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summer in the city palate CITYPALATE.CA
JULY AUGUST 2016
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MY CUSTOMERS OFTEN TELL ME THAT THEIR ESPRESSO MACHINE IS THEIR FAVOURITE ITEM IN THEIR KITCHEN .
GATHER
VINCE IZZO & FAMILY
AROUND A THING OF BEAUTY PACIFIC RIM MARTINI 1 OZ MONIN HAWAIIAN ISLAND SYRUP 1/ OZ 2
PINEAPPLE JUICE
1/ OZ 2
FRESH LIME JUICE
1 1/4 OZ LIGHT RUM 1/ OZ 2
COINTREAU ICE
Combine ingredients in shaker in the order listed, then cap and shake vigorously Strain into chilled 8oz serving glass and garnish Visit us and select from the over 100 premium Monin syrup flavours we stock – they’re just as great in cocktails as in coffee!
CR E ATE YO U R OWN GATH E R I N G S P OT. WE S E LL , S E RV I C E & S U P P LY E VE RY TH I N G FO R H O M E O R CO M M E RCIAL CO F F E E E XP E R I E N CE S . WE CARRY AND SERVICE:
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410 23 AVENUE NE, CALGARY
CAPPUCCINOKING.COM
Market Seafood
Fear no recipe.
Check out our great selection of fresh fish, seafood, crab cakes, salmon burgers and lots more!
LET OUR VEGETABLE BUTCHER DO YOUR DIRTY WORK.
He’ll wash, slice, dice, mince, chiffonade or julienne our farm fresh produce as you require. Each container is $1, but the service is our pleasure.
CALGARY’S TOP CHOICE FOR SEAFOOD Local First- Worldwide Selection
The freshest selection of Organic produce in Calgary, and Alberta produced Organic dairy & meat.
Specialists in all manner of spices, herbs and seasonings from around the world.
• wine tasting • growler bar • huge selection of organic wines • CRAFT BEER
PREMIUM EXTRA VIRGIN & NATURALLY FLAVOURED OLIVE OILS + VINEGARS
www.blushlane.com
in the big red quonset N.E. parking lot (77 Ave)
MORE AT
soffritto.ca
w w w. j w e b b . n e t
Full Service Flower Shop Changing The Way We Eat For
A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY OFFERING A VARIETY OF HANDS-ON CLASSES FOR ALL AGES: Cooking classes for teens & adults and parents with their children Canning & preserving classes Edible gardening workshops Kids Garden Club
r Now 403.919.0176 poppyinnovations.ca
Registe
Always OPEN SUNDAYS FLOWERS At The Market
The natural choice.
FREE RANGE PORK Pasture raised & naturally fed.
• family owned and operated • focused on quality and taste
Visit us in Rosemary, Alberta www.spraggsmeatshop.com
contents
CITY PALATE JULY AUGUST 2016
FEATURES
24 n We all Scream for our Local Ice Cream
Shelley Boettcher
28 n Steak: The Sequel
The king of summer grilling Ron Shewchuk
30 n This Summer, Take Yourself on a Posh Picnic
Erin Lawrence
32 n Mezcal, the Big Smoke
The ancient spirit of Mexico is having a Calgary moment Meghan Jessiman
Gathering family and friends together since 1959.
34 n Urban Gardens
Calgary’s growing season blooms large for four local businesses Dan Clapson
DEPARTMENTS
7 n word of mouth
Notable culinary happenings around town
9 n eat this
What to eat in July and August Ellen Kelly
10 n drink this
Discovering Nova Scotia’s wines Dan Clapson
12 n get this
Must-have kitchen stuff Karen Anderson
14 n great finds
Good Earth Coffeehouse and Chinook Honey Regan Johnson
16 n one ingredient
Mint Julie Van Rosendaal
18 n feeding people
No-churn ice cream Laura Di Lembo
22 n the sunday project
Stone fruit and berry galette with Julie Van Rosendaal
36 n stockpot
Stirrings around Calgary
38 n kids can cook
Eton Mess Pierre Lamielle
40 n 8 quick ways with...
Green peas Chris Halpin
42 n back burner... shewchuk on simmer
Hell on wheels Allan Shewchuk
Cover artist: Gary McMillan is a Calgary artist known for his evocative paintings combining landscape, still life and the human figure. He has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows in the city over the past few years. You can see his work on his website at gmcmillanart.com.
R E A D U S O N L I N E AT C I T Y PA L AT E . C A
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Willow Park 9919 Fairmount Drive SE italiancentre.ca | @italianctrYYC | 403-238-4869 CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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city palate editor Kathy Richardier (kathy@citypalate.ca) publisher Gail Norton (gail@citypalate.ca) magazine design Carol Slezak, Yellow Brick Studios (carol@citypalate.ca) contributing editor Kate Zimmerman
{milk} SHAKEN, Not StirrEd
contributors Karen Anderson Shelley Boettcher Dan Clapson Laura Di Lembo Chris Halpin Meghan Jessiman Regan Johnson Ellen Kelly Pierre Lamielle Erin Lawrence Allan Shewchuk Ron Shewchuk Julie Van Rosendaal contributing photographers Karen Anderson Regan Johnson for advertising enquiries, please contact advertising@citypalate.ca
The Chef & The Farmer
account executives
dinner series by City Palate
Ellen Kelly (ellen@citypalate.ca)
October 4, 2016
Liz Tompkins (liz@citypalate.ca)
1613 9th Street SW (juSt off 17th Avenue)
Janet Henderson (janet@citypalate.ca)
Don't forget this food group...
DINNER
TICKETS
beer at 6:00
eventbrite.ca
6:30
$70
Join us at Trolley 5 for another delicious event in our curated dinner series. Sample the amazing selection of beers on tap at 17th Avenue’s latest restaurant & brewery and enjoy a meal designed to pair with your beer, by chef Troy Raugust.
TROLLEY 5 • 728 17 AVENUE SW CALGARY 6
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank The Calgary Food Bank is able to feed thousands of people each year because of the generosity and assistance it receives from Calgarians. Help comes to us in many forms – volunteer hours, food, cash or in-kind donations – and all are appreciated.
403-253-2059 info@calgaryfoodbank.com calgaryfoodbank.com
prepress/printing CentralWeb distribution Gallant Distribution Systems Inc. The Globe and Mail website management Jane Pratico (jane@citypalate.ca) City Palate is published 6 times per year: January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October and November-December by City Palate Inc., 722 - 11 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2R 0E4 Subscriptions are available for $48 per year within Canada and $68 per year outside Canada. Editorial Enquiries: Please email kathy@citypalate.ca For questions or comments please contact us via our website:
citypalate.ca
word of mouth
NOTABLE CULINARY HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN IN OU R OPIN ION
the best gin for gin drinkers...
soapstone cooking pots
and the winner is...
Woot! Woot! This is great news, but it doesn’t surprise us at all... Eau Claire Distillery has won a Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Parlour Gin, as well as two other international awards – a bronze medal in the gin category and Canada Gin Distillery of the Year at the Berlin International Spirits Competition. Quite an accomplishment for Alberta’s first craft distillery within two years of opening. Drink Parlour Gin, it’s good for your local taste buds!
These are cool – traditional soapstone cooking pots Minas Brazilian Steakhouse uses in its tasty churrasco restaurant in Eau Claire. Brazilian rodizio-style barbecue is really big in the city, and you can purchase these, along with other traditional products, in Minas’s retail shop at the front of the restaurant. Visit minassteakhouse.com for more info.
Take one sunny Saturday, 90 teams, 240 people, 55 clues and add them all together for a great Culinary Race! The winners were Karen Sytnick and BJ Oudman (team name: Waldorf & Statler) – winning by a single point! Many hurrays to Wanda Baker and her organizational team that brought us this amazing event. See you next year!
well done!
much more to the zoo than the animals
More great news that doesn’t surprise us at all. At the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs national conference held in Los Angeles, April 17 and 18, that celebrates women who inspire awards, two of our own women received awards. The Golden Hand Award – recognizing women whose contributions in the community make a strong impact on the lives of others – went to Sharon Hapton (R), Soup Sisters founder. The Laurey Masterton Golden Amulet – recognizing women entrepreneurs in the food service industry – went to Sal Howell (L), River Café and Boxwood.
The Zoo’s executive sous chef, Krish Nair, won the Pepper Powerhouse episode of Chopped Canada and was awarded $10,000 for his dishes produced from ingredients such as spring salmon, soda water and asparagus. The competitors race against the clock creating dishes using baskets of mystery ingredients – an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. Good show chef Nair. You can eat his delicious food at the upscale Grazers’ restaurant at the Zoo. Perfect for the family, a first date or a lazy summer afternoon. Open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Galimax Trading Inc. will hold its Annual Chef Tour on July 25, and invites all chefs, cooks, wait staff or anybody involved in the restaurant business to take part. It will be a day trip to southern Alberta producers of organic vegetables, an organic milk producer/processor, free range pork producer, and if time allows, an organic goat milk producer/processor. Admission is free for transportation and meals. There’s space for about 100 people. For details, e-mail rudy.knitel@shaw.ca or phone 403-315-1093.
locally sauced With barbecue season in full swing, you’ll want to check out CRMR Kitchen’s two locally made barbecue sauces – the Whisky BBQ Sauce is tomato based using Canada’s Forty Creek Whisky, the Black Currant and Foothills Honey BBQ Sauce is a long-time CRMR fave. Both are delish, and you can find them at Second to None Meats where you can also pick up CRMR’s naturally raised meats, such as bison or elk, and CRMR’s line of sausage. Hardly anything is better than a grilled snaussie! And don’t forget CRMR Kitchen’s pickled beets and dill pickles to go with your sausages.
Calgary Co-op stores sell Ace Bakery breads, and we’ve found that one of the best is the harvest grain oval, full of whole grains and seeds and flavour, and baked to a beautiful golden brown. We toast it and slather it with honey or jam for breakfast, and make grilled cheese sandwiches with it for any time of day or night.
the eye sees all... Get yourself some Black Market Wine. These are delicious, inspired, artisanal wines that are hand-crafted in small lots in the Okanagan Valley. You will love it. You can find it at Crowfoot Wine & Spirits’ Signature location, The Cellar Fine Wine & Spirits, Zyn in Inglewood, Vine Styles and Highlander Wine & Spirits, Marda Loop. Visit blackmarketwine.ca
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, based in Vancouver, has been named among the best pizza in the world in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards, and Edmonton was named the 8th best pizza city in the world! And Calgary has four Famosos, too, so go eat some of the best pizza in the world.
read these The Salt Cellar’s Virginia Marion has recently released a book about salt called Salt Rocks, that unravels the mystery of cooking with artisanal sea salts with good recipes and interesting facts about sea salt throughout. Find it in soft cover for $15 on her web site, thesaltcellar.ca, at Friesen Press, friesenpress.com/bookstore for $13.99 soft cover and $35.99 hard cover. Also at Chapters Indigo book stores. Royal
The Royal Touch, Simply Stunning Home Cooking from a Former Royal Chef, Carolyn Robb, personal chef to The Prince and Princess of Wales (ACC Editions, $46, hard cover). You, too, can eat what the royals eat, like pancetta-wrapped baby new potatoes served with apple chutney and crab tian with mango and avocado. Order online at Amazon Canada for $9.50. The publisher has given us a promotional code that gives readers a 50% discount on the book. Go to the web site – accdistribution.com/uk/ store/register – where you can register and enter the promotional code RT50 upon purchase. Simply Stunning Home Cooking from a Former Royal Chef
calling all restaurant people
delicious bread
some of the best pizza in the world
THE
TOUCH
Former Personal Chef to TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales and TRH Prince William and Prince Harry
CAROLYN ROBB
pies will help us get through these stressful times David Mamet, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, said that stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie. Nancy Goemens, formerly of Montana Creative marketing and food styling, believes this, too. So she brought her dream to life making sweet and savoury pies and creating her business – The Pie Hole and Bakery – located in Spruce Cliff. Goemens’ tag line, “The Pie’s the limit” says it all: wedding pies, genderreveal pies, corporate logo cut-out pastry pies, tarts, galettes. You name it, she and her talented crew can make it. So, if you need to de-stress – and who doesn’t these days? – take yourself to The Pie Hole and get yourself some de-stressers. That would be pies, amazingly good pies. thepiehole.ca
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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Modern Contemporary Cuisine
107, 8th Ave SW, Calgary AB T2P 1B4 403-265-9595
thebelvedere@shaw.ca
The Cucumber Man, Redcliff, AB
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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
www.thebelvedere.ca
@TheBelvedereyyc
TheBelvedereCalgary
eat this
Ellen Kelly
WHAT TO EAT IN JULY AND AUGUST
Easy summer living is a bit of a myth for those of us who are compelled to take advantage of the season’s bounty. Yes, there will be barbecues and picnics, warm nights on the patio with a glass of rosé, but there will always be that nagging little prairie voice telling us to put by for the winter. We will attempt to stifle it with varying degrees of success – rosé does help – but it will chirp at us every time we encounter an inviting display of produce. These days, with the abundant array of high quality jarred and prepared foods from around the world, we hardly need to toil in the kitchen. Happily, it’s become a pleasure rather than a chore. Knowing where your food comes from and how it was prepared is the real luxury. NECTARINES are only one gene variant away from being a peach, one fuzzy and one smooth skinned. For all intents and purposes, they are interchangeable. Unless you’re determined, nectarines don’t need to be peeled; their skin is thin and tender. As with peaches, they likely originated in China 2000 years ago and were cultivated in Persia, Greece and Rome before making their way to North America, brought by the Spanish. A beautiful pale pink jam, finished with Cointreau, can be made with the white-fleshed variety, the colour coming from the red tint on the skin. Or you can just spread readymade naan bread with fresh ricotta, sliced nectarines, prosciutto and a drizzle of maple syrup. Pop under the broiler for 3-4 minutes and finish with a slight sprinkle of Maldon salt, a drizzle of good olive oil and a few toasted almonds. Try it on the barbecue.
FRESH SWEET CORN is one of the most fleeting culinary pleasures. It really is only worth contemplating when in season. Whether you enjoy it slathered with butter, salt and pepper right off the cob or use it in salsas, breads, chowders or salads, locally grown fresh corn is the ultimate. That’s not to say I haven’t used commercially frozen or canned in a pinch, but it simply does not compare. Try making corn fritters for a memorable once-a-year treat. Heat about 2 inches of corn or canola oil in a large heavy pan to 350°F. Cut the kernels from 3 cobs of sweet corn, scraping off the milk and residual kernels as well; see TIPS. Combine 2 c. flour, 1/4 c. sugar, 2-1/4 t. baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk 2 large eggs into 3/4 c. buttermilk and 2 T. melted butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry along with the corn and mix just to incorporate. Using a heaping teaspoon of batter, carefully push it with your finger into the hot oil, turning when golden. Don’t crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels, salt lightly while still warm and serve drizzled with liquid honey or maple syrup. Makes about 2 dozen fritters.
PLUMS are related to peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds. They are called drupes, which means they have a hard stone pit surrounding the seed. Plums come in a fabulous range of colours. Anywhere from pale yellow and green to red, purple and blue. Japanese plums, originating in China, are the earliest with European plums coming later in the season, May through fall. Plums are wonderful eaten out of hand, the sweet juicy flesh contrasting perfectly with the tart skin, but another tasty way to enjoy them is to create a sweet/savoury bruschetta. Grill slices of a good sourdough baguette and spread with chèvre. Top with plum slices, bits of torn sage leaves and walnuts. Drizzle with liquid honey or dot with pieces of honeycomb.
Illustrations by Pierre Lamielle
BUY: Nectarines are particularly fragrant when ripe. Buy fruit that is firm, giving slightly to the touch, but not hard or it won’t ripen. TIPS: Try roasting nectarine halves for 30 minutes or so before cutting them up to make jam for a deeper flavour. DID YOU KNOW? Red on the skin is not an indicator of ripeness; background colour is. Look for a yellow or orange background for yellow-fleshed fruit and white for a white variety. Avoid any that are green, they won’t ripen.
BUY: Look for cobs heavy in the hand, fresh cut stems and fresh green husks. It’s unnecessary to strip back the husks and bad manners to boot. It just dries out the kernels for someone else. Feel lightly with your fingers to see if the kernels have all filled out. Finding a worm isn’t the end of the world; it just means the farmer was light on the pesticides. TIPS: To cut kernels from a cob of corn, set the cob stem end down in a large shallow bowl. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the kernels away from top to bottom taking off the top half of the kernels. Using the dull side of the knife, run the blade down the cob again removing the flavourful “milk” and what’s left of the kernels. DID YOU KNOW? Corn starts to convert sugar into starch as soon as it’s picked. Popular wisdom says to start the water boiling before you pick the corn. Modern hybrids are bred to retain sugar and stay sweet longer, but some bemoan the loss of true corn flavour in some of the sugary enhanced varieties. Regardless, fresh is always best when it comes to corn.
BUY: as with peaches and nectarines, look for firm unblemished fruit that isn’t too hard. Ripe fruit will keep for 3-4 days at room temp or 5-6 refrigerated. TIPS: To remove the stone from any drupe, cut along the seam lengthwise and gently twist the halves in opposite directions. The stone can then be removed with the tip of a knife. DID YOU KNOW? A whitish or chalky bloom on the skin is desirable. It indicates ripeness and tells you that the fruit has not been overly handled. Bring the fruit to room temperature before eating. This will immeasurably improve the flavour and aroma.
Ellen Kelly is a chef and regular contributor to City Palate.
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Founded in 1692, SPIER is one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms. Today the farm has a modern, conscious energy, with a commitment to sustainability, organic farming and fair trade. Savour every Sip thiS Summer.
Find Spier in Fine wine StoreS in alberta, or contact inFo@whitehall.ca.
Ancient History. new Life.
facebook.com/spierwinefarm @spierwinefarm | spier.co.za
drink this
Dan Clapson
DISCOVERING NOVA SCOTIA’S WINES
It’s hard to remember that 25 years ago, the Okanagan was quite an immature wine region. Like a freshly graduated university student, it was still trying to figure out what it should do with its life. Sure, there were vineyards like Quails’ Gate that had been operating in one form or another since the early 20th century, but wonderful boutique wineries like Bench 1775 in Penticton or The Hatch in West Kelowna were still no more than a twinkle in a winemaker’s eye. Nova Scotia may not have the luxury of the Napa Valley’s terroir or the Okanagan’s climate. What it does have is great soil for growing certain grape varietals and a group of passionate winemakers with a thirst for creating a dynamic wine region that’s taken seriously by Canadian wine enthusiasts. With 15 active wineries, this East Coast province has been producing wines on a small scale for the past few decades, but has really gained traction in recent years. Because Nova Scotia is compact, it’s easy to spend two days sipping your way through most of the province’s wineries. Flying into Halifax and heading south will bring you to quaint wineries like Avondale Sky, where the owners have set up shop in a historic church. Here, you can sip on unusual grape varietals like L’acadie blanc. Follow the coastal road east to Petite Rivière Vineyards to try blends of paco noir and gamay or leon millot. Head north to Blomidon Estate Winery, just outside the picturesque town of Wolfville, before moving further east to discover Jost Vineyards, Nova Scotia’s longest-operating winery, established in 1978. If some of these grape names aren’t familiar to you, don’t be embarrassed – it’s because you don’t regularly see them in the better-known wine regions of Canada. Winemakers in Nova Scotia have tried all sorts of grapes to figure out what works best. The result is a lot of hybrid varietals, like seyval blanc, that produce wines that are quite unique. “Being part of the Nova Scotia wine industry is invigorating and stimulating, like being at the front of a new wave of possibilities,” says Jonathan Rodwell, director of winemaking and viticulture for Devonian Coast Wineries. “This is because it involves the potentially much bigger palate of winemaking, which is moving beyond the distinction of hybrids and vinifera. Producing wine in this province differs completely from the Napa Valley or the Okanagan. Nova Scotia’s geography is unique, which gives uniqueness to all the characteristics which come into play in grape growing.” Rodwell brings a substantial amount of worldly experience to the province’s thriving wine scene and to Devonian Coast Wineries, which operates three major vineyards – Jost, Gaspereau and Mercator. Before settling in there, he spent time producing wines in Italy, France and California. “As wineries become more strategic and competitive, we are starting to see some really good, distinct, interesting wines emerging in Nova Scotia,” he says. “We’re a small industry with small production volumes. In general, I would say that our recently formed Tidal Bay appellation offers an Atlantic Maritime personality not unlike Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine on France’s Atlantic seaboard. It’s also a wine style I believe will age extremely well and acquire increasing dimension and complexity.”
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Simon Rafuse is a proud born-and-raised Nova Scotian who holds a Masters degree in viticulture and oenology from Montpellier in France, and worked at wineries in both France and New Zealand before returning to Canada to become the head winemaker for Blomidon Estate Winery. He’s loved watching the wine culture on the coast progress over the years. “There have definitely been some big changes in how people – Nova Scotians in particular – view our local wines,” says Rafuse. “I think they’ve realized that the quality is there and they’re now really happy to support the local product. I love seeing a group of people order a bottle of Tidal Bay or a Nova Scotian sparkling wine in a restaurant or bar. It really shows how far we’ve come.”
Domaine De Grand Pré food
Jost Vineyards exterior
Jost Vineyards vineyards
While many of the top wineries in the region, like Jost, Blomidon Estate Winery and Domaine De Grand Pré, have been producing and promoting their own Tidal Bay wines, the most recognizable and well-awarded liquid creation coming from the east coast is Benjamin Bridge’s frizzante-style Nova 7. There’s nothing else quite like it in Canada. Sweet and slightly effervescent, with a pale pink hue, it’s good for toasting the New Year, and equally lovely with weekend brunch. Benjamin Bridge is one of the only wineries that does not offer a public tasting room for visitors, but you can easily find it by way of Crush Imports at select shops like Vine Arts here in Calgary. In terms of on-property cuisine, most Nova Scotia wineries don’t offer a restaurant due to their small sizes. However, expect well-made food at Jost’s restaurant, which is attached to its big barn-turned-tasting-room. As well, some of the best meals in the region can be found at Grande Pré’s popular restaurant, Le Caveau, where chef Jason Lynch’s love of local ingredients comes alive on your plate. Le Caveau’s patio also offers views of the vineyards lined with rows and rows of grape vines.
“It all just takes time,” says Rafuse of getting his province’s wine scene recognized on a larger, more global scale. “The wines are getting out there and people are starting to take notice. If we can keep making great wines, the notoriety of Nova Scotia should continue to grow.” Learn more about Nova Scotia wine country at novascotia.com/wine and winesofnovascotia.ca
Here’s what you can find in Calgary: Benjamin Bridge, Brut Heritage Wine and Spirits, Highlander Wine & Spirits, Vine Arts Benjamin Bridge, Méthode Classique NV Bin 905, Crowfoot Centre Liquor Store, Vine Arts, Vine Styles, The Wine Market, Zyn, Spirits West in Bragg Creek
Reservations 403.476.1310 or at OpenTable.com
Monthly Supper Club
Benjamin Bridge winery
Tickets | 75
GST and gratuity will be added at time of purchase
4-course dinner, wine pairings a different theme every month July 20 | A Taste of the New West August 17 | Smoke & Mirrors September 21 | Chef’s Favourites
Benjamin Bridge, Nova 7 Bricks Wine Company, Highlander Wine & Spirits (Richmond and Marda Loop locations), J. Webb, Kensington Wine Market, Vine Arts Benjamin Bridge, Tidal Bay Crowfoot Wine & Spirits (Springbank Hill) Sobeys, The Cellar, Vine Arts, The winery also ships wines to you, order through benjaminbridge.com/shop Jost Vineyards, 4 Skins Liquor Depot (select locations) Jost Vineyards, Maple Wine Calgary Co-op Wine & Spirits (Northhill), Liquor Depot (select locations) Jost Vineyards, Marble Mountain Red Coventry Liquor Outlet, Point McKay Wine Store Jost Vineyards, Prima Rosa Point McKay Wine Store
RancheYYC
Dan Clapson blogs at dansgoodside.com
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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get this cool as a cucumber salad The family-owned Belberry Company has been making preserves in a small Belgian town for 60 years. The Belgian royal family selected it as a preferred vendor and lent it their seal of approval (that’s not just a figure of speech when you’re royalty). Belberry makes lots of traditional jam and jelly but the selection of vinegar flavours is playfully innovative and includes Black Currant, Sweet Raspberry, Sweet Tomato, Red Bell Pepper, Cameroon Mango, Kalamansi Citrus, Fresh Lime and Green Cucumber. The Green Cucumber makes a powerfully fresh salad for summer. Mix 1/2 bottle vinegar and 3 T. honey in a large bowl. Cut 6 baby cucumbers into lengthwise strips and put them in the bowl with 2 c. honeydew or cantaloupe melon cubes. Toss to coat evenly. Roll 6-10 slices Parma ham into florets and arrange them with cucumbers and melon cubes on a bed of greens. Sprinkle with crumbled Stilton cheese and whole walnuts. Dab with apricot jam, drizzle with a bit more honey. Enjoy as a way to stay cool this summer. Belberry Royal Selection Green Cucumber Vinegar, $19.95, Zest Kitchenware
trendy threads
Escape today on our patio.
For reservations call 403 268 8607 or visit heritagepark.ca
Move over salt, these chili threads are a great new way to finish a dish. Brighten a bowl of soup by sprinkling a few on top just before serving. Add them to vinegar and create new salad dressings. Garnish fish tacos fresh from the grill. They have a slightly smoky flavour and add wow factor to a dish’s texture and colour. When it comes to fashionable food, these are the trendy new threads. Cote D’Azur Chili Threads, $7.25/10g, The Cookbook Co. Cooks
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Pick up these fresh herbs and more from local grower Tracey Aubin at the Terra Farms stall in the Calgary Farmers’ Market. Enjoy the luxury of just snipping a few leaves as you need them over the summer. Come fall, transfer the rosemary to a pot and bring it inside to brighten your kitchen window. Leave the sage and thyme in the ground. They’ll do fine over the winter. Clip all the leaves off your parsley (cilantro, chives, mint) and dry them in these herb dryers from Lee Valley. The dryer collapses for easy storage and its airy protected layers allow delicate herbs to dry slowly and naturally so that most of their essential oils and flavour are left intact.
savourfinefoods.com
Great taste found here! Located in historic Inglewood 1331 - 9th Ave SE 403.532.8222
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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
Fresh herbs in pots, $4 each or 3/$10, Terra Farms, The Calgary Farmers’ Market; Lee Valley Herb Dryers, 4- or 8-tier, $29.50 - $39.50, Lee Valley Tools
Karen Anderson
MUST-HAVE KITCHEN STUFF
crap to go Holy Crap is the single most successful company to have come out of The Dragon’s Den. The company started in 2009, appeared on the show in 2010 and is now in over 2,500 stores across Canada. Corin Mullins invented this unique chia seedbased cereal for her husband Doug, who had a lot of food allergies. Their corporate headquarters are tucked into B.C.’s Sunshine Coast in the tiny town of Gibsons. They first sold the cereal at the local farmers’ market and when one of their first customers loved it enough to call and say, “Holy crap, it really works,” the Mullins decided to name their cereal just that. These convenient “to go” containers will keep you going and will be handy for your camping or hiking trips this summer. Check out the website for great recipe ideas, holycrap.com. Holy Crap single servings, $3.79/56g, Italian Centre Shop
pop in for a bite Bite Groceteria is ideally located for picnickers. The Bow River is a mere two blocks to the North of the store or you can cycle or drive the few kilometers to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary or The Calgary Zoo to nosh in nature. Pop in and pick up house-made baguettes, visit the cheese and deli counters for delicacies to stuff your sandwich with. Buy a few preserves or fresh fruits and vegetables to round out your al fresco meal. But don’t leave the building without picking up a few of Bite’s delectable cake pops. It’s always nice to end your picnic on a sweet note when it’s as portable as these treats on a stick. Cake Pops, $2.99 each, Bite Groceteria Made by bakers: Laura Harvey and Jess Blenis
reality cake boss Cake Boss is a reality TV show that’s been on the learning channel since 2009. The show features Buddy Valastro and his four sisters who run Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. They produce thousands of cakes annually and are famous for the degree of cake-making difficulty they will take on. Nothing is too wild, too big or too over-the-top. Now you can access a bit of their reality because the show has spawned a line of Cake Boss baking and cake decorating supplies. There are practical decorating tools like spreaders, icing turntables, disposable icing bags and reusable icing tips as well as harder-to-find items like Linzer cookie cutters. A great pick is their perky vintage-looking cake carrier. Bring that to a party and you’ll become the neighbourhood “cake boss.” Cake Boss Cake Making and Decorating Supplies, $4.79 - $59.99, Canadian Tire
Karen Anderson is the owner of Calgary Food Tours.
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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great finds
GOOD EARTH COFFEEHOUSE
On a hot August day in 1991, Nan Eskenazi, founder of Good Earth Coffeehouse, along with Michael Going, opened the doors of the café’s flagship location on 11th St. SW. Sitting at a table at that same location in 2016 to discuss Good Earth’s 25th anniversary, Eskenazi says she feels humbled, privileged, and grateful for Calgary’s commitment to local business and for the loyalty of her customers. With plans to have 50 locations open from Victoria to Ottawa by the end of 2016, Good Earth is ringing in its 25th anniversary in style. “We’re not aiming for world domination,” Eskenazi says. Instead, she hopes to bring Good Earth to more communities as a gathering place, whether that community is a neighborhood, a campus, a hospital, or even an airport. Some locations, Eskenazi says, are licensed for beer and wine and have burgeoning live music programs, which extends their viability as a meet-up spot long past lattesipping hours. Of course, the coffee is its own lure. Direct trade and Rainforest Alliance certified when possible, there’s a bean for every palate. No surprise that Eskenazi is a self-proclaimed “caffeine addict,” who primarily takes her coffee in the form of a morning French-pressed dark roast or a traditional cappuccino with whole milk. Eskenazi got her start in the coffee business in a Seattle café she opened with her sister, and opened Good Earth after relocating to Calgary because she wanted a place she, herself, could enjoy, with community, good coffee, and good, wholesome food. This year, new head chef Kari Ginakos is bringing new items to the Good Earth menu, but the beloved mac and cheese dish isn’t going anywhere. With a name like Good Earth, the company’s commitment to the environment remains strong. This year, it’s bringing composting programs to all the Calgary locations through Hop Compost, both front and back of house. Over time, the 11th St. location has undergone several remodels, and at one point included brick flooring that had been taken from a wall of Eskenazi and her husband’s home during an expansion. Now, that too is gone, replaced with smooth floors that glow in the light from the large windows and complements the airy, patterned walls. The main fixtures at the flagship location, Eskenazi says, have been the people. “Some of these tables should have customer nameplates,” she says. Around the café, guests work on laptops and scribble on pads of paper and it’s easy to believe Eskenazi when she says that writers – including a few well-known Calgary playwrights – have taken up residence here over the years. Lamenting the lack of outlets in the old building compared to some of their newer locations (though I spotted three from where I was sitting), Eskenazi recommends showing up early enough to snag a seat by a plug and settling in with a cup to watch the morning hum to life. With an image like that, it’s no trouble to explain why, even 25 years later, Good Earth remains a Calgary institution, and a lasting great find. Good Earth Café, 1502 11th St. SW
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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
Regan Johnson
CHINOOK HONEY
What makes a good winter for bees? “An early, warm spring,” says Cherie Andrews, owner, with Art Andrews, of Chinook Honey Company and Chinook Arch Meadery. Cold springs are tough on hives because spring is when they’re at their lowest volume and it’s difficult for the bees to keep warm. Andrews says the last few winters have been good to her bees, but that it’s important to ensure the hives are healthy and strong in autumn, in good condition to overwinter. With this sort of know-how, it’s easy to see how the Andrews’ small-scale honey business has gone from two hives to 250 in the past twenty years.
Crowe MacKay has been providing accounting, tax and advisory services to the growing businesses of Calgary for over 15 years.
“It was a hobby that went a little bit crazy!” Andrews says. In 1995, the Andrews bought their first two beehives from their beekeeper mentor and friend, Peter Beermann, of Bee Prepared Honey Farms. At first, the honey they produced went mostly to friends and family; their first customers were coworkers at Canadian Airlines. Then, in 2004, the Andrews opened their store as a retirement project, and it really took flight. This year, renovations include a new tasting bar along the back wall, topped with local Alberta stone, a picnic area and hay bale maze for kids. It’s a fresh new look for the season, which begins in May with busloads of school children to visit the apiary’s Discovery Centre. There, children learn all about bees under the watchful “eyes” of a model bee the size of a VW Beetle hanging from the ceiling, and thousands of live bees in two observation hives. For years, Andrews was the sole lecturer on these school tours, and she’s still quick to point out a bee brawl in one hive – possibly an interloper from another hive getting taken to town, she says – and a queen laying eggs in another. The honey harvest, bottling, and mead-making is still primarily done by Art Andrews, with the help of a handful of part-timers. The company’s sales are mostly direct, though three Calgary stores stock their honey, and their mead is available around town. Visit chinookhoney.com/find-our-mead to find out where to buy it in Calgary.
We are not just bean counters. Let’s have some coffee and talk...
Crowe MacKay, proud sponsor of the Calgary Greek Festival. Elveden House 1700, 717 - 7th Ave. SW Calgary Tel: 403.294.9292 www.crowemackay.ca
THE 2016 CALGARY GREEK FESTIVAL PLEASE JOIN US FOR A WEEKEND OF GREEK FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. Why mead? After he began beekeeping, it was a natural progression from Art’s hobby of beer making to experiment with honey wine. At the time, commercial mead production wasn’t permitted under provincial liquor laws, but a coalition of Alberta fruit farmers was working to carve out legal space for small-scale winemakers. Cherie headed the committee of beekeepers that hung onto the coattails of the cottage wine industry’s work and, soon after, the Andrews opened the first cottage meadery in the province. Chinook Arch now offers nine styles of mead, available at nine locations in Calgary and six more throughout Alberta, and is a stop on the new Spirit of Alberta Tasting Tour, along with Big Rock Brewery and Eau Claire Distillery.
SEPTEMBER 16TH – 18TH 1 TAMARAC CRESCENT S.W.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT CALGARYHELLENIC.COM
Drop-in tours of both the apiary and the meadery run throughout the season. With so much to see – and unlimited mead tastings – Chinook Honey is an excellent educational summer diversion for all ages. Chinook Honey Company & Chinook Arch Meadery, 386087 16th St West, Okotoks Regan Johnson works at The Cookbook Co. Cooks
Portion of proceeds donated to:
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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one ingredient
Indulge your culinary curiousity! JOIN US FOR A COOKING CLASS THIS FALL... Sit back and relax at a demo class, or get your hands dirty with a hands-on class! Either way, you’ll enjoy a 4 course meal, wine pairings, and inspired instruction.
We are all things culinary...
Julie Van Rosendaal
MINT
Along with the first bold stalks of pink rhubarb, mint is the first to emerge in my garden – over the years it’s crept out of its bed, along the side of the garage and across the lawn, making the air minty fresh each time we mow. We look at this annual summer supply as an opportunity to make pitcher-sized mojitos and mint juleps, and bring bundles inside to stick in a glass of water on the table, bouquet-style. Easy access (and mint-scented air) inspires me to pluck off astringent leaves to add to salads, lamb burgers, marinades and kebabs – its distinctive flavour is suited to dishes both sweet and savoury. Mint looks pretty – a few chopped, scattered leaves can brighten a stew or braise in much the same way fresh parsley does. It also infuses liquids with flavour. Try steeping cream with fresh mint to make mint-chocolate chip ice cream or whip the cream and dollop it on hot chocolate or pie. Although there are dozens of varieties, garden centres around town tend to focus on the more-popular types of mint – peppermint, spearmint, apple mint and chocolate mint (which smells and tastes exactly like it sounds). Each has its own unique scent and flavour, but mints can usually be used interchangeably (with the exception of chocolate), depending on your taste. In the garden, mint can be prolific and invasive, making it perfect for container growing. To dry your surplus, wash and spin dry as much mint as you want to preserve; pick out any stems and gnarly leaves, and spread the rest out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at your oven’s lowest setting for an hour, or until the leaves are completely dried and crumble in your fingers.
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Green Pea or Fava Crostini with Arugula and Mint These two-bite appies taste like spring; they can be made with fresh garden peas, fava beans or even edamame, and whatever greens you happen to have growing in the garden. Crostini: 1 baguette olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed Topping: 1 c. shelled fresh garden peas, fava beans or edamame 2 c. baby arugula 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan (or to taste) 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra as needed zest and juice of half a lemon 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed salt and freshly ground black pepper small fresh mint leaves
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the baguette on a slight diagonal into 1/3-inch slices; place on a baking sheet. Pour the oil into a small ramekin and place the garlic clove in it. Use the oil to brush both sides of the crostini; bake for 10 minutes, or until pale golden. Meanwhile, bring about an inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan and cook the peas, fava beans or edamame for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under water to stop them from cooking. If you’re using fava beans, peel off their tough outer skins. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the peas, arugula, parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest and juice and garlic until well blended. If you’d like the mixture smoother and looser, add more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon the arugula mixture onto the crostini and top with the mint leaves – chop them, if you prefer. Serve immediately.
Ginger, Cilantro and Mint Coconut Rice Fresh herbs boost rice along with fresh ginger – this is delicious alongside curries or grilled fish. Transform leftovers into fried rice or a cold salad. oven set over medium-high heat, heat the oil 2 c. basmati rice and sauté the ginger for a minute. Add the rice 1 T. olive or canola oil and stir to coat with oil, then add the coconut 1 T. grated or minced fresh ginger milk, salt and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, 1 14-oz. (398 mL) can coconut milk reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. 1/2 t. salt 1/2 c. each fresh cilantro and fresh mint 2 green onions, chopped
Rinse the rice well under cool running water in a sieve. In a large saucepan or small Dutch
Meanwhile, pulse the cilantro, mint and green onions in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Fluff the rice with a fork and gently stir in the herbs, then transfer to a bowl or platter to serve. Serves 6-8.
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Slow-roasted Leg of Lamb with Roasted Potatoes To make a quick mint sauce that’s better than any that comes in a bottle, simmer equal parts sugar, rice or white wine vinegar and water – about 1/3 cup of each – until the sugar dissolves, then add a handful of chopped fresh mint and let it steep. Voila! One-minute mint sauce. 1 leg of lamb, without the shank salt handful of fresh mint, chopped few sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped few cloves of garlic, crushed glug of olive oil
Pat the lamb dry with paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Combine the mint, rosemary, garlic and enough oil to make a runny paste with a mortar and pestle and smear it all over the lamb. Sprinkle with salt. If you have time, cover and refrigerate it for a few hours, or overnight.
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Heat a large, heavy skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and brown the lamb on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. (If you like, add a glassful of red wine or chicken stock, but it’s not necessary – the slow cooker will contain all the juices from the meat and cook beautifully.) Alternatively, put the lamb in a roasting pan, add wine or stock to come halfway up the lamb, cover and braise at 300°F for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Carve or pull apart with forks and serve with mint sauce. Serves about 6.
Open seven days a week 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
recipe photos by Julie Van Rosendaal
The Best Roasted Potatoes Precooking your potatoes slightly will help make them fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside. Chuff them around a bit in the pan to rough up their edges before they go into the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. As it’s preheating, cube your Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes into a pot and cover with water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until just tender when poked with a knife. Drain well and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing them lots of space to brown properly. Drizzle with olive or canola oil or warmed duck fat and toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with salt and roast for 20-30 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until crisp and golden. Scatter warm potatoes with a handful of finely chopped fresh mint, if you like. continued on page 38
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
Client: CALGARY ZOO
Docket: CZO-4495
File Description: GRAZERS AD
Date: MAY 27, 2016
Size: 4.625” X 5.75”
Colour: CMYK
PUBLICATION: CITY PALATE
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feeding people
Laura Di Lembo
NO-CHURN ICE CREAM
How to commit most of the seven deadly sins in the comfort of your own home... I know people like you, people who make custards as a base for ice cream. You separate eggs. You whisk the yolks with milk and cream, stirring and simmering the custard patiently over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon. You own an ice cream maker.
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Then, there are people like me, slothful and greedy. We lust after sinful delights and are ravenous, lazy and without equipment. We make ice cream, too. We freeze it overnight and have it for breakfast, which I say with equal parts shame and exhilaration. You need the back story. You know how when you eat ice cream rippled with caramel, there’s never enough caramel? And, you know how home-made salted caramel is basically a perfect food, a magical confluence of what our bodies adore most – butter, sugar, cream and salt? Well, did you also know that there’s a popular kid on the block called nochurn ice cream? As it happens, I made friends with this kid and now we hang out a lot together. This ice cream is an antidote to all your ice cream disappointments, designed for lazy gluttons who want some decadence and want it fast, without special equipment, since no ice cream maker is required. Which brings us to this: I did the devilish deed and concocted a potion of sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream. Using a plump, fragrant vanilla bean from a recent trip to Mexico, I scraped in those wondrous seeds and dribbled in some vanilla extract. A caramel ripple needed to dance through this vanilla-scented mess, a gooey, salted, amber-hued sludge that I created myself. It started out golden. Then it turned dark. Silky ribbons of coppery caramel swirled in the pan, destined for my ice cream. The caramel cooled. In a wide container, I layered ice cream and crazy amounts of caramel. Mini Rolos seemed like a good idea, too. No one would accuse me of shortchanging them on the caramel. I left the mixture to firm up in the freezer overnight. First thing in the morning, I ran downstairs to check on the ice cream. With a spoon. Which is how it became my breakfast. Pow! Bam! Flavour explosions occurred. Cream and caramel in sublime suspension. Moments where it felt like I was dipping into a vast puddle of perfect caramel, just me and my spoon. Moments where I was chowing down on Rolos, a chewy respite from the creamy, dreamy stuff. I’ve become a slave to the charms of this easy no-churn ice cream, playing with add-ins and combinations in a fine collection of fabulous ways. Coffee/toffee/Skor bar ice cream happened here. Peanut butter cup fudge ripple was a brazenly bold success. See the photo? Turns out you can’t just toss peanut butter into ice cream. Try, and you’ll get frozen globs of toohard peanut butter. This way is better. Basic No-Churn Vanilla It’s silky and luxurious, delicately Ice Cream sweetened and with a soft mouthfeel. See the peanut butter’s golden (From thekitchn.com) richness snaking through the envel1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk oping creaminess, and mini peanut 1 t. pure vanilla extract or the seeds from butter cups. I coaxed chocolate honeycomb chunk ice cream into being, with crunchedup Crunchie bars and morsels of bittersweet chocolate. Experiment with about two cups of chopped up York chocolate-covered peppermints enhancing the vanilla base, or little cubes of Nanaimo bars. Perhaps pieces of home-made brownies and chopped toasted almonds could be studded throughout, as could doublestuffed Oreo chunks and all the crumbs. The possibilities are positively thrilling. Perhaps you’d like to follow this path of sinful delights. Let’s start with basic vanilla, from which you can riff and improvise.
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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
half a vanilla bean
2 c. cold whipping cream
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract or vanilla seeds. In another large bowl, whip the heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks. Gently mix a scoop of the whipped cream into the condensed milk and stir to combine. Then take the lightened condensed milk mixture and gently fold it into the remaining whipped cream, trying not to deflate the loftiness in the cream. Using a spatula, transfer the ice cream base to a freezer container and smooth the top. Press a piece of wax paper against the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least six hours. Makes 4 cups.
No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream Adapted from No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback. Some uber-simple, no-churn chocolate ice cream recipes use cocoa powder, but this deeper, denser, darker chocolate ice cream uses both cocoa and melted, bittersweet chocolate.
Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 1 batch Basic No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe page 18) 1-1/4 c. peanut butter, homogenized, preferably crunchy-style
1 c. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 c. water
1 c. whole milk
3/4 c. icing sugar
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 210-g. package Reese’s mini peanut butter cups, each one halved, or 8 Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped, about 2 cups worth
1 t. pure vanilla extract 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder 2 c. whipping cream
Place the chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Scald the milk over medium heat (but don’t let it boil) and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Wait 5 minutes then stir until smooth. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the cream gently into the chocolate mixture. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and lay a piece of wax paper on the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least six hours before eating. Makes 4 cups.
1 c. chocolate fudge sauce (recipe below)
In a 2-cup Pyrex bowl, combine the peanut butter, water and icing sugar and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to blend into a smooth sludge and let cool to room temperature. Using a wide freezer-proof container, layer the ice cream with the peanut butter sludge and the morsels of the peanut butter cups. Add dollops of fudge sauce randomly. Cover the surface of the ice cream with a piece of wax paper to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 6 hours before eating. Makes 4 cups.
Chocolate Fudge Sauce (From davidlebovitz.com)
No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
Adapted from No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback. Uses brewed espresso for a fullbodied, intense coffee kick.
3 T. unsalted butter, cubed
1 c. espresso coffee (decaf espresso is a great option too)
1/2 c. icing sugar 1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 T. light corn syrup
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2 t. kosher salt
2 c. whipping cream
3/4 c. whipping cream
Brew espresso and let it cool completely. In a large bowl, mix the cooled espresso, the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the coffee mixture. You might like to crush some chocolate-covered coffee beans and sprinkle them throughout. Pack in a freezable container with a layer of wax paper on the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours before eating. Makes 4 cups.
1 t. pure vanilla extract
REST YOUR PAWS and get pampered! F F RU T & ? k E WE Take your humans to Ranchman’s and enjoy dinner on the patio dog dish provided!
Treat your humans to a weekend getaway at the Carriage House Inn
• Freshly BAked Welcome Treats • • Pet Friendly Room service Menu • • Pet’s Guide to south Calgary • • Pet Supplies Available •
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Carriage House Inn Canada’s ONLY legally licenced Pet Friendly Patio
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NO
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth.
W
OP
EN
While the chocolate is melting, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the icing sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt and whipping cream. Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until it comes to a low boil. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and whisk in the melted chocolate, stirring until blended and smooth. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before adding it to the ice cream layers. Makes 2 cups.
P E A N UT S P UBLI CH O US E . CO M 9030 MACLEOD TRAIL SOUTH 403-253-1101
Carriage House Inn Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream
continued on page 20 CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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feeding people NO- CHURN
If you have a thirst for travel and an appetite for adventure then you’ll love our culinary escapes to Tuscany and the south of France!
continued from page 19
Salted Caramel Sauce (From mybakingaddiction.com) 1 c. granulated sugar 1 T. light corn syrup 1/4 c. water 1/2 c. whipping cream, heated until warm 2 T. unsalted butter, softened 1 t. fine grain sea salt or fleur de sel 1 t. pure vanilla extract
Join us! BOOKING FOR 2016: TUSCAN Food and Wine Tour: October 17th–24th
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BOOKING NOW FOR 2017: FRANCE Food and Wine Tour: May 14th–21st FRANCE Food, Wine and Cycling Tour: May 22nd–29th
with cycling guides Kevin Elander and Johnny Halliday
TUSCAN Food and Wine Tour: October 15th–22nd
Hosted by Judy Wood and Gail Norton
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722-11th Avenue SW Phone 403-265-6066, ext. 1 Check all the delicious details at cookbookcooks.com 20
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
ICE CREAM
In a heavy saucepan (at least 5-cup capacity), stir together the sugar, corn syrup and water until the sugar is completely moistened. If you’re using a candy thermometer, place it in the pot, taking care that it’s immersed in the sugar mixture.
Salted Caramel Rolo Ripple Ice Cream 1 batch Basic No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe page 18) 1 batch Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe left) 2 c. mini Rolos, cut into quarters
Using a freezer-safe container, alternate layers of ice cream, generous drizzles of salted caramel sauce and mini Rolos. Press a piece of wax paper over the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming and freeze for at least 6 hours before eating. Makes 4 cups.
Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the sugar syrup bubbles. Stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until it turns a deep amber or reaches 350°F. Watch this closely, as it can go from dark to burnt very quickly. Immediately remove the mixture from the heat and slowly and carefully pour the warm cream into the caramel. It will bubble up furiously. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in the butter and salt until the mixture looks cohesive and not streaky. Add the vanilla and stir to blend. Makes 1 cup.
Ice Cream Do’s and Don’ts Adapted from No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback • Layer additions into your ice cream as you are packing it. The layers will produce a swirl effect when scooped.
Add-ins: • With the no-churn technique down and excellent flavours covered, we must talk next about add-ins. They can be just about anything and everything your heart desires. For inspiration, take a trip to Bulk Barn and listen to the devil whispering in your ear. Buy what you love: peanuts, Skor bars in bulk (which you can smash up at home), York mint patties and golden, air-pocked honeycomb. Snickers Bites and chocolate-covered peanut brittle would be smart choices too. Layer your ice cream with your add-ins as you pack it into your container. • Ready to really rock and roll? Let’s throw caution to the wind and pull out all the stops. . . And now you know the sinful paths I walk, where you can join me and succumb to lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, all in the comfort of your own home.
• For a fudgy chocolate swirl, use ganache (half melted chocolate, half whipping cream, stirred together). Straight melted chocolate will just harden and crack when frozen. • Nutty add-ins should be toasted in the oven and cooled before adding to ice cream. • Chunks of cookies and candies are great add-ins but keep the pieces small, approximately the size of a chocolate chip. Reason: broken teeth. • Your favourite jam makes a perfectly acceptable ice cream add-in. • If you are a fan of cookie dough as an add-in, make a batch but omit the eggs. Roll the dough into a thin snake and cut off little minimarshmallow-size coins. Add to your favourite ice cream base.
Laura Di Lembo is not planning on repenting for her sins.
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Capture a landscape. Or be absorbed by one. Hike, bike, canoe or stay in and pursue new extremes of comfort. Our rustic mountain lodges energize the body and settle the soul.
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Fresh Produce
Antipasti
In-store Bakery
the sunday project
with Julie Van Rosendaal
STONE FRUIT AND BERRY GALETTE
Stone Fruit and Berry Galette Stone fruits make delicious pie – use what’s in season, from peaches and nectarines to apricots and plums in summer, apples and pears in the fall. Berries add colour, tartness and flavour, and chopped fresh rhubarb works well too. Pastry: 1-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
Specialty Foods Olive Oils Balsamics Catering
1 T. sugar pinch salt 1/2 c. butter (or half butter, half lard), chilled and grated or cut into bits 1/3 c. cold water
Filling: 1/2 c. sugar
The pastry can be assembled early and chilled as you mull over your coffee. It can wait all day, if the galette is intended for dinner, but let’s face it – pie makes a pretty fantastic breakfast.
Hot &Cold Lunches
Cappuccino Dessert Bar
The beauty of a galette – besides its appealingly rustic look, depending on how wonky you make it – is its ability to accommodate whatever fruit is in season, in imprecise quantities. Add a little more cornstarch for less juicy fruit, and fold the edge over more if there’s less filling. Leave it plain, or brush the edge with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a crunchy finish. Hot tip: savoury galettes make a great dinner with salad. And... you could have a fruit galette for dessert. It’s been done!
Visit Lina’s for the real ItalIan experience. 2202 Centre St NE 403.277.9166 www.linasmarket.com
3 T. cornstarch 4 c. fruit – sliced peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and/or blackberries cream or milk and coarse sugar, for brushing and sprinkling (optional)
To make the pastry, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, add the butter – you can mark the side of the package and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater directly into the bowl – or blend it in so that there are pieces of fat no bigger than a pea. Add the 1/3 cup of water and stir until it starts to come together – add a bit more if it seems dry and there’s still flour in the bottom of the bowl. Gather it up into a ball, pat into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to a couple of days. (You can also freeze it at this point – thaw it in the fridge or on the countertop when you’re ready for it.) When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to about 1/4-inch thick, about a 12-inch circle, that by no means has to be perfect. This is rustic at its best! Transfer it to a parchmentlined baking sheet. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the fruit and toss to coat. Mound into the middle of the pastry, spreading it out to within about two inches of the edge. Fold the edge over wherever it wants to, enclosing the fruit, pressing the folds gently to hold them in place. If you like, brush the edge of the pastry with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crust is golden. Let cool to at least lukewarm before you cut into it. Serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream. 1. Ingredients
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recipe photos by Julie Van Rosendaal
Olives Deli Meats &Cheeses Gift Baskets
Those who are intimidated by the thought of making pie might make a galette as a starting point – this rustic, free-form version of pie requires no trimming, crimping or fitting into a pie pan. It’s simply assembled on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then its edges are folded haphazardly over the filling in order to contain it. It makes a good Sunday project.
2. The pastry ready to roll out
3. The rolled out pastry ready for its fruit filling
brazilian barbecue 4. Fruit filling piled in the middle of the pastry, ready to have its edges folded over
authentic.
The way it should be.
Experience the bold flavours and original taste of Churrasco, an authentic barbecue style made famous by Gauchos - the cowboys of South America. 5. Edges folded over, galette ready to go in the oven
w w w. b r a z i l i a n b b q . c a C A LGA RY
6. The finished galette, yum!
100 5920 Macleod Trail SW phone:403.454.9119
C A N MOR E
629 Main Street phone:403.678.9886
Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com.
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WE ALL SCREAM FOR OUR LOCAL ICE CREAM by Shelley Boettcher
For many of us, summer wouldn’t be the same without ice cream. We eat it in cones and in bowls. We eat it on cake and with fruit. We pour syrup on it, we toss nuts on it and occasionally we dip it in chocolate. And sometimes we just dig it out, spoonful by frozen spoonful, and eat it straight from the carton. But according to Statistics Canada, ice cream consumption in Canada is actually falling. In 2005, we ate an average of 9.85 litres of ice cream per person, but by 2014, that number had dropped to 5.5 litres per person. (Compare that to the U.S. – Americans ate an average of 18.3 litres of ice cream per person in 2015.) Luckily, here in Calgary we’re surrounded by top-notch ice cream and gelato makers, all crafting flavours to woo our winter-weary tastebuds. Here, a few to check out:
Gelato 55 at The Italian Store ITALIANSTORE.CA
5140 Skyline Way N.E.
Fiasco Gelato FIASCOGELATOSHOP.COM
#110, 221 19th St. S.E. Fiasco owner James Boettcher is not related to me. We don’t even pronounce our last name the same way. He says BOW-cher (as in bow and arrow.) I say BET-cher. Whatever. I still like what Fiasco makes. A fire last December slowed down the Fiasco team for a while, but the store reopened in April and now offers sandwiches and soup for lunch, along with gelato. New flavours include Fiasco Squeeze sorbetto, a partnership with Village Brewery that’s marketed to adults and includes raspberry, lemon and, yes, beer. (It’s low in alcohol, so you won’t get drunk if you indulge.) This fall, watch for Boettcher on an episode of CBC TV’s Dragon’s Den. He can’t yet talk about his experience – let’s just say it was interesting. “It’s been a crazy-busy couple of years,” he says with a laugh. Don’t live in the southeast? Find Fiasco at myriad stores and restaurants, including Calgary Co-op, Sunterra, Boxwood, Bonterra and Posto. Check the website for a full list of retailers.
Gio Oliverio is the fellow behind Gelato 55, an offshoot of Scarpone’s and the Italian Store in northeast Calgary. “I manage the distribution centre, and this is just a hobby of mine,” he says. But what a hobby. It all started when he found a beautiful gelato case a few years ago. “I just had to have it. I bought it, not knowing what I’d even do with it,” he says. One thing led to another, and before long, he was in Milan visiting a cousin whose friend gave Oliverio lessons in gelato making. Oliverio came back to Calgary and set up shop. He makes smallproduction gelati and sorbets, all only available at the northeast store. With the exception of lemon and pistachio, which are almost always available, the flavours change each week, depending on what’s in season. “It’s wherever inspiration and whimsy take me,” he says. “I’ve always had a lifelong love affair with gelato, ever since I was a child.”
Made by Marcus MADEBYMARCUS.CA
#121, 1013 17th Ave. S.W. By the time you read this, Marcus Purtzki will have opened his first store. “We’re calling it a microcreamery,” he says. “It’s almost like a microbrewery. We’ll have taps to make floats, that kind of thing.” Everything will have that Made by Marcus twist: strawberry-hibiscus syrup topping, tonka bean ice cream, real honeycomb, soda made with concord grapes and homemade ginger beer. Made by Marcus started as a wholesale business, and that won’t stop, Purtzki says – good news for fans of his blueberry/lemon curd ice cream. “That has been our number one flavour since day one, followed by raspberry-cardamom,” he says. (It’s for sale at select retailers around town; check the website for details.) However, many flavours – last summer’s mango-ginger-kombucha, for example – are only available for a limited time, something that keeps Purtzki excited about what he does. “It’s cool to see what happens when we can just let our minds go and be creative.”
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Business Lunch Monday – Friday 11:00am – 4:00pm
Manuel Latruwe Belgian Patisserie and Bread Shop MANUELLATRUWE.COM
1333 First St. S.E. For 16 years, Manuel Latruwe has been making ice cream and sorbets from scratch, in his bakery/shop/food production facility on Macleod Trail. Stop in and buy containers to go, in a variety of flavours: praline, pistachio, chocolate, raspberry and more. They’re also available on the menu at Mercato. And don’t miss the ice cream sandwiches, which feature layers of delicate ice cream and meringue; they’re almost too pretty to eat. Latruwe’s favourite is vanilla – but it’s not plain Jane.
6920 Macleod Trail S 403.252.4365 #yycbestkeptsecret
“We use a Madagascar vanilla bean,” he says. “It’s the best, better than the Tahitian and a different flavour, too.” Originally from Belgium, Latruwe moved to Canada in 1998. He opened the bakery, and created the ice cream shortly after that. “The ice creams are an important part of what we do, but they’re just one thing that we do,” he says. “The most popular items are still the breads, pastries and cakes.”
“This is definitely one of the best wine shops in town.” Tom Firth - Avenue Magazine, March 2016
Nice Cream THENICECREAM.COM
#4, 4604 37th St. S.W. A lineup of stand mixers greets customers at Nice Cream, and each is dedicated to a different flavour: Earl Grey tea, for instance, or chocolate or salted caramel. Pick your favourite and watch the action, as the server pours in the cream and sugar mixture, followed by a splash of liquid nitrogen. An impressively large cloud erupts as your ice cream is instantly frozen – the liquid nitrogen drops the temperature to a frosty minus 196°C within seconds. It’s unlike any other ice cream shop in town. David Jung is the guy behind Nice Cream, which opened last summer. Trained as a petroleum engineer, he had visited places in the U.S. that served liquid nitrogen ice cream. He loved what he saw, so he decided to experiment at home, quickly discovering he loved the results. All ingredients are natural and real: cream, sugar, strawberries, whatever. “You get this incredibly smooth texture,” he says. “It’s very, very good.” continued on page 26 CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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WE ALL SCREAM FOR OUR LOCAL ICE CREAM continued from page 25
Peppino Gourmet Gelato PEPPINOGOURMET.COM
#101, 1240 Kensington Rd. N.W. 717 2nd Ave. N.E. (Bridgeland) Plus 15, Fourth Avenue and Fourth Street S.W. A welder by trade, Joe Lecce started making gelato in Calgary in 1989. Back then, his son Nico was nine years old; now he’s a partner in the family business. “I was the guinea pig,” Nico says with a laugh. “I’ve tasted a lot of different gelato flavours in my life.” Peppino makes a small, classic range of traditional gelato – raspberry, lemon, chocolate and more – all based on recipes from Italy, where the family originally comes from. Speaking of Italian style, the Lecces say that when it comes to serving your gelato, don’t scoop. Scrape the surface gently, in traditional fashion, as you dish it up. “You get a bit of air into it that way,” says Joe. “It makes the texture fluffier and smoother.” Buy Peppino Gelato at the three locations or at Calgary Co-op. And try mixing the chocolate gelato and the lemon sorbetto together. Says Nico,“Those two flavours together really work well.”
Uptowne Gelato Market on Macleod, Crossroads Farmers’ Market and the Calgary Farmers’ Market Dawn McLaren left a lucrative job at an oil company eight years ago to make gelato. For four years, she operated a store in McKenzie Towne, but a few years ago, she decided to focus on farmers’ markets. She produces everything by hand, in small batches, based on recipes from an Italian producer. “I put a lot of effort into each one, making and decorating them,” McLaren says. “It’s a very time-consuming process.” But a delicious one, she admits. While Cherry Mania (made with sour cherries imported from Italy) is one of her most popular flavours, she’s a fan of the lemon sorbetto and anything with nuts. “I make about 70 flavours – not all at the same time,” she says. “I love the business and meeting people. Everyone’s happy when they’re getting gelato, right?”
Village Ice Cream VILLAGEICECREAM.COM
Victoria Park, 431 10th Ave. S.E. Britannia Plaza, 820 49th Ave. S.W. Garrison Corner, 2406 34th Ave. S.W. Billy Friley started his company in a hole-in-the-wall in Victoria Park in June, 2012, and pretty much from day one, it was a hit. A second location, in Britannia, followed and this spring he opened a third location in Garrison Woods. Each store has its own vibe and Village groupies, but one thing remains the same – salted caramel is still Friley’s top-seller,with Earl Grey tea as a close second. In summer, people can’t get enough of the mango, as well as the lemon-basil sorbet. “Vanilla is way down on the list,” Friley says. And his own favourite? “The Phil and Sebastian coffee-flavoured one,” he says. “I don’t know why. I just always love that one.”
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Beyond the borders Calgary isn’t the only place in Alberta that has terrific ice cream. Here are two more to check out.
The legendary
MacKay’s Ice Cream has made ice cream aficionados happy since 1948. The old-time shop in Cochrane is worth a visit for its lengthy list of flavours, but you’ll also find MacKay’s at stores around Calgary, including Calgary Co-op, Save-On Foods and Sunterra. Go to mackaysicecream.com for a full list of retailers.
LU NCH D INNE R BRU NCH
STARBELLY.CA
MacKay’s wobbly cone.
Screamin’ Brothers was started by two young brothers in Lethbridge. The frozen treats are free of the top most-common allergens, including dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts. At select Calgary Co-op, Sunterra, Planet Organic and Community Natural Foods. Go to screaminbrothers.com for more. ✤
GET PIGGY WIT IT! Shelley Boettcher is a local food and wine writer whose work has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. Her favourite frozen treat is lemon sorbetto, ideally eaten in Italy. Find her on Twitter @shelley_wine.
403.378.3800 | meatshop@spraggsmeatshop.com | www.spraggsmeatshop.com
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STEAK The Sequel T H E
K I N G
O F
S U M M E R
G R I L L I N G
story and photos by Ron Shewchuk
It’s been almost a decade since I’ve written about steak (beef steak, that is) for this publication. Since then, based on an estimate of about one steak a week, I have consumed nearly 500 of them. Laid out end to end, they would stretch from Caesar’s all the way to Charcut. And I loved every juicy bite. Let me do some reminiscing, one steak at a time, in hopes of piquing your appetite for the one true king of summer grilling.
Cowboy Rib Eye
Summer of 2007. New Orleans. Dickie Brennan’s Steak House, as old-school as it gets. This steak is named after cowboys because, as the story goes, back in the wild west days there were no utensils, so the rib bone served as a handle. Dickie Brennan’s served it with a red bandana wrapped around the bone. The rib eye steak is one of the most delicious cuts of beef, mainly because it has so much fat, both the intramuscular variety (known as marbling) and the beautiful white, unctuous oyster of fat at the centre of the steak. I like to save that perfect morsel for the last bite. And, of course, the bone of a rib eye is the meat equivalent of an after-party. It’s hard to find cowboy rib eyes at your local supermarket – check in with your fave butcher – but if you’re going to buy a rib steak, go for the bone-in cut, which is widely available. How to cook it at home: I love the flavours of Mexico and the American Southwest. This rub is the perfect way to season a rib eye, whether it has a handle or not. 4 T. sea salt 1 t. ground pepper 2 T. toasted cumin seeds
16oz. New York Strip Winter of 2008. The iconic Keg Steakhouse in Fort McMurray, washed down with vodka martinis. The classic boomtown expense account dinner. The strip loin steak is a lovely cut of beef, less marbled than its chubby cousin, the rib eye, but redeemed by great flavour and a shiny ribbon of fat along one side that crisps up nicely on the grill. The Keg does it right, topped with a pile of onion rings and accompanied by a big baked potato, a side salad and maybe a few spears of steamed asparagus as a sacrificial offering to the gods of veganism. Best part: the fatty tip at the narrow end of the steak. Because it’s small and more exposed to the fire, it’s not only fatty but also perfectly crispy. Thank goodness my family members think it’s yucky. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve asked my wife and kids, “are you gonna eat that?” How to cook it at home: These days I like to coat my loins with good sea salt, a big whack of cracked pepper, a light sprinkle of granulated onion and garlic, and a skiff of crushed red chiles. If you want to add some crazy-good extra flavour to your your steak, or your loins for that matter, make a salsa verde by giving the following ingredients a quick whiz in a food processor or a good pestling in a mortar. Also great on pork or lamb.
1 T. ground oregano
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 T. granulated onion
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 T. granulated garlic
1/2 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
2 T. ancho chile powder
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1 T. ground chipotle chile (if you can’t find this, substitute cayenne)
1-1/2 t. chopped fresh sage
Combine the ingredients. It’s better if it sits for a few days, but it’s fine at the moment you make it.
1 t. pickled capers
1/3 c. chopped fresh celery leaves 1-1/2 T. fresh lemon juice 1 t. finely grated lemon peel
Wagyu spinalis
A steak with no equal. Summer 2011. Dundarave Beach, West Vancouver. I discovered this magnificent piece of meat while on a tour of the giant refrigerated warehouse of one of my favourite meat suppliers. This obscure and expensive cut weighs about a pound and a half and looks like a large, well-marbled flank steak but tastes like a cross between fatty brisket and filet mignon. The spinalis dorsi is a group of muscles that run along the spine of the animal. It’s the super tasty, extra tender part of the rib steak that surrounds that eye of fat I was swooning over earlier. Gourmet meat cutters carefully separate the whole spinalis from the rib roast and sell it to fancy restaurants for about a hundred bucks a pound. As a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, I cooked not just a spinalis, but a frikkin’ Wagyu spinalis from the famous Snake River Farms, in Boise, Idaho, at a special occasion beach picnic with some old friends. I coated it with a dried herb rub, grilled it on a portable charcoal cooker, and finished it with a little Fleur de Sel, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Man, oh man. Absolutely the best steak I’ve ever had. How to cook it at home: (if you can find one, and if you can find an excuse to spend that much money): Here’s the rub I’d use if I were to grill up a spinalis today. 1 T. coarse sea salt like Maldon or Fleur de Sel 1 T. coarsely ground black pepper 1 T. dried mint 1 t. dried parsley flakes 1 T. dried rosemary 1 T. granulated onion 1 t. granulated garlic (optional) 1 t. crushed dried chiles
1 T. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
Here’s the basic steak grilling technique, which applies to all three steaks: Lightly sprinkle both sides of the steaks with some of the rub and drizzle with olive oil, turning them to coat. Preheat your grill for high direct cooking. Put the steaks on the cooking grate. Once you’ve got both sides seared, turn the heat down to medium, cover the grill, and cook for a few more minutes, turning often, until the steaks become slightly springy to the touch and the internal temperature reads 120°F. Remove from the grill and let them rest for about five minutes.
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1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil sea salt to taste
Other great steaks come to mind, but I’m full. More than perhaps any other food, the beef steak signifies reward, celebration and fulfillment. I look forward to checking in with you another 500 steaks down the road. In the meantime, cook all your steaks with love… and let me have that fatty bit if you don’t want it.
To get Wagyu spinalis steaks, ask your fave butcher to order them through Cisco’s meat distribution facility in Calgary. ✤ Ron Shewchuk is the Baron of Barbecue North, the author of Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! and host of the Barbecue Secrets podcast. Find him at ronshewchuk.com and @rockinronnie.
TAKE THE VIEW WITH YOU. Now available in 473ml tall cans.
310 Old Canmore Road, Canmore, Alberta
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Senator Patrick Burns Rock Garden Prince’s Island Park
THIS SUMMER, TAKE YOURSELF ON A
Posh Picnic
St. Patrick’s Island
by Erin Lawrence
Most of us eat three times a day, at least. That’s 21 meals a week, 84 meals a month. But when I was growing up, every year there was one meal my family looked forward to most – our annual “posh picnic.” While turkey and stuffing or chocolate cake from the bakery are the marks of fancy meals in some homes, in my family it was all about cooking from scratch and getting outside. When we were kids, we had little idea of what “posh” meant, except that for us it meant fun. It was also one of the best family bonding experiences I can remember. Every summer, usually sometime in July, we’d pick a day and begin planning. Now, this was no fried-chicken-and-potato-salad-sittin’-on-a-blanket picnic, oh no. This was “posh” for two reasons – the menu, and the setting.
LOOKING THE PART PLANNING FOR ‘POSH’ My mom would begin the preparations a couple of days before. She’d make vichyssoise, the classic cold potato and leek soup whose subtle flavours we kids found delicious. She’d buy peel-and-eat shrimp at the seafood counter and make seafood sauce from scratch. It was tangy and spicy and so tasty that we’d scoop up any leftovers with crackers or bread. I didn’t learn until years later that seafood sauce is just chili sauce or ketchup and horseradish. We’d have crab legs, and enjoy every second of hard work it took to get the meat out of its spiky armour. There would be homemade potato salad, with pieces of celery and sliced hard-boiled eggs laid out across the top, sprinkled with paprika, watercress and mushroom salad, and pâté and crackers. Not to mention dessert – often fresh strawberry shortcake, or crêpes suzette. But the best part of our annual posh picnic menu, the part we dreamt about for days, both before and after, was my mom’s dill bread. She made it from scratch, and it took most of an afternoon. When it was baking, the aroma filled the house with a warm, sweet-tangy herbal scent, and it was maddening that we had to wait to enjoy it. The bread was no ordinary loaf either. Mom baked it in a clay flowerpot, just to give it character.
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That flowerpot was the only rustic thing allowed. We banned paper and plastic to make the outing feel extra special. We’d spoon salads into the special occasion serving dishes, press the linen napkins, shine up the good silverware, and gather up the fine china. We carefully packed it all into crates, along with crystal wine glasses, and brought along wine for our parents, and pop for us. We stacked food in coolers, and tried to remember everything we’d need, down to the last detail – butter for the bread in a crystal dish, a scoop of olives to make martinis, milk for the coffee we had already brewed at home and stashed in a large thermos, and even tiny salt and pepper shakers. We’d also bring along damp cloths in plastic bags to clean us up, and to wipe down whatever needed it. Also into the crates – a fine tablecloth, a few folding chairs, and some games or baseball gloves to keep us busy while our parents enjoyed a drink before dinner. On picnic day we’d drive to the park and set up under “our” tree – we went back to the same tree every year. We set up the same spread, with those same dishes, and enjoyed pretty much the same menu every time. Consistency didn’t take away from the specialness of the occasion. Our posh picnic was our tradition. If you’ve ever hosted a dinner party, especially a formal one, you know what a huge amount of work it is. Now, imagine doing all that work, then packing it up, along with your four kids, and all their stuff, and taking it on the road, then unpacking it and setting it up under a tree. My parents did that, once every year. And it was something I’ve always remembered, because for a few hours we were entertained, we had fun, and we ate like the royal family.
CREATING LASTING TRADITION This tradition ended when my siblings and I grew up and moved away, but when we were all together in the summer, we’d put together the full posh picnic. When my brother got married a few years ago, his wedding had a posh picnic theme, in a provincial park in Ontario. Just last summer we held another special posh picnic. This time my year-old niece was there, and at my parents’ request, years after each of them had passed, we scattered their ashes at the base of that same special picnic tree. Posh picnics were just one meal out of 1,092 each year, but it was the one meal every year that was unforgettable, the one we remembered above all the birthday dinners and celebratory meals. It may have taken hours or even days to prepare, but it created a lifetime of memories, and inspired new family traditions.
THREE GREAT PICNIC SPOTS IN CALGARY Senator Patrick Burns Rock Garden
Prince’s Island Park
St. Patrick’s Island
adjacent to Riley Park
This park may be best known for hosting many of the city’s festivals, but the space is also perfect for quiet, uncrowded enjoyment, too. A constructed wetland provides educational entertainment between bites. Or, lay out your feast along the river on a patch of grass where shady trees abound. There are fountains and canoe access, if you feel like getting closer to water. Of course, if you’re looking for someone to supply the picnic for you, you can always go online at river-cafe.com or phone River Café and order one of their popular picnic baskets.
One of the city’s newest parks, this beautifully diverse 31-acre green space offers several different areas for outdoor dining. Try The Rise – a nine-metre-tall grassy knoll that gives you a king-of-the-castle view of the entire river area. There’s also plenty of space by the Bow River with a view of the new George C. King Bridge (dubbed “skipping stone bridge” by some). The dedicated picnic grove is also a good spot. ✤
Leave behind the cricket players and kids at Riley Park and wander to the east side of the space. Here you’ll find beautiful arcs of colour in the form of gorgeous flower gardens laid out in geometric patterns. Grab a bench or spread out a blanket among the greenery, and enjoy your picnic out in the sun, or head to the northeast end of the park where Senator Patrick Burns Memorial Rock Garden is located. Choose a winding pathway as it curves up a small hill. Nibble your fare in a shady grove and look out over the gardens which were created in the 1950s from more than 20,000 pieces of flagstone salvaged from the senator’s demolished mansion.
Erin Lawrence is a Calgary writer and TV producer who has cooked since she was old enough to read. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @ErinLYYC
136 2nd Street SW
Warm Hospitality, Brazilian Style
Enjoy gourmet Brazilian in our restaurant
or order as takeout.
Churrascaria
Bar & Lounge OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
www.wusthof.ca House of Knives Market Mall 3625 Shaganappi Trail NW Calgary
Hendrix 457 42 Ave. SE Calgary
Kitchen Boutique 212 - 1st St. W. Cochrane
Kitchen Boutique 960 Yankee Valley Blvd SE Airdrie
Zest Kitchenware Dalhousie Station Shopping Centre (North end) Unit 131, 5005 Dalhousie Drive NW, Calgary
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WHEN SMOKE GETS IN YOUR GLASS Those looking to build their own mezcal collection can find an assortment at Vine Arts, Metrovino, Bin 905, or Zyn Wine Market. Start your experimentation with these tasty mezcal-focused concoctions from our local mixologists or sidle up to one of their bars to see the masters at work.
Sí, Vale Courtesy Samantha Casuga, bar manager, Native Tongues Taqueria
T H E B I G S M O K E The ancient spirit of Mexico is having a Calgary moment
1.5 oz. Torres 10 Spanish Brandy
by Meghan Jessiman
dash agave syrup
If tequila had an edgy, sophisticated, slightly misunderstood older cousin, her name would be Mezcal. Long overshadowed by the hard-partying and ubiquitous tequila, mezcal is a wallflower in comparison, keeping out of the spotlight and only catching the attention of those willing to work a little harder to peel back her layers and appreciate her unique personality. She’s complicated.
1 dash Bittered Sling Moondog bitters
Recent appearances on many of our city’s top cocktail menus along with growing global awareness of this more than 500-year-old Mexican import suggest that mezcal is experiencing her coming of age. She’s making a play for the mixology spotlight in a big way and bartenders and bar-sitters alike couldn’t be happier about it. Distilled from the heart of the agave plant, like tequila, mezcal has been made in remote mountain villages in Mexico for centuries. While tequila is solely made from farmed blue agave, mezcal can be made with any of more than two dozen varieties found in the wild. The seriously smoky elixir that results from the traditional underground roasting process was long regarded by outsiders as a form of moonshine. In recent years, however, awareness of the seriously artisanal distillation process, and the fact that many of the agave varieties harvested for mezcal can take 10 to 25 years to reach maturity, have led to a cult following of sorts. Even though he works in an establishment fundamentally driven by tequila, Añejo’s bar manager, Dave Boudreault, admits that nine times out of 10 he reaches for mezcal when pouring himself a drink. He believes its transition into the mainstream is in part due to tequila’s strong hold on the North American liquor market. “Tequila’s popularity has allowed other agavebased spirits to share in the spotlight,” he says, “and mezcal is far more interesting and accessible than Sotol, Pulque and Raicilla.” Model Milk’s Madeleine MacDonald agrees, but also feels Calgary’s bartenders and fine spirit purveyors have played an integral role in mezcal’s growing popularity. “Bartenders are breaking down the stereotypes of what mescal used to be. Every day we educate at least one person on spirits and break down the barriers and misconceptions that have stopped people from trying it before,” she says. “Mezcal is a diverse, interesting ingredient and as more people try it, we see a greater demand for it.” Though Model Milk doesn’t currently have any mezcal-based cocktails on its list, it does stock Pelotón de la Muerte and Fidencio Mezcal Pechuga, and MacDonald says her staff reaches for mezcal frequently when creating freestyle cocktails for guests. One of Calgary’s most notable mezcal enthusiasts is Sam Casuga, bar manager at Native Tongues Taqueria. Her cleverly named creation, The Mezcalgarita, is a unique mezcal-infused take on a margarita. Pulling flavours from the mezcal itself, using Pelotón de la Muerte, Casuga created a basil and cinnamon salt rim that highlights the citrus, richness and smoke of the drink perfectly. It’s rapidly become the restaurant’s
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most popular drink offering and is certainly one of the best and brightest cocktails in the whole city. Casuga says she uses mezcal more than any other spirit behind the bar. This makes sense, considering Native Tongues’ collection of this sometimes trickyto-acquire liquor is at 25 varieties and counting.
.75 oz. Punt e Mes (an Italian vermouth) .5 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal
1 dash Bittered Sling Malagasy Chocolate bitters ancho chile garnish*
Stir everything except the ancho chile garnish on ice and strain into an oldfashioned glass over ice. Garnish with the dried ancho chile.
Dirty Word
“Beyond the Mezcalgarita, there are a few other cocktails on the list that include mezcal,” she explains. “But our guests love ordering mezcal-based cocktails that I, or my team, can create customized to their likings or what they have ordered to eat.”
Courtesy Madeleine MacDonald, bar manager, Model Milk
You wouldn’t think that such a complex spirit would pair all that well with food, but you would be wrong.
.75 oz. green Chartreuse
“Mezcal pairs very well with cheese, and we like to recommend it to anyone who orders our Fundido Flameado,” says Añejo’s Boudreault. “Adding it to pickling liquid for pickled vegetables, like asparagus or green beans, adds an interesting dimension of flavour.”
.75 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal .75 oz. Luxardo Maraschino .75 oz. lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, shake to chill, strain into a champagne coupe.
Añejo’s chef, Matt Davidson, enjoys pairing mezcal with hearty meats and fruit salsas while Model Milk’s MacDonald likes to use it to cut through dishes with a serious spicy kick. “The smoke and chile combination is fantastic,” she says. It may be a bit much for mild-mannered Canadians, but in Oaxaca, Mexico, mezcal is often drunk as a breakfast aperitif. The cultural inclination toward taking siestas suddenly makes a lot of sense. Despite the agave plant connection, the similarity between tequila and mezcal pretty much stops there. If you haven’t yet experienced mezcal, know that it’s an extremely diverse spirit and all its characteristics – including its signature smoke – vary from brand to brand and batch to batch. It can be spicier, more savoury, more vegetal and more herbaceous than tequila, so substituting mezcal in a tequila cocktail can be a precarious prospect. In some drinks, it will work measure for measure. But more often than not, less mezcal is more. Start by substituting half the tequila in a recipe for mezcal and take it from there. Most importantly, respect the spirit. Just as you wouldn’t make a whiskey sour with 25-year-old McCallum’s, the rarest mezcals are best enjoyed neat. When it comes to the ideal way to experience mezcal, it’s always wise to take a page from an expert. “I drink it neat and with a side of sliced oranges sprinkled with sal de gusano (agave worm salt),” Casuga says of her prefered treatment. “Straight, in a cocktail, with friends or solo, the best way to enjoy mezcal is frequently!”
We’ll drink to that.
Mezcalgarita Courtesy Samantha Casuga, bar manager, Native Tongues Taqueria 1.5 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal .5 oz. Triple Sec .75 oz. lime juice dash agave syrup basil and cinnamon salt for glass rim (recipe below, make in advance)
Shake the first four ingredients together, and serve in a basil and cinnamon saltrimmed old-fashioned glass over ice. Basil and cinnamon salt: in a food processor, blend 1 c. sea salt and 2 oz. fresh basil (about 4 cups of leaves) until bright green and still moist, but not wet. Add more salt if needed. Lay the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a cloth to dry. When completely dry, blend well with 1 t. canela* (Mexican cinnamon) and 1 T. palm sugar. Store extra at room temperature.
Barbecue in search of
Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone) (Named after a Frida Kahlo painting) Courtesy Samantha Casuga, bar manager, Native Tongues Taqueria 1.5 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal
(the noun)
.5 oz. Amaro Montenegro .5 oz. hibiscus syrup* .5 oz. lime juice 1 slice serrano chile rose water hibiscus flower for garnish*
Mist rose water over and inside a champagne coupe. Shake the first five ingredients over ice and double strain into the coupe. Garnish with the hibiscus flower.
Mezcal Negroni Courtesy Dave Boudreault, bar manager, Añejo 1 oz. mezcal of choice (botanically infused varieties work very well here) .5 oz. Campari .5 oz. sweet vermouth
403.605.9365 catering@holysmokebbq.ca
orange slice garnish
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Build in a rocks glass, stir and garnish with the orange slice and lemon twist.
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lemon twist garnish
Free family festival featuring:
Title and Registration Courtesy Madeleine MacDonald, bar manager, Model Milk 1.5 oz. Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal .5 oz. Aperol
Music, Kids Q, BBQ Pitmaster Competition, Food Trucks, Vendors & Food Demos. September 3 & 4 2016 Montgomery Community Center 5003 16 Ave NW Calgary
1 oz. lime juice .5 oz. Falernum Grizzly Paw Ginger Beer orange twist garnish
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Shake to chill and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with the ginger beer and garnish with the orange twist.
Ingredients like canela and ancho chiles can be found *at specialty shops like La Tiendona and Unimarket. You can
buy Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup at specialty food stores, like The Cookbook Co. Cooks, and some liquor stores. ✤ Meghan Jessiman is a Calgary-based writer, travel junkie and wine and spirits enthusiast. She uses the written word to support her cocktailing habits as often as possible. CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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Urban Gardens CALGARY’S GROWING SEASON BLOOMS LARGE FOR FOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES by Dan Clapson
It’s hard to pinpoint when, but some time between being a young kid forced by your mother to weed in between rows of budding carrots or tomatoes and being a grown up in 2016, gardening became cool. These days, a mojito at your summer patio party isn’t top notch unless you’ve grabbed that mint from a deck pot, and a raspberry tart tastes so much sweeter when those plump red berries came from the bountiful bush in the corner of the yard. Over the past decade, gardens have proven not only to be a great personal endeavour in our backyards, but also a beneficial springboard for local businesses to not only make a name for themselves, but to make the most of urban spaces in and around Calgary. These Calgary companies continue to have growth spurts during the warmer months of the year.
Green Berry Sprouts and Microgreens You know those pretty shoots, roots and microgreens that Calgary chefs love to finish their plates of food with? Well, there’s a good chance that they’re coming straight from GreenBerry. Husband and wife team, Daniel and Jasmine McAllister, officially started their business in 2012 after falling in love with homegrown roots and shoots as a means of quality food for their young ones. As chefs and home cooks alike became more and more interested in the micro-side of fresh greens, the McAllisters’ grow-op grew considerably, now taking up their entire garage. Now that it’s peak growing season, if you stop by the Kensington Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays, you’ll find anything from micro-herbs like basil or cilantro to radish greens, pea shoots, sunflower shoots, sprouted lentils and lots more. If you haven’t used shoots or micro-edibles much, know that they have a short shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Try them on top of classic summer go-to dishes like fresh tomato salads and barbecued salmon. No company website, farmersmarket.hsca.ca
Calgary Harvest If you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty to reap some delicious summer fruit benefits, then this local initiative is perfect for you. Calgary Harvest pairs eager volunteers with Calgarians who either don’t have the time or the equipment to get full use out of their fruit-bearing trees and bushes. We may not have big apple orchards or peaches growing everywhere like our B.C. neighbours, but there are plenty of fruits like pears, raspberries, saskatoons and sour cherries to be found in many a Calgary backyard. Whether you’re offering your vegetation to pick or your time to pick, you’ll end up with a pile of fresh fruit at the end of each mini harvest. The homeowner ends up with one third of the fruit bounty, as do the volunteer pickers. Calgary Harvest shares the final third with a local shelter or other organization. Harvest season starts in July with cherries and runs into October with apples and pears, with other goodies in between. Not all fruits are welcome, though – crabapples need not apply – so make sure to touch base with Calgary Harvest before signing your trees and bushes up for this urban orchard concept. calgaryharvest.wordpress.com
Leaf Ninjas This environmentally charged business has always been about making the most of our Calgary surroundings since day one. Look to co-founders Dave Carlton, Luke Kimmel, Andrew Renaux and Kai Boettcher for anything from rainwater set-ups or garden-focused landscaping – that means making your yard look beautiful and edible at the same time – to urban agriculture. Since embracing urban farming in 2011, the ninja quartet has worked with many local people looking for a landscape change for their own homes, as well as restaurants like Ox and Angela. Their grown-with-care bounties can be devoured at many quality local establishments such as The Coup, Brasserie Kensington and Sugo. Like Green Berry, the Leaf Ninjas are also at the Kensington Farmers’ Market, so pay them a visit to pick up all sorts of produce and lush baby plants just waiting to root in your garden’s soil. And learn more about their urban activities. leafninjas.ca
ABC Bees Eliese Watson, one of Alberta’s premier beekeeping experts, is heading into her ninth summer of operation in Calgary and is busier and more invigorated than ever. With ABC Bees (Apiaries and Bees for Communities), Watson balances a mix of educational seminars and bee advocacy efforts with running eight substantial hive set-ups in the Calgary area that produce honey for a variety of local businesses, including Big Rock Brewery, Fairmont Palliser, UNA Pizza+Wine and Ox and Angela. Sit down at UNA for a slice of pizza drizzled with ABC’s golden nectar and sip on it in select Big Rock microbrews, but this honey doesn’t just stop with edible applications. Find it in beauty products at Kensington’s Swizzlesticks Salon and Spa. As ABC Bees has been gaining more and more buzz in recent years, Watson has launched #HomeToHive bicycle tours for this summer. These tours, sponsored by Rouge, Thomsons Restaurant and Fallentimber Meadery, provide attendees an indepth look at how apiary operations work, visits to properties like Rouge or Heritage Park where you’ll find the happy bees intermingling with vegetation and how Watson’s business, along with her partners, give back to the community. You’ll get a little workout pedalling, too, so this lively, educational experience is a win/win. abcbees.ca
Restaurants and their gardens, updated The River Café group no longer has an off-site farm plot, but being established leaders in the local food movement, the group is currently working with Calgary to establish fruit-bearing trees at both the River Café and Boxwood locations. With chef Jamie Harling taking the executive chef role at the soon-to-be-open third property, The Deane House, we can expect a wellcurated garden and plenty of backyard-to-plate cuisine from the green-thumbed chef and his team come summer, 2017. Inglewood’s go-to brunch spot, Fine Diner, bid adieu to its off-site garden plot last year after the sale of both the property the garden resided on and the diner itself. Former owner, Rob Greco, has moved on to other ventures, although the diner will go forward with the same name and concept. Alloy has jumped in head-first to the urban gardening movement this season by setting up a large number of planters on its (still best-kept secret) patio to grow an array of plants from lemon basil and rosemary to baby romaine, carrots and tomatoes.✤ Dan Clapson blogs at dansgoodside.com
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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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stockpot
STIRRINGS AROUND CALGARY
restaurant ramblings ■ Be sure to catch the excitement of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro at Gaucho Brazilian BBQ, from the opening ceremony on August 5 through to the closing ceremony on August 21. Gaucho will have every event on flat screens at both locations, Calgary and Canmore, throughout the Olympics. Enjoy authentic churrasco barbecue and the best caipirinha in town. ■ The Lake House, perched on Lake Bonavista, has been named one of the 75 best restaurants for brunch in Canada by Open Table diners. Woot! Woot! The list of winners is derived from more than 275,000 reviews for about 1,700 restaurants submitted by Open Table diners across the country. This Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts restaurant serves awfully tasty Alberta Rocky Mountain cuisine by chef Thomas Neukom. You need to take the family for brunch soon, see what it’s all about. ■ Get your smoked meat at The Coal Shed Smoke House, brought to you by Dwayne and Alberta Ennest, well known for Big Fish and Open Range. Housesmoked, grilled and braised meats are available for take-away daily. Look for the likes of spicy chorizo sausage, Alberta pork butt, beef brisket, bison short ribs, pork belly, smoked chicken and more. It’s all about MEAT! Check it out at whiterosekitchen.ca/coal-shed
■ Minas Brazilian Steakhouse offers traditional Brazilian churrasco served rodizio style. Minas also offers cocktail functions and party platters for dining in or takeout, perfect for Stampede and client parties. Contact marketing@ minassteakhouse.com. Upcoming events: July 1, extended hours to celebrate Canada Day with outdoor churrasquinho; July 13, 9-11 a.m., Annual Stampede Breakfast, a traditional flapjack breakfast with Brazilian flair, with canned goods and/or monetary donations going to the Calgary Food Bank; August 11-14, Minas at Taste of Calgary. Visit minassteakhouse. com for more information. ■ What better way to end a beautiful sunny day than by enjoying fantastic fresh oysters and sparkling wine at Full Circle Pizza and Oyster Bar. Offering buck-ashuck for the last two hours of every night, Full Circle is able to offer some of the freshest bivalves in town. Owners Amelia and Joshua Stoddart make everything inhouse, from bacon and English muffins for brunch to caesar mix for the elaborate Caesar’s Banquet. Much of the menu is tongue-in-cheek as it will be for the Calgary Stampede. Check out Full Circle’s baby back rib pizza consisting of a smoked tomato marinara pizza that will double as a plate for a half rack of baby back ribs, campfire beans and a cob of corn. This Pi will be available during Stampede Week. July 23 features an afternoon of a variety of oysters paired with sparkling wines from around the world. The afternoon
will include a lesson in oyster shucking complete with an oyster shucker and six oysters to take home. Contact info@ fullcirclepizza.ca for tickets. ■ Good Earth Coffeehouse is gearing up to expand further into Canada. With 26 locations in Calgary, Good Earth is also set to open new cafés in Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto in 2016. Despite an increasingly competitive coffee landscape, Good Earth continues to provide customers with a unique coffeehouse experience. It stays true to its roots by offering premium drinks and wholesome food. New corporate chef Kari Ginakos has also reinvigorated the food menu by merging favourites with delicious new items customers can feel good about.Visit goodearthcoffeehouse.com ■ Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants, a Canadian leader in fine dining, will open its first western Canadian restaurant in Calgary in the Hudson’s Bay building on Stephen Ave. in July. Called The Guild Restaurant, it’s a nod to the guildhalls of the past, which served as meeting places for artists and merchants. Spanning two floors and featuring one of Calgary’s largest patios, The Guild will offer an ingredient-driven and meat-centric menu with an emphasis on live-fire cooking specializing in local beef, game and fowl. The culinary team is helmed by Alberta-born chef Ryan O’Flynn, winner of the prestigious Canadian Culinary Championships in 2015. More information at theguildrestaurant.com ■ Hayloft Restaurant is now open in Airdrie. After working together at River Café, Jason Barton-Browne and James Hoan Nguyen are together again in a new (ad)venture serving Canadian comfort food that’s wholesome, Alberta- and B.C.sourced, served in a relaxing dining room. Hayloft is a place where family and friends gather to build community and celebrate life’s small and big moments. Visit the web site for more information at haylofton8th.com ■ Nestled inside the Carriage House Inn, Peanuts Public House is known for its legendary steak sandwich served hot off the grill with shoestring fries and caesar salad. Visit peanutspublichouse for all the tasty details. ■ Edo Japan has been honoured as the recipient of the 2016 Franchisees’ Choice designation at the annual Canadian Franchise Association national convention, the 6th consecutive year that Edo has received the designation. Visit edojapan.com for more info. Well done Edo! ■ Opening in the Tivoli Theatre, 2015 4 St. SW, later this summer, FOO Asian Street Food brings a taste of hawkerstyle pan-Asian flavours to Mission. Using quality ingredients and sourcing locally when possible, this chef-driven eatery will feature an edgy renovated space and a limited wine and beer menu. Mark Carrillo, recently of FARM Restaurant, brings the concept to Calgary from Victoria, where it was started by his long-time friends 5 years ago.
The Priddis Brunch experience begins when the majesty of the Rocky Mountains comes into sight and the city is in your rear view mirror. Among the top 75 restaurants in Canada for Brunch – OpenTable 2016.
403 931 3171
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PRIDDISGREENS.COM
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
■ Cilantro was named one of the 100 Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Canada for 2016 by Open Table diners. The list of winners is derived from more than 275,000 reviews for about 1,700 restaurants submitted by Open Table diners. It’s not a surprise since Cilantro has a beautiful patio. Good show, CRMR! ■ The Alex Community Food Centre, 4920 - 17 Ave. SE, begins its programs through the summer, with a Grand Opening slated for Fall 2016. The bright and welcoming space will serve up healthy
meals to low-income Calgarians and provide free food skills, after-school and gardening programs. The centre also just launched Change Grows Here, its annual giving program. Find out more about how you can help The Alex CFC grow strong roots at thealexcfc.ca.
drinks wanderings ■ Spirit of Alberta Tasting Tour, presented by Calgary Brewery Tours, is offered every Sunday year-round. It begins at the Calgary Tower, where a chauffeur guide drives guests to the birthplace of craft beer in Alberta, Big Rock Brewery, then drives a picturesque route to a visit with bees, honey and traditional mead at Chinook Arch Meadery. The last stop is in historic Turner Valley at Eau Claire Distillery, an award-winning venue showcasing spirits that highlight quaity over quantity with world-class gin, vodka and, soon, exceptionally aged whiskey. Visit calgarybrewerytours.beer for more information and to book a tour. ■ If you’re headed for the Okanagan this summer, you’ll want to visit Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars, 2385 Allendale Rd, Okanagan Falls, for some of the best of the Okanagan’s wines. The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit bluemountainwinery.com for details and for how to arrange special tours and the special events celebrating Blue Mountain’s 25th anniversary. ■ On your trip into the Okanagan, head to Black Hills Estate Winery for a behindthe-scenes winery and vineyard tour, including a full portfolio tasting of Black Hills wines paired with charcuterie and a special barrel tasting in the cellar. These interesting and informative tours take place throughout July, August and September. Visit blackhillswinery. com, then “tasting experiences,” then “winery tour & barrel tasting experience” where you’ll find all the dates and times and you can reserve online. Black Hills Estate Winery’s 2014 Viognier won top honours in the best of BC varietal awards and the Okanagan Wine Festival Society declared it the “best viognier in B.C.”
cooking classes ■ At Ollia Macarons & Tea: Macarons Baking Classes on 5, 12, 19, 26 July and 9, 16, 23, 30 August. Classes are hands-on, 12 participants max, every participant gets about 30 macarons and a recipe booklet. More info on byollia.com/classes and to register, call 403-457-9775.Accompanied children ages 10 to 15 are welcome, and private class options are available. 810C - 16 Ave. SW. ■ SAIT’s Downtown Culinary Campus: Thrill of the Grill, July 6/August 11; Canning, July 16/August 20; Viennoiserie, July 16; Date Night, July 15/August 19; Curry, August 12; Artisan Bread, August 27. Visit culinarycampus.ca for details and more courses. SAIT’s Main Campus: Cooking and baking summer camps for kids in grades 4-12. Visit saitsummercamps. ca for details. ■ Poppy Innovations invites you to its Gate to Plate cook-from-scratch summer cooking series and its canning and preserving classes. Let your kids learn to cook at a summer day camp. During the summer months, your kids, ages 4 continued on page 39
Paradise Hill Farm, Nanton, AB
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kids can cook
Pierre Lamielle
one ingredient
MINT
continued from page 17
Cucumber, Mint and Gin Sorbet This simple sorbet tastes like summer – the mixture can also be frozen in ice pop molds for boozy grown-up popsicles. 1/3 c. sugar 1/3 c. water 1 medium English cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks small handful fresh mint 2 oz. (1/4 c.) good-quality gin
In a small saucepan, make a simple syrup by heating the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Pour into a glass or other container (to speed up the cooling process) and refrigerate until well chilled. Put the cucumber, mint and gin in the bowl of a food processor. Add the simple syrup and pulse until it’s as well-blended as you can get it. Scrape into the bowl of an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. (Alternatively, pour into Popsicle molds and freeze until solid.) Makes about 4 c. sorbet, or 8 popsicles.
To make a satisfying pot of mint tea, rinse a big handful of fresh mint, put it in your teapot and pour hot water overtop; let steep 3-6 minutes, then pour. Mint and green tea are a delicious pairing; try steeping mint along with green tea; add a little sugar or honey, and chill for a summery sip. Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com
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stockpot continued from page 36 to12, can join the Create Garden Club at the Calgary Farmers’ Market where they’ll learn to grow food in gardens, then learn to cook it after harvest. Details and registration at poppyinnovations.ca ■ At Cuisine et Château Culinary Centre: Turn on the Grill, July 1; Smoking, Curing, Grilling, Marinading, July 10/21; Table for 2, July 2; Made in France, July 8/August 12; Stocks & Sauces, July 9; Cocina Mexicana, July 12/August 23; Knife Skills, July 13/August 11; Simply Italian, July 15/August 26; Classic French Bistro, July 16; Summer Desserts & Ice Cream, July 17; Spanish Tapas, July 20/August 16; Around the Mediterranean, July 21/ August 27; Everything Chocolate, July 24; Indochine, July 26; A Twist on Sushi, July 28; From New Delhi with Love, August 2; Best of Brunch, August 7; Cooking Fundamentals, August 20; Cheese Making Level 2, August 28; Herbs & Spices of the World, August 31; Special Wine and Food Series, July 23 (Spain), August 13 (France). Details at cuisineandchateau.com ■ At The Cookbook Co. Cooks: Kid’s week-long cooking camps, ages 12+ and ages 8 to 11; Summertime in the City, couples cooking classes. Visit cookbookcooks.com/cookingclasses for all the tasty details.
general stirrings ■ Feast on delicious fresh local seasonal produce at Innisfail Growers at the Calgary Farmers’ Market! Beck Farms: kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, dill and carrots (mid/late July) cabbage (August). Edgar Farms: garden peas (July) and beans (August). Hillside Greenhouses: mini cucumbers, tomatoes, basil. Upper Green Farms: new red/yellow potatoes (July), fingerling potatoes (August). The Jungle Farm: lettuce, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, strawberries, zucchini, onions, cucumbers, saskatoons and garlic (late July). Open Thursday-Sunday 9am–5pm. To learn more, visit innisfailgrowers.com ■ The 19th Annual Calgary Greek Festival is coming this fall at 1 Tamarac Crescent SW, September 16-18. Enjoy excellent food, entertainment and fun for the whole family. In addition to enjoying Greek culture, you will be supporting two great causes as a portion of the proceeds goes to Kids Cancer Care and the Association for Rehabilitation of Brain Injuries in Calgary. Stay connected through calgaryhellenic.com, Twitter and Instagram @yycgreekfest and Facebook Calgary Greek Festival. Don’t miss it! Always fun and tasty. ■ Find out where your food comes from during Open Farm Days 2016 taking place August 20 (culinary events) and August 21 (open farm tours). Visit albertafarmdays.com for more information. ■ Travelling with your pet is easy at the Carriage House Inn with its “Pet LuvInn Program” that includes a Pet Friendly Room Service Menu with artisan baked buddy bones made fresh in the bakery, entrées that include salmon, liver, chicken, sirloin steak served with rice and raw carrots and cooked to your friend’s liking. Seniors, puppy and vegetarian options. Visit carriagehouse.net for all the petfriendly details. ■ For Calgary’s carnivores, Brewery & The Beast returns to the city Sunday, August 21, 1-4 p.m., at Pumphouse Park, where it was held last year. The ultimate MeatFest is a premium culinary celebration of meat prepared in the most unique and
delicious ways by more than 40 of our talented chefs and celebratd restaurants, including Model Milk, Rouge, Shokunin, NOtaBLE, Anju, Brasserie Kensington, The Nash, Charcut, Native Tongues Taqueria and Yellow Door Bistro. This MeatFest is a must-attend for adventurous and conscientious meatatarians, a Sunday afternoon of grazing garnished with craft beer, cider and wine from across Canada and live “soulgrass” sounds from The Electric Timber Company and guests. B & TB promotes sourcing local food, ensuring all dishes are prepared with proteins from trusted producers that take care in raising their animals with sustainable, responsible, ethical farming practices. 2140 Pumphouse Ave. SW, tickets at breweryandthebeast.com/tickets #MeatFestYYC ■ Be part of the power of community working together to raise awareness and resources for children’s mental health at the Never Give Up Gala, September 10, 6 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency, 700 Centre St. Dinner and dancing with the Dino Martinis, silent and live auctions and a raffle. Details at woodshomes.ca or contact Shandra Reynard, shandra.reynard@woodshomes.ca or 403-270-1775. ■ Food Water Wellness Foundation and Fallentimber Meadery invite you to Rootstock, a field-to-table, farm-fresh experience on August 13, 5 p.m. until midnight – a locally sourced dinner, libations, farmers’ market and evening of entertainment. Food lovers can break bread with producers and drink cocktails made with local booze from Fallentimber Meadery, Eau Claire Distillery and local breweries. Fallentimber Meadery in Water Valley hosts the event, details and ticket info at foodwaterwellness.org ■ Freshii has opened two more locations in Calgary – Glenmore Landing and Sunridge Mall – with menus of healthy options and great ingredients providing nutritious meal choices that energize people on the go. Look for a customizable menu of breakfast, soups, salads, wraps, bowls, burritos, frozen yogurt, juices and smoothies. Freshii caters to every dietary and taste preference to help people live longer and healthier lives by making fresh food convenient and afforable to all. ■ No time to go to the farmers’ market? The Meez Fast Home Cuisine Mini Market at the Willow Park Village retail store, offers market-fresh local produce all summer long. Pair the fresh produce with a ready-to-grill protein option, like Asianmarinated flank steak, braised bourbon beef short ribs or buttermilk chicken. Stock up on Meez frozen appetizers and entrées for your summer vacation. Check the web site, meezcuisine.com, for summer classes
with chef Judy Wood and catering for your summer parties. ■ Join Janice Beaton Fine Cheese’s Cheese Club to take part in exclusive classes and tastings and enjoy great wine, spirits and more. By joining, you’ll have first access to classes. Opt-in by contacting danielle@jbfinecheese.com ■ Celebrate Alberta’s Natural Areas and Learn how to Protect our Watersheds at Parks Day & Creekfest, Fish Creek Provincial Park, July 17, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Alberta Parks and the Friends of Fish Creek present in the Glennfied area, the ideal location to spend the day with friends and family. There’s a song-writing workshop from Juno-award winning Peter Puffin’s Whale Tales, an energetic presentation “Good Night and Good Duck!” by K Country Theatre and Coyote Kids Theatre presents “A Muskrat’s Tail.” Local musician Alex Boisselle returns. Take part in an outdoor yoga session, fly fishing demonstration, and enter your name for great prizes. Details at friendsoffishcreek.org/ event/creekfest ■ The Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club hosts the 2016 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open golf tournament August 22-28. Priddis Greens expects to see virtually all of the top 100 female golfers in the world with the event broadcast internationally. Priddis will also host the first Olympic Women’s Golf Champ since the event follows right after the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. For details, go to priddisgreens.com ■ Join Cuisine et Château’s professional chefs in the Périgord region of France for an all-inclusive luxury gastronomic experience. Stay in an exclusive, private chateau. Meet farmers, purveyors, winemakers in a unique and authentic setting that will change the way you think about food. The 2017 dates are already 75% sold out, with only 6 spots remaining on the week of June 4-10. For more information visit cuisineandchateau.com/ culinary-tours or call 403.764.2665 ■ Culinary tours with chef Gail Hall of Seasoned Solutions: Jasper, Alberta, July 30 to August 1. Culinary highlights include a brewery tour, cooking class at the Fairmont Jasper Park lodge and dinner at its Orso Trattoria and much more. Nova Scotia, September 22-29. Uncover the food heritage of Canada. For six days you will be totally immersed in the rich food and wine history of Canada’s oldest province. Add art and history for a great tour. Itinerary and cost details for both, check seasonedsolutions.ca or email gail@ seasonedsolutions.ca
Home of AUTHENTIC Italian sausage, in the heart of INGLEWOOD
Quality meats, natural spices and Old-World recipes. That’s authentic Italian. wholesale & Retail • 1308 9th ave. se • 403.264.6452
CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2016
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8 quick ways with...
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Green peas are wonderful when they’re freshly shucked and lightly steamed. But to be honest, I find this a little too labour intensive and usually opt for the frozen baby peas or enjoy them as young sugar peas, snow peas and also the shoots. Peas are rarely seen as a vegetable worthy of taking centre stage. Here are eight recipes that honour the humble pea.
Love potion no. 9
chilled green pea soup
white rhinoceros horn only 3 Northern white rhinos left, very expensive, morally wrong
spanish fly
ultra effective gypsy concoction, may result in kissing cops, smells like turpentine, doesn't exist
Alcohol
better if bubbly and with oysters, too much decreases potency
oysters
casanova's breakfast, highly potent increased effectiveness with wine, consuming resembles foreplay
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Mint and green peas enhance each other in quite an amazing way. In a blender, put 4 c. frozen peas, thawed, 2 c. chicken stock, 1/2 c. chopped green onions, 1/4 c. mint leaves, 2 T. dill fronds, 1/2 t. Sriracha sauce and salt to taste and blend until very smooth. Serve chilled or warmed, both are so satisfying. Garnish with crumbled chèvre and chopped dill. Serves 6.
snow pea, jicama and watermelon salad Jicama is a funny vegetable that a lot of us don’t know quite what to do with – it tastes like fresh green peas. This is a very refreshing salad. Trim 2 handsful of snow peas. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the snow peas only until they turn shiny, about 30 seconds. Drain and cover with cold water to cool. Drain and blot dry, place in a bowl with 1 medium jicama, peeled and cut into thin julienne and 3 c. diced watermelon. Toss with 1/2 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. champagne vinegar and 2 T. each chopped parsley and tarragon. Salt to taste and toss. Serves 4.
stir-fried sugar peas, red pepper and cashews with ginger sesame oil Stir-fries don’t have to be complicated – this one is a snap. Sesame oil should never be used in high temperature cooking; it burns at a very low heat and will taste bitter. Core and slice 1 red pepper, grate 1 garlic clove and 1/2 t. fresh ginger. In a pan over high heat, put 2 T. canola oil. When it’s hot, add 2 handsful of sugar peas and the red peppers; sauté about 2 minutes before adding the garlic, ginger and salt to taste. Stir to evenly coat. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 T. toasted sesame oil to coat and serve. Serves 4.
pea and potato pakoras with 5-spice marmalade
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Pakoras are much simpler then people think. They are traditionally fried, but I bake them. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 c. chickpea flour, 1 T. garam masala, 1/2 t. chile flakes and 1/2 t. baking powder and set aside. In a larger bowl, put 1 c. green peas, fresh or, if frozen, thawed, 1 large peeled and grated potato, 2 minced garlic cloves, the juice of 1 orange, and mix together well. Add the dry mix and stir to incorporate. Make the pakoras about the size of a loonie and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Generously brush each with canola oil. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they’re a deep golden brown. While the pakoras are baking, make the dip. Put 1/2 c. orange marmalade, 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar and 1 t. Chinese five-spice powder into a blender and purée until smooth. When the pakoras are done, remove them from the oven and blot the excess oil with paper towels. Serve warm with the 5-spice marmalade. Makes about 24.
pan-seared salmon with creamy green peas and bacon This is a good old-fashioned maritime recipe. The bacon brings the creamy peas to a whole new level. In a pan over medium heat, put 4 bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 shallot, finely diced, pepper to taste and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 t. dried savoury and 2 T. flour; stir until the flour has evenly coated everything. Slowly stir in 2 c. milk, increase the heat to medium and stir until it has come to a boil and has thickened. Stir in 1 c. fresh or thawed peas, reduce the heat and simmer while you fry the fish. Lightly salt and pepper 4 salmon steaks and dredge them in 1/2 c. cornstarch. In another pan over high heat, put 2 T. bacon fat and 1/4 c. canola oil. When the pan is very hot, add the salmon steaks and brown on each side, then reduce the heat and continue to cook to preferred doneness, but don’t overcook. Adjust the seasoning for the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce into the centre of a plate and plate a salmon steak on top. Serves 4.
pesto cheese tortellini with snow pea tips, sun-dried tomato and pine nuts Snow pea tips are tougher than pea shoots, which makes them more suitable for sautéing or steaming. I get them at Superstore, Community Natural and T&T. This dish also works well as a salad. Just cool and drain the pasta, then add all the ingredients to a bowl and toss. Great both ways, here is the hot version. In a large pot of boiling water, cook 1 small package of cheese tortellini. When the pasta is finished, drain it and place it in a large pan over medium heat with 1/4 c. olive oil, 6 sun-dried tomatoes, finely sliced, and 2 T. pesto. Stir to evenly coat. Add salt to taste, 4 c. snow pea tips and sauté until they are wilted. Add the juice of 1 lemon and stir to coat. Remove from the heat, spoon into bowls and sprinkle with pine nuts and crumbled feta. Serves 4.
pork with curried peas and cauliflower People often think curry is something that has to take a long time to prepare. Not so; this one comes together very quickly. In a skillet over high heat put 2 T. butter and 1 pork tenderloin, cut into medallions. Sprinkle with salt and sear on all sides. Sprinkle 2 T. curry powder over the pork, add 1 onion, thinly sliced, and sauté until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add 12 cauliflower florets, 1 c. green peas, fresh or frozen, 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped and stir to combine. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve over rice. Serves 4.
recipe photos by Chris Halpin
lamb chops with herbed mushy peas Lightly salt 8 lamb chops and grill on a hot barbecue to preferred doneness. Remove from the heat and brush with sweet chili sauce. While the chops are grilling, make the mushy peas. In a food processor or a blender pulse 3 c. frozen peas, thawed, to a coarse consistency. In a pan over medium heat, put 1 T. butter and a pinch of wasabi. When the butter has melted and is bubbling, add the peas, 2 T. each chopped chives and cilantro, 1 t. ground coriander, 1/4 c. white wine and salt to taste. Sauté until heated through and serve with the lamb. Serves 4. Chris Halpin has been teaching Calgarians to make fast, fun urban food since 1997 and is the owner of Manna Catering Service. mannaonline.com
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Allan Shewchuk
HELL ON WHEELS
Summertime and the livin’ is easy. Well, maybe for some folks, but not for the unlucky souls who, because of the kid’s school schedules or work commitments, can only take a vacation during the months of July or August. Traveling in the dog days of summer means enduring record-setting high temperatures due to global warming, battling unruly crowds who have taken advantage of seat sales and trying to find a table at restaurants that are lined-up simply because they have air conditioning. Worse yet are those unfortunates who take a family driving holiday at the height of summer, their SUVs packed to the rafters with swimming and biking gear and bored and bratty children in the back. Up front are frazzled Dad and Mom arguing about which autostrada or interstate to take as the oversized roadmap flutters in the wind and eventually flies out the sunroof. These nightmarish road trips usually end up as grounds for very justifiable divorces by journey’s end. However, luckily for me, on a recent motoring holiday to France, my marriage survived relatively intact because of a miracle of modern technology: the Global Positioning System, or GPS. For those readers who have never used a GPS, you really are missing out on something miraculous. It’s a little device the size of a cigarette package that picks up precise map and location data from low-earth-orbiting satellites and then talks to you to guide you as you drive. It can tell you where gas stations or food stops are in your vicinity, and some GPS systems can even tell you where there are detours and construction delays on the road ahead of you. Even cooler is that you can choose the gender or accent for the voice that talks you through your route – male or female, English from Great Britain or America, or most any other language, for that matter. There are even celebrity GPS voices. My favourite is the one featuring the comedian John Cleese, who flies into Basil Fawlty-like tantrums when you make a wrong turn or don’t follow his advice, and abuses you for being so stupid when you get to your destination. I met a traveler in Normandy who spent much of his driving day purposely going the wrong way just to see what insult Cleese would hurl at him. You’ve got to admit that sounds like more fun than getting reamed out by your spouse after you miss an off-ramp. Even though our GPS in France was a saviour, it was not without its warts. First, when we picked up our rental car, the friendly young mademoiselle behind the counter volunteered to boot our system for us. Unfortunately, she selected the voice of a very British woman who sounded snooty, stern and humourless, so that instead of some yuks with John Cleese, we spent our trip listening to someone who sounded like a spinster substitute teacher. To make matters worse, she spoke French words with the worst British pronunciation ever, making street names impossible to decipher. When she said “Turn right on Avenue des Martyrs de la Resistance” it sounded like “Are you bringing Smarties to your sisters?” My wife and I would stare at each other without a clue as to where to go and, more often than not, we headed the wrong way. When that happened, her even sterner voice ordered us to make a U-turn at the earliest possible opportunity, and when we didn’t respond quickly enough, she would repeat the orders faster and faster. After long days of this, my normally calm, controlled wife finally snapped, grabbed the little black box and screeched “Shut up, you bloody MAGPIE!” As our three weeks in the French countryside with GPS Woman dragged on, she started to get us lost, often leading us to the middle of a farmer’s field. At one point, my wife had to use the GPS from Google Maps to save us. After that, our British woman stopped talking to us altogether out of jealousy and only displayed the mapped routes on the screen. Hell hath no fury. I decided at one point that we needed to give her a name but none of our attempts – including The Shrew – seemed to fit, and so my wife fondly dubbed her “The Antichrist.”
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Thereafter, in scenes reminiscent of The Matrix, whenever we got in the car, we would simultaneously don our sunglasses, clasp our seatbelts, my wife would announce “I’m loading The Antichrist!” and off we would go. Inevitably in the wrong direction.
Allan Shewchuk is a food writer and sought-after Italian food and wine guru. He currently has kitchens in both Calgary and Florence, Italy, but will drink wine pretty much anywhere.
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