mushrooms and stuffed with chanterelles lending an earthy note, perfectly

complemented by a crisp bacon rasher, alongside a spoonful of cold, yes cold, oats and a wedge of ‘toast and jam’. (Still with me?)

It was a bravura performance, beautifully imagined, impeccably realized and skillfully executed.

In lesser hands it could have gone sideways. The kicker? Every single element of the dish fit the wine like a glove, even the bircher muesli, cold rolled oats with apple, blackberry and grapefruit jelly, quite the gastronomic sleight of hand.

The spare Japanese aesthetic and art deco imagery of the dish was beautiful. Chef Chartrand served the perfectly cooked fish with a spray bottle of verjus (essentially, unfermented wine juice) providing a gentle tart/sweet contrast to the flavours on the plate. And, the verjus spray was fun to play with.

Chef Bye is directly responsible for Wildflower, yet he also creates dishes for Lazia and East Old Town Chinese, where the addictive egg floss can be found. He has honed his palate and his team to work within several styles of cuisine, opening the door to the kind of imaginative cooking demonstrated at Gold Medal Plates 2012.

Bronze medal winner Paul Shufelt’s more classic presentation was a delicious, perfectly cooked Brome Lake duck breast with a creamy mushroom and duck confit-stuffed arancini (rice ball), which paired well with the robust 2010 Cedar Creek Old Vines Foch. We were quite taken with the affable chef’s chat about why he chose Brome Lake duck. It simply reminds him of home. He grew up nearby, reminding us that local is not always about physical geography.

Sometimes it’s about what’s in our hearts.

Murrieta’s exec chef Shane Chartrand’s silver medal dish was a study in black and white — sablefish wrapped in a vegetable ash with a sliver of melt-inyour-mouth cod tongue. The dish found a very good match in the 2011 Lake Breeze Pinot Blanc.

There was something to recommend in every dish in the competition: Ryan Hotchkiss (Jack’s Grill’s) took Alberta whitefish to the max; Ganesh Subra (L2 Grill) explored native muskox; Jeremy McKinnon (The Westin) paid homage to classic

lamb; Sean O’Connor (Red Ox Inn) looked to KFC for inspiration; David Omar (Zinc) worked with meaty beef heart and delicate sole; and Deependra Singh (Guru) interpreted Indian street food.

Chef Paul Campbell’s (Café de Ville) dish was a witty take on cocktails and canapes — perhaps we’ll see more beer/cider/cocktail pairings in the future. But please, not everyone. Is pickling the new pork belly? For several years GMP competitors couldn’t get enough pork belly. This was the year of the pickle. Sometimes it worked, adding a piquant hit of acidity; most of the time, the pickled item was just there, sitting on the plate like a gherkin by a sandwich.

The wine of the night was the 2010 Tantalus Chardonnay, richly fragrant, full-bodied, with masses of fruit and mineral complexity.

The subtle oak impression contributed to the overall balance of the wine, creating a delicious complement to chef Bye’s dish.

Gold Medal Plates was conceived as not just a chef’s competition, though its role in moving Canadian gastronomy forward is becoming more evident every year. The evening’s combination of chefs, star athletes and Canadian musical talent raises serious dough for the Olympic program as well.

There was brisk bidding for auction items and trips, contributing to the over $6 million raised for the Canadian Olympic Foundation’s Own the Podium program so far.

Above: Winning chefs Shane Chartrand, Murrieta’s West Coast Grill, silver; Nathin Bye, Wildflower Grill, gold; Paul Shufelt, Century Group, bronze.

Left: Gold Medal Plates gold medalist Nathin Bye of Wildflower Grill shows off his awardwinning dish Breakfast for Dinner, which was paired with 2010 Tantalus Chardonnay.

38 November December 2012 | The Tomato

Chef Bye will join the winners of Gold Medal Plates competitions in Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and St. Johns at the Canadian Culinary Championships (CCC) in Kelowna, February 8-9.

It’s a terrific weekend, for information and tickets visit goldmedalplates.com.

Cranberry Mulling Spice

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In with the

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THE GLASS IS HALF FULL. SO IS THE NEXT ONE. Rare and collectable wines in limited supply, available at exclusive prices to members.

www.tannic.ca

The best traditions are the ones that happen at home. And if you ask us, tradition starts in the kitchen.

This year, have a holiday that harkens back to the good ol’ days.

Where the cooking starts as soon as the gifts are unwrapped, and with recipes that have passed hands for three generations, and counting. Where the smell of orange and cloves, mulled apple cider, warm baked bread and fresh pumpkin pie, can turn a house into a home.

From turkeys and hams to stuffing and brioche, as well as our annual holiday guide, in our markets you’ll find everything you need to serve up a happy holiday.

Celebrate the season at home with Sunterra.

kitchen sink

| what’s new and notable

restaurant ramblings We love Andrew Fung’s food. That’s the main reason we’re excited about the new Nineteen XIX (5940 Mullen Way, 780-395-1119, dinenineteen.com). But, after a pre-opening conversation with Andrew about which silverware and what plates he was ordering, we were equally curious to see the room. And you should be, too — it’s a gorgeous 70 seats, with an open kitchen and 42 seat bar, stylishly contemporary but very different from what we have been seeing recently in new build restos. “I would describe the room and the food as upscale casual and approachable,” says Andrew. “No horse or venison, at least not on this menu. We’re opening with a fairly hearty rustic-style menu with lots of braised dishes, but we’ll change with the seasons. It’s serious cooking, yet people will want to come for a bite after work.”

Andrew’s skill was recognized early — Hardware Grill, then on to Blackhawk where his kitchen redefined golf course food. Along the way Andrew won gold at the 2010 Edmonton Gold Medal Plates competition. He’s assembled a seasoned crew — Steve Wing, Keshia Blake, Jared Dunn and Ivan Ho — and has left the Blackhawk kitchen in the very capable hands of Madison’s alum Robert Simpson.

The flatware? WMF, German. And the tableware? Tafelstern, also German.

Sweet!

Madison’s Grill (10053 Jasper Avenue, 780-423-3600) has a new executive chef, Charla Padilla. It’s a homecoming of sorts, as chef Padilla worked in the kitchen at Madison’s early in her career. She’s now at the helm after gaining experience at golf courses, the Westin Edmonton and teaching culinary arts at NAIT. The Prairie Bistro has a new name, Glasshouse Bistro & Café (Enjoy Centre, 101 Riel Drive, St. Albert, 780-651-7361) and it’s now open for dinner on Friday nights.

Along with exec chef Shaun Hick’s regular seasonally-inspired menu, enjoy the well-priced set menu highlighting Hole’s produce — appetizer, main course, dessert and coffee for only $35. Last seating is at 8 p.m. Visit glasshousebistro.ca for the most current menus.

Fans of Lindsay Porter, the former exec chef at 4th & Vine Wine Bar, will now find her with Mercer’s Catering (780-431-0972, mercerscatering.com). “I wanted to take on

40 November Decmber 2012 | The Tomato

some bigger tasks. I didn’t have lot of experience doing heavy volume,” said Lindsay.

After the inevitable construction delays, Canteen (10522 124 Street), Frank and Andrea Olsen’s (Red Ox Inn) new venture, is on track to open mid-November.

Can’t wait!

New at Ousia (10846 82 Avenue, 780-761-1910): Sunday Sit Down family-style dinners, with fresh menus, which change weekly. Check it out at ousiarestaurant.com. Ousia will be closed November 2 and 3 (visit them at the Rocky Mountain Wine Festival); December 2426; and from December 31 to January 15.

The Craft Beer Market (10012 101A Avenue, 780-424-2337) featuring all beers on tap all the time, will be opening MarchApril-ish in the old Hy’s across from Sherlock Holmes’ in Rice Howard Way. Red Seal chef and southern food lover Danielle Majeau has opened Creole Envie in the former Highlands Kitchen/Bacon space, 6509 112 Avenue, 780-477-2422. “I love southern flavours, the classics, like crawfish etouffee,” says chef Majeau. “I took a couple of courses at the culinary school in New Orleans to immerse myself.”

Expect alligator sausage, fried green tomatoes and traditional sweet tea. Open Thursday and Friday lunch from 12:302:30, dinner Thursday-Saturday 5pm – 9pm, and weekend brunch with ham and red eye gravy, 10:30am - 2:30pm. This might be the only thing you really have to know: Thursday is fried chicken and waffle night.

Holiday hours at La Bistro Persaud (8627 91 Street, 780-758-6636): closed December 23-27, 30 and January 1 and 2. The French quarter resto will be open on December 28 and 29 and for New Year’s Eve, of course.

Visit their website for menu and ticket information and holiday catering.

La Bistro Persaud presents a Portuguese wine maker dinner, Thursday, November 15, 6pm, five delicious courses paired with the award-winning wines of DFJ Vinhos.

Rock New Year’s Eve at the Blue Chair Café (9624 76 Avenue, 780-989-2861). One seating, fun menu and a great band. Details were not quite firm at our deadline, visit bluechair.ca for the latest information.

Madison’s is now taking reservations for their four-course Christmas Dinner, $85/person, seatings from 4:30pm. New Year’s Eve Dinner is a decadent six-course affair, $95/person; with wine pairings an additional $65/person, seatings from 5pm.

The lovely New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch is $39.95/ person, with two seatings. As well, Madison’s offers daily holiday lunch and dinner features from November 12 until December 21. All Madison’s holiday menus are now available online at unionbankinn.com

wine tastings happenings and events Crestwood Fine Wines and Spirits’ (9658 142 Street 780-488-7800) monthly wine tastings begin in November with The Acclaimed Bordeaux of 2009, Thursday, November 25, 7-9pm. The 2013 lineup, beginning January 22, is all about glorious French wine. Enjoy fabulous wines, appetizers, music and suggestions for holiday entertaining at Crestwood’s Christmas Open House, Saturday, December 1, 2-5:30pm. Don’t miss it!

Upcoming events at Unwined (#2, 512 St. Albert Trail, St.Albert, 780-458-4777): Days of Wine and Proses is Unwined’s new book club featuring wine and book pairings, hosted by Laurie Greenwood, November 21; Big Reds, November 13; Tannat and Tango, November 2; Whiskey Regions of Scotland with master of malts Andrew Walls, December 4.

BIN 104 Fine Wine and Spirits (5454 Calgary Trail, 780-436-8850) Wednesday tastings: The Pacific Northwest, November 7, $30/person and Christmas in November, November 28, $50/person.

Tastings begin at 7pm and can be booked by visiting Bin’s website, bin104.com.

Peter Seepish at City Cellars (10505 123 Street, 780-420-1650) tells us there are some new biodynamic, natural and organic wines in stock: Champ Divin Cremant du Jura (Jura, France), $29; Chateau Maris ‘La Touge’ (Minervois, France), $29; plus wines from noted producers: Cantina Bolzano from the northern Italian region of Alto Adige and Ca del Monte an “incredible traditionally-styled Amarone producer.” Check them out!

Love wine? Looking for practical techniques to help you make the best choices? WSET Level One (Wine & Spirits Education Trust Foundation in Wine & Wine Service) begins Monday, January 7. The 11-week WSET Level Two Intermediate begins Tuesday, January 8. French Wine School will start in April. For more information or to register visit winecollege.ca.

Aligra Wine & Spirits (1423 WEM, 8882 170 Street, 780-483-1083) tastings with sommelier Ken Bracke: Get Shiraz Over Here, November 7; What’s your Forte, the world of fortified wines; November 28; and Suave Bruts and Seductive Bubbles, December 11. Book online at aligrawineandspirits.com. Tickets for Fabulous @ 50 Trade Show & Martini Party, November 3, are available at Aligra as well.

Celebrate the season at Cally’s Teas (10151 82 Avenue, 780 757-8944) Christmas party, Wednesday, November 14, 7-10 p.m.

Enjoy a glass of blueberry tea and Christmas cookies and tarts from Laurel’s kitchen while learning how to steep a perfect cup of tea.

Cally will be introducing the new Tea Passport Program at the event.

We love Cally’s afternoon tea for its quality and wit (toast soldiers anyone?), and now there are several excellent gluten-free items on offer: house-made bread and crackers, and meringues in hazelnut and lemon almond, $20/person, $25 for gluten-free.

product news Amaranth Whole Foods Market at the Enjoy Centre (101 Riel Drive, St. Albert, 780-651-7367) presents The Power of Raw Food with Preet Marwaha, founder of Organic Lives, Sunday, November 4. The workshop is in the Park Room, and runs from 1-2:30pm. The $15 fee includes a $10 Amaranth gift card, demonstrations and food samples.

Bon Ton Bakery (8720 149 Street, 780-489-7717) offers sweet holiday treats: German stollen with an ample marzipan filling; panforte packed with nuts and dried fruit; Provence-style mendiants, chocolate medallions topped with fruit and nuts; and fig and walnut biscotti bites tasting of warm spices and a hit of orange. Their cookie boxes are easy and delicious gifts to go, packed with fancy cookies — always welcome.

Let Sunterra Market (sunterramarket.com) do the cooking this holiday with fullyprepared, four-course meals. The Christmas menu features wild mushroom soup, roasted pumpkin and pomegranate salad, a turkey or ham entrée and cranberry pound cake with eggnog icing for dessert, $21.99/person, available December 23 and 24. The New Year’s Eve menu sounds really delicious, $23.99/person. Consider Sunterra Market’s catering menu for your next event whether it be corporate lunches, weddings or holiday celebrations. Pick up a copy in the store or online at sunterramarket.com.

Save the date for Gail Hall’s Seasoned Solutions Culinary Tour of Portugal, October 3 to 17, 2013 . The tour outline and costs will be available at seasonedsolutions.ca after November 30.

cooking classes

3 p.m., Saturday, November 17, and Sunday December 2; and two Thursday evening classes from 6-9:30pm., November 22, and November 29, $175 /person. To register, visit seasonedsolutions.ca.

in memoriam

Need some new ideas for holiday cooking? Chef Richard Toll leads a holiday entertaining cooking class at The Pan Tree Kitchen (550-220 Lakeland Dr., Sherwood Park, 780-464-4631) November 8, 6-8pm., $75/person, A World of Spices with chef Andrew Parker, November 22; learn to use global spices to add something tantalizing to your cooking. Register online at thepantree.ca and don’t forget your apron.

Nathan Feist (October 30, 1976-August 24, 2012). Nathan Feist was an account manager with River Valley Beverage. He will be remembered for his big friendly smile, and his love of his friends and Zinfandel in equal measure. “Nathan’s friends called him Superman. He had a passion for wine and spirits and loved working in the industry. Nathan was kind, and inclusive and helpful to everyone,” said Sandi Hollas, colleague.

Seasoned Solutions Cooking Classes for the Holiday Season: Two daytime classes, 11 a.m. to

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

gastronomic travel AMA Travel wants to take you to the 8th annual Charleston Wine & Food Festival, February 28 to March 4, 2013. Taste Charleston’s extraordinary culinary history of Southern cuisine, and enjoy all the action in the grand tasting tent and celebrity kitchen. The package includes four nights in a boutique hotel and a Gospel brunch. From $719. Call AMA Travel at 1-866-667-4777.

Enjoy the Champagne & Stockings Weekend November 2325 at Spirit Ridge in Osoyoos, with Stellar’s Jay sparkling reception, fashion show, cooking demos and artisan crafts market. Packages start at $179. To book: 250-4955445, or visit spiritridge.ca and use promo code: champagne.

seasonally inspired

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

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

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

The Tomato | November December 2012 41

according to judy

| judy schultz

Suzy’s Party: A Christmas Tale And so it is Christmas, as the song says. There’s another song that goes, “Wasn’t That a Party?”

The party I remember was at my friend Suzy’s house, this time last year. She’s the friend who can hold a party in a broom closet, except the broom closet (and all the other closets) were full of wine. She’d stocked up. ”The party's in the kitchen,“ yelled Suzy, every time the front door opened. Meanwhile a couple of dozen early guests and two cats jostled for standing room and made bold grabs at slivers of air-cured ham Suzy was handing out on the business end of a sharp knife. The ham, probably smuggled home from Italy (just kidding, I’m sure she declared the ham, along with the truffle, the other ham and the fabulous cheese we ate later) was delicious. ”We’re having pasta,“ Suzy shouted above the rising tumult. ”Somebody near the stove should stir something,“ she caroled.

Champagne flowed, and more food arrived with more guests: someone sailed in with a still-warm jar of delicious preserved duck. ”Duck confit,“ screamed three women all at the same time, lunging for the jar. Only in Suzy’s kitchen would that be likely to happen.

As the duck was being scooped onto a platter, along came the fish. ”Salmon, just out of my smoker,“ said the fisherman, but nobody heard him. (Fortunately I read lips.)

The salmon was delicious with crème fraîche. And the party got louder.

There was some evidence that we’d eventually eat dinner, as one of Suzy’s famous tables stretched through the dining room, the

living room, and all the way to the front door. Not strictly a table, but several tables, had been wedged together under a vast length of white cloth. Fresh cedar garlands wound along the middle, and when somebody lit a dozen or so tea lights and nestled them in the greenery, the effect was magical.

Steve, Suzy’s smart-ass cat and a terrible showoff, couldn’t resist a Garfield-strut down the middle of the table, but the candles singed his belly so he left.

Meanwhile more wine flowed and we all shouted stories of past parties at Suzy’s place.

They were mostly true, and a lot of them involved fire.

“Remember when she lit all those candles by the front door, and the step started to burn?” At least six guests remembered having put it out. ”Remember the pizza fire in the barbecue? When the crust went up in flames?” A dozen people claimed to have doused that one. ”Remember when some woman got locked in the bathroom and we had to take the door off?“ We all remembered helping. ”Remember...?“ And so forth. ”Pasta,“ shouted our hostess. ”Oh fudge, I forgot to pick up the pasta...“ Nobody was surprised, and a guest was dispatched to the Italian Centre. Dinner, when we finally ate it, was worth the wait.

Suzy throws a memorable party.

That’s why we love her. Not for her organizational skills or her punctuality or the splendid condition of her car, nor even for her food, good as it is, but for her great generosity and her warm heart.

Merry Christmas, from Suzy (she’ll text her greetings later) and the rest of us who are lucky enough to call her a friend.

Check out Judy’s blog, judyink.ca

42 November December 2012 | The Tomato

NOVEMBER EVENTS

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE. REGISTER IN-STORE. CLASSES RUN FROM 7-9PM DISCOVER THE OKANAGAN VALLEY AND MISSION HILL Emerald Hills – November 1 Windermere – November 2

WHISKY SEMINAR WITH ANDY DUNN Emerald Hills – November 16 Windermere – November 17 GUIDE YOUR GLASS AROUND SPAIN Emerald Hills – November 21 Windermere – November 22

VILLA MARIA WINE NIGHT Windermere - November 1 UNIBROUE WITH SYLVAIN BOUCHARD Emerald Hills – November 2 RAMON BILBAO, THE JOY OF MODERN SPAIN Emerald Hills – November 6 Windermere – November 7

GREY CUP EVENT HOSTED BY MOLSON November 25 5:00-8:00 pm

GREEK WINES WITH PAUL MARZOUKOS Emerald Hills – November 7 Windermere - November 8 A CHIEF WINEMAKER OF TRIVENTO Emerald Hills – November 8 LAYER CAKE WINES PAIRED WITH DELICIOUS CAKE Emerald Hills – November 14 Windermere – November 15 NORTON WINERY, ARGENTINA Windermere – November 14 Emerald Hills – November 15 STORE ADDRESS

JAMESON BRAND AMBASSADOR Windermere – November 21 Emerald Hills – November 22

WISER’S MASTER BLENDER Windermere – November 27 Emerald Hills – November 28

SPIRIT & FOOD WITH J WHEELOCK Emerald Hills – December 5 Windermere – December 6 PELEE ISLAND WINERY WITH DARRYL MACMILLAN Emerald Hills – December 12 Windermere – December 13 E&J GALLO WITH MR. KEVIN LEFORT Emerald Hills – December 13 Windermere – December 14 WORLD JUNIOR PROMOTION HOSTED BY MOLSON December 21 7:00-9:00 pm

BIG ROCK 101 Emerald Hills – November 29 AWARD WINNING, NUGAN ESTATE WINES Windermere - November 29 Emerald Hills - November 30 NAPA VALLEY GEMS Windermere – November 30

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WINE AND BEYOND AT EMERALD HILLS WINE AND BEYOND AT WINDERMERE

DISCLAIMER

DECEMBER EVENTS

300, 7000 Emerald Drive, Sherwood Park, AB

780. 417.2821

6276 Currents Drive NW, Edmonton, AB T6W 0L8 780. 439.5130

Events are scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm in the Wine & Beyond Education Classrooms. Attendees must be of legal drinking age with proof of Identification. Events may involve the consumption of alcohol so responsible transportation must be secured by the attendees.

Unforseen circumstances can arise and events may have to be rescheduled.

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