City Palate January February 2012

T H E

F L AV O U R

O F

C A L G A R Y ’ S

F O O D

S C E N E

city palate

great cheap eats citypalate.ca

JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012 CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

1

2

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Warm Up This Winter 2437 4TH STREET SW . WURST.CA CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

3

Backyards as far as the eye can see. Almost.

40’

Dressage in Silverado is a different kind of community. It’s the kind of place where the stars seem a little bit closer and maybe even a little bit brighter. Which might be because your lot in Dressage is a little bit bigger and a lot more personalized than the average lot in Calgary. So you can spend time actively charting the galaxy or just sitting back and waiting to make a wish. After all, Dressage in Silverado is the kind of place where your home

Standard Lot

is tailored to your lifestyle, not the other way around. Visit Dressage today and see things from a different view.

Homes from the $800s to $1.5M

Dressage Estate Lot

LARGEST LOTS IN CALGARY l BUILD TO SUIT YOUR LIFESTYLE - CUSTOMIZABLE ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT CONSULTATION l $10K GARDEN CENTRE GIFT CERTIFICATE

Broadview Homes 403.452 4958 l Jayman MasterBUILT 403.452 2889

silveradobyqualico.com Crestmont • evanston • silverado • the hill • ravenswood Coming soon – redstone • Painted sky • double Creek

4 DRESSAGE CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY - City Pallet full page - 9.5x11.75 - Dec 29.indd 2012 1

11-12-07 10:21 AM

contents City Palate January February 2012

features

20 n Great Cheap Eats

Where some of our fave foodies go to get a great cheap eats fix to soothe their souls and wallets in the post-holiday doldrums.

22 n Watching Your Waste

A foodie explains why “I hate wasting food.”

Julie Van Rosendaal

24 n Have an

Unsentimental Valentine’s Day Down with sentimentality!

Down with the same old expectations!

Down with the same old Valentine’s Day gifts!

Kathy Richardier

26 n A Feast of Food and Wine Festivals

Our guide to sipping, savouring, slurping, chomping and grazing your way through the year.

Karen Anderson

28 n Food and the City

Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution Jennifer Cockrall-King

32 n Keep it Up, Brainiacs –

Our future’s in your hands If anti-aging scientists have their way, we’ll be able to eat, drink and be merry ad infinitum.

Kate Zimmerman

34 n Learning Coffee – From Beans To Art

A barista competition shows there’s much more to coffee than just pouring it.

Jessica Patterson

47 n City Palate Crossword

Play to Win!

Cover artist: Pierre Lamielle is the author and illustrator of the humorous cookbook Kitchen Scraps.

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

5

have you entered? city palate’s

city palate editor Kathy Richardier (kathy@citypalate.ca) publisher Gail Norton (gail@citypalate.ca) magazine design Carol Slezak, Yellow Brick Studios (carol@citypalate.ca)

Show uS where you read uS

contributing editor Kate Zimmerman

photo contest

contributing writers Karen Anderson Shelley Boettcher Jennifer Cockrall-King Ellen Kelly Linda Kupecek Jessica Patterson Allan Shewchuk Julie Van Rosendaal Kate Zimmerman

closes February 1st!

contributing photographers Carol Slezak Doug Proctor advertising representatives Liz Tompkins (liz@citypalate.ca)

We wondered how far you’d go with city palate and a camera... turns out “pretty far” by the submissions we’ve received so far!

Submit a photo of yourself reading City Palate from wherever in the world you may be.

Going on a holiday? Don’t forget to take your Palate with you.

The winning snaps will be published in our March/April Travel Issue.

3 FabuLouS weekend reSorT paCkageS are up For grabS...

Janet Henderson (janet@citypalate.ca) Ellen Kelly (ellen@citypalate.ca) prepress/printing Calgary Colorpress distribution Gallant Distribution Systems Inc. The Globe and Mail website management Jane Pratico (jane@citypalate.ca)

A 2-night stay in The Winemaker’s Cottage at

A 2-night stay at Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts’

lAkE BREEzE VinEyARds

A 2-night stay at the exclusive

EMERAld lAkE lodgE

a naramata Bench Wine Farm

TinhoRn CREEk guEsT housE in oliver, BC

Plus... a tasty collection of gift baskets!

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 Phone 403-232-6767 Fax 403-262-3322 For advertising rates, information, letters, suggestions or ideas, contact us at the above phone or fax numbers.

Subscriptions are available for $35 per year within Canada and $45 per year outside Canada.

Editorial Enquiries: Please call 403-282-5376

aLL The JuICy ConTeST and prIze deTaILS are on our webSITe!

citypalate.ca

6

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

For questions or comments please contact us via our website:

citypalate.ca

contents City Palate January February 2012

departments

9 n word of mouth

Notable culinary happenings around town

11 n eat this

What to eat in January and February Ellen Kelly

12 n drink this

Delicious reds to banish the winter blues Shelley Boettcher

14 n get this

Shallon Cunningham

Must-have kitchen stuff

food photographer

Karen Anderson

ph 403.998.1447 e shallon@saltfoodphoto.com

16 n one ingredient

Oranges Julie Van Rosendaal

www.saltfoodphoto.com

18 n feeding

people

Cooking on the Cheap Linda Kupecek

38 n stockpot

Stirrings around Calgary

48 n 7 quick ways with...

Squash

50 n back burner... shewchuk on simmer

Leave my molecules alone!

Allan Shewchuk

join us on facebook

like us to win monthly prizes!

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

7

nourish REFRESHINGLY URBAN

119 12th avenue sw, downtown calgary | 403.206.9565 reservations | hotelarts.ca

8

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

word of mouth Notable culinary happenings around town

gold medal plates winners

eat very well at edible canada

It’s roughly six weeks into my culinary education adventures in France. My first week was spent in Paris with my sister. It was great to see the city again with fresh eyes... we ate amazing food, and some mediocre food too, and I have a list of places as long as my arm to go to once I head back to the city.

Following Paris, I WWOOFed (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in Le Bourmier, which is a hamlet beside Anlhiac in the Dordogne. It turned out that my host was an English woman! Activities included harvesting walnuts, working in the garden, making conserves, quince paste and jellies. She was almost as interested in food as I am, so we went to good restaurants, cooked a lot at home, and visited the local producers. I was sad to leave, but it was time to head south. I’m now WWOOFing at a farm five minutes from Caune-Minervois. I’ve discovered that not all WWOOF experiences are as good as the one I had in the Dordogne.

I may decide to leave here sooner than I had intended, and I’m hoping there’s another WWOOF host in the area who can take me on short notice if necessary. (Follow Charity’s adventures on her blog spot, charitymann.blogspot.com)

The judges at the Gold Medal Plates competition tasted 10 creative dishes from some of Calgary’s top chefs and chose three winners: gold medalist was Michael Dekker from Rouge restaurant with his very fun and tasty Foie Gras Sundae with tons of WOW! Foie gras ice cream sat on a foie gras torchon slice duded up with candied oats and a balsamic reduction.

Underneath it all lurked a burst of tang – rhubarb compote – that tarted up the rich foie gras in a perfect taste sensation that paired well with his choice of cabernet icewine from Stratus in Niagara. Rich and sinful, yes! The silver medal went to Jan Hrabec, of Crazyweed Kitchen in Canmore, whose Asian flavours sparkled in the mouth, and the bronze went to Justin Leboe, of Model Milk, whose shrimp and ham hock sausage set on top of grits studded with more shrimp and ham hock took you right to Louisiana.

Next time you’re in Vancouver – you know you’ll be there soon – have at least one meal at chef Eric Pateman’s great bistro, Edible Canada. It’s on Granville Island just across from the market – can’t miss it. One of the leading ambassadors of Canadian cuisine, chef Pateman founded Edible Vancouver in 2005, then expanded to become Edible B.C. Another big leap brings us to the present – Edible Canada, showcasing the best Canadian culinary artisans. Visit the bistro menus at ediblecanada.com.

While on Granville, tootle over to Ainsworth Custom Design at 1243 Cartwright, a very fun and funky place filled with the imaginative work of local artists, including a fellow named Sebastian Curadeau, who makes plush angry ice cream cones and much more out of glitter vinyl and leather.

We bought all of his knife key chains coated with red, gold and purple vinyl – blood red for human, gold for vampire and purple for alien.

See his stuff at conesandstuff.blogspot.com.

read this

Check out City Palate’s ad for this year’s Culinary Travel Grant on page 49, then go to our web site, citypalate.ca, to see how to apply.

do you have a mead horn?

Of course you don’t, but you can get yourself one at Chinook Arch Meadery, just west of Okotoks. A mead horn is a steer horn lined with beeswax so it doesn’t leak and it’s safe to drink from. And, naturally, you’ll drink Chinook’s good mead from it, starting with the Bodacious Black Currant and Buckaroo Buckwheat that won silver medals at the Northwest Wine Summit. And if you know someone who’s having a birthday and who has it all – a mead horn and a bottle of mead is something they don’t have. chinookhoney.com.

photo by Michael Allemeier

culinary travel grant update

a winner, once again Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts’ Emerald Lake Lodge has been chosen as one of the top two resorts in Canada by Condé Nast Traveler readers. It’s the third year in a row Emerald Lake has been chosen the number two resort in Canada in the Readers’ Choice Awards!

let the sun shine in If you haven’t visited Metrovino lately, you’re missing the beautiful, expanded space brightly lit by the natural light of day highlighting a spacious tasting counter and new education centre. We loved the cozy digs, but now it’s way better. Visit metrovino.com for classes and events.

Jennifer Cockrall-King is an avid gardener and Edmonton-based writer.

She blogs about food, travel and urban agriculture at foodgirl.ca. In the last three years, her interest in urban gardens has taken her to various parts of the world where urban and community gardens have taken root in a big way – Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, London, Paris, Vienna, Cuba – urban agriculture on a national scale – and closer to home in Calgary and Edmonton. The result of three years of research led to Food and The City: Urban Agriculture and The New Food Revolution that will be published in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K in February (Prometheus Books, $24.95, soft cover). To learn more about this important book – urban vegetable gardening and community gardens are seriously growing enterprises – read the excerpt on page 28.

PREGO’S cucina italiana lunch • dinner • before theatre • after theatre

Taste the tradition Eau Claire Market On the 2nd level

403-233-7885

YOGA MANDALA Not too Hot, Not too Cold Yoga that's Just Right for Every-Body Bring a friend and this ad for a two for one drop-in class 403-243-8830 In Marda Loop at; 3522A, 19th St. SW yogamandala.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

9

Say goodbye to sluggish winter mornings!

Big Mountain Coffee Premium Member’s Blend is locally roasted in small batches from premium organic arabica beans exclusively for Calgary Co-op.

Holy Crap is the world’s most amazing breakfast cereal.

Made from all natural and organic ingredients including chia, hemp hearts and buckwheat.

www.calgarycoop.com 10

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

eat this

Ellen Kelly

What to eat in January and February

In the new year, after the good china has been put away, meals can easily start to feel a little pedestrian. No more extravagant arrays of holiday cookies and, good grief, all that leftover turkey! For some of us, the beginning of the year is a welcome opportunity to rest our digestive tracts. There is no better restorative than soup.

With thanks to Lewis Carroll:

Beautiful Soup, so rich and green,

Waiting in a hot tureen!

Who for such dainties would not stoop?

The cabbage family provides us with several robust possibilities eminently suited to hearty winter soups. All are soup-worthy, but cauliflower is truly unrivaled. Thanks to Michael Smith (Fine English Cookery) for this simple yet charming soup. Trim 1 pure white cauliflower head and cut it into very small florets, about the size of the end of your thumb. Take the time to do this – the real delight of this soup is the texture created by all the tiny “curds.” Poach the florets in about 2 c. good chicken stock until cooked, but still firm. Remove from the broth with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 2 c. of whole milk to the liquid and bring to a boil. In another pan, melt 2 oz. butter and whisk in 1 oz. flour to make a roux.

Incorporate the flour well, but don’t let the paste brown.

Slowly whisk the hot liquid in until smooth, and simmer for 5 minutes or so, to cook out the flour taste. Add the cauliflower and reheat gently. Adjust the seasoning with salt, freshly ground white pepper and freshly ground nutmeg to taste.

This recipe will serve 2 to 4, depending on appetite, and is lovely with a garnish of buttery croutons and slices of hard-cooked egg.

Carrots are the sweetest cousins of the root vegetable panoply. Assisted by a couple of parsnips and some white wine, they become a sophisticated purée worthy of the toniest assemblage. Begin with 3 to 4 medium-sized carrots and 2 to 3 parsnips. Peel and cut them into large-ish pieces. Rough chop a medium-sized onion and toss, with the carrots and parsnips, into a heavy pot. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, until they become a little caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with 2 c. good dry white wine and continue to cook at a simmer until half the liquid is gone. Add 6 to 7 c. chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until the vegetables are very soft. Purée the vegetables in the pot with a hand-held blender and add salt and pepper to taste.

Heat through and serve the soup with a generous swirl of crème fraîche and a few sprigs of chervil.

The potato, beloved of winter tuber/root staples, is the most revered ingredient in the hearty soup pantheon. The mythically comforting qualities of the potato can’t be denied. A classic potato and leek soup takes on extra distinction in this garlicky Basque-inspired potage. Start with 10 trimmed and sliced leeks, 2 large peeled and diced russet potatoes, 4 to 5 peeled and thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1/4 c. good olive oil and a large bunch of fresh flat-leafed parsley. Put the leek trimmings and the parsley stalks into 2 litres of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes and strain. Bring the broth once more to a boil and add the leeks and potatoes. Salt, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft. Meanwhile, warm the garlic in the oil, careful not to brown. Mash the leek and potato a little and stir in the garlic and oil. Let the soup come to a boil and remove it from the heat. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg.

Garnish with lots of chopped fresh parsley. A scattering of bacon bits (only the real thing!) would not go amiss.

Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!

BUY: Look for cauliflower heads that are firm and compact, without any dark blemishes. If buying a white variety, choose one that’s bright white, without any yellowing.

TIPS: Cauliflower keeps very well in the refrigerator, but like most brassicas, will develop a slightly bitter taste if kept too long. Add a cup of milk to the cooking water to prevent any discolouration.

DID YOU KNOW? There are several interesting coloured varieties available in markets today, including green, orange (called “Cheddar”) and purple. Purple cauliflower will turn pale green when cooked, so don’t be too disappointed!

BUY: Avoid carrots that are limp, soft or cracked. They should be smooth and firm, without blemishes. You’ll often see in-season carrots with the green tops still attached. Remove the tops before storing; the greens will draw moisture and vitamins from the root if left on.

TIPS: Use the better-flavoured older and larger carrots for soups, stews and braises. Don’t store carrots with apples; ethylene gas emitted by the apples can cause carrots to develop a bitter taste.

DID YOU KNOW? Carrots are members of the parsley family – when you see the foliage, you’ll understand the connection. Carotene, a fat-soluble substance found in orange and yellow vegetables like carrots, most winter squashes and sweet potatoes, converts to vitamin A in the body and is essential for normal growth and good eyesight.

BUY: Look for potatoes that are firm and blemish free. Eschew potatoes that are wrinkled, soft, cracked or sprouted.

TIPS: Cool, dark, dry and well ventilated is best for storage. Though they like the same conditions, keep potatoes apart from onions or the potatoes will sprout.

DID YOU KNOW? Although a staple in South and Central America for thousands of years, the potato was a hard sell in Europe until the 16th century, due to its nefarious family connections – nightshade family. At that time, Sir Walter Raleigh planted potatoes on property he owned in Ireland and the rest is history.

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

11

drink this

Shelley Boettcher

Delicious reds to banish the winter blues

I’m the first to admit I’m not a snow bunny. I lose mittens.

My glasses fog up. I can’t skate well, and I’m terrified of crashing on skis, snowboards, toboggans and bad roads.

And don’t even get me started about how much I hate wearing a toque – I’m still scarred from the day my grade six crush saw me with “hat hair.” For me, the only great thing about winter is the opportunity to drink more red wine. Why red? It goes well with hearty winter foods – hot soups, stews, cassoulet, tagine, roast beef, lasagna. And red wine is typically served at room temperature, a treat in winter where anything chilled is, to me, generally unpleasant. No unpleasant stuff here. In no particular order, I offer you a dozen delicious reds, to help scare away winter’s chill.

Clos Du Val, Zinfandel 2009 Napa Valley, California $27 Clos Du Val is famous for its chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, but the winery also produces a 100-percent zinfandel that’s only available in Alberta. (I like to think that makes us special.) This big, hearty red features tons of jammy, spicy, fruity notes, but it’s well-balanced, with relatively low tannins. Enjoy it by itself, or with a steak, Spolumbo’s Italian sausages, spicy barbecue, lamb or even tomato-based pasta dishes.

Amalaya, Tinto de Altura 2009 Valle Calchaqui, Salta, Argentina $20 The word Amalaya apparently means “waiting for a miracle,” which is what I feel like I’m doing when winter just doesn’t want to end. The grapes used to make this red blend come from vines dating back more than 100 years; all are farmed biodynamically, without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Pair with steak, hard cheeses, or just enjoy it by itself.

Undervine, Central Pinot Noir 2009 Central Coast, California $30 to $35 Undervine is owned by a couple of Calgary-based wine pros who buy top-quality excess juice, then rent winery space in California. This is their first vintage, and it shows great promise. This pinot noir isn’t shy, as some are – it has plenty of rich cherry and leather notes. Try it with roast duck, cassoulet, or roast leg of lamb.

It will age for at least a few years, if you decide to stick it in the cellar.

Greenstone Vineyard, Shiraz 2007 Heathcote, Australia $33 Heathcote is about a 90-minute drive north of Melbourne – it’s both a wine region and the name of a town in the area. This incredibly elegant, restrained beauty has more in common with a delicate Rhone red than the jam-bomb reds that Auz has made famous. Give it a try if you love syrah. Drink now, by itself, or with roast lamb or chicken.

Bodega Juan Gil, El Petite Bonhomme 2010 Jumilla, Spain $15 This juicy crowd-pleaser comes from a former Montreal-born wine maker, Nathalie Bonhomme. (You can see that the name of the wine has nothing to do with Quebec’s cheery snowman.) Expect black pepper, dark fruit and meaty notes. Like Quebec’s snowman, this wine is approachable.

Pair with steak or barbecued ribs.

12

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Finca Decero, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina $23 Finca Decero means “starting from scratch” in Spanish. The winery was started in 2000, and it makes only red wines. Agrelo is a sub-region of Mendoza. Pair this complex, spicy cabernet with red meats; it’s made for steak.

Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Galilee, Israel $17 Israel, for most of us, makes headlines because of fighting. But I figure it should be making headlines for its vino. This big, edgy cabernet sauvignon, from Israel’s northern border, close to Lebanon, is perfect for pairing with roast beef, steak or hearty vegetable dishes such as roasted eggplant or stuffed peppers. A bonus for anyone who’s Jewish – the wine is kosher for Passover.

Colores del Sol, Malbec 2009 Mendoza, Argentina $15 This intense, bold, dark red beauty comes from some of the highest, driest and sunniest vineyards in the world – hence the name, which literally translates as “colours of the sun.” Pair with red meats, roasted vegetables, or just enjoy by itself.

Palacios Remondo, La Vendimia 2009 Rioja, Spain $19 More than just a pretty label, La Vendimia comes from Alvaro Palacios, one of Spain’s hottest wine makers. A blend of tempranillo and garnacha grapes, this wine spent only about six months in oak. Expect a fruity, interesting wine with hints of pencil shavings. It’s quite complex, considering the great price.

Michael David Winery, Petite Petit 2009 Lodi, California $27 From a family-owned winery that’s been in California since the 1860s, this big, bold blockbuster is dark red and loaded with blackberry and vanilla. It’s made from petite sirah (85 percent) and petit verdot (15 percent), hence the name. One to savour by itself on snowy nights.

Tbilvino, Ojaleshi 2007 Lechkhumi, Democratic Republic of Georgia $19 Here’s a rather unusual semi-sweet red wine from the Republic of Georgia. The tiny country is a former Soviet state; it borders the Black Sea and Turkey, and its claim to fame is that it has archeological evidence of wine making that dates back 8,000 years. From Georgia’s largest winery (the facilities are based in the capital city of Tbilisi), this wine would pair well with hard cheeses, nuts or a dessert of pound cake.

Baby, it’s cold outside, so why not stop by Crowfoot Wine & Spirits for the perfect bottle of wine to help you warm up and wind down after the busy holiday season. With sommeliers on staff and a wine boutique to satisfy any wine lover, we’re here year round. Stop by and see what we have in store.

C

Crowfoot Wine & Spirits Wine Boutique Vintage Boutique

Scotch Boutique

Beer Boutique

Event Centre

Crowfoot Main Hidden Valley Beddington West Market Downtown Douglas Square Heritage Pointe Strathmore Okotoks Panorama Hills www.crowfootliquor.com

Cupid-approved.

This Valentine’s Day, retreat to The Spa Ritual’s Asian-inspired decor and rejuvenating spa treatments, together.

Call or visit us online about Couples packages.

Gift certificates available online.

Telmo Rodriguez, LZ, 2009 Alavesa, Rioja, Spain $18 A darling of wine snobs, Telmo Rodriguez calls himself “the driving wine maker,” a reference to the fact he likes to cruise around Spain, looking for neglected but promising vineyards. A blend of tempranillo, garnacha and graciano, the LZ features savoury, spicy notes. Pair with lamb, steak, roast beef or hard cheeses.

Shelley Boettcher is the executive editor of Wine Access magazine, and a weekly wine columnist at the Calgary Herald. The second edition of her bestselling book, Uncorked: The Definitive Guide to Alberta’s Best Wines $25 and Under, will be published by Whitecap in Fall 2012. Follow her on Twitter @shelley_wine.

403.547.9558 | thesparitual.com 106 Crowfoot Terrace NW | Calgary, AB

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

13

get this get your goat Liberté goat milk butter is made with organic goat milk cream and sea salt. The taste is sweet and subtle.

Spread a thin layer on crostini and top it with lox, chopped shallots and capers for a canapé that keeps your guests guessing at the mystery ingredient.

Liberté Goat Milk Butter, $8.99/250g, Blush Lane Organic Market

cherries are ducky Biting into the first dark red cherry of summer and enjoying the sensation of its sweet juicy flesh is a sensual delight.

Diligent locavores will have frozen their own cherries, but for the rest of us, these Griottine Morello cherries in liqueur will do nicely. Drain them and put them in muffins and crêpes, eat them over ice cream or, for a real treat, use them in a sauce for duck breast. Start by scoring the skin and seasoning a couple of duck breasts with salt and pepper. Sauté them, skin-side down, until they’re golden brown. Drain the rendered fat (save it for future needs), turn the breasts and sauté the other side for 3 to 5 minutes, then place them in the oven to finish at 400ºF for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the rest of the fat from the pan; deglaze it with 1/4 c. port and 1/4 c. cherry liqueur from the bottle. Scrape up all the brown bits. Whisk 1 t. cornstarch with 1/2 c. orange juice, then add it to the pan. Bring the sauce to a quick boil, reduce it to a simmer, and when thickened, add 1/2 c. cherries without juice. Warm them and pour this lovely sauce over the freshly carved duck breasts. Garnish with a little orange zest. This will keep you going ‘til next cherry season.

Griottine Cherries, $45/500 ml, CRMR at Home

beyond measure This Nutritional Scale by Lee Valley Tools not only measures weight, but is programmed to provide precise nutritional data down to the gram for more than 2000 foods. It lists calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber and protein, and saves the data from several foods to calculate the tally of a complete meal. You can also add up your daily total for each nutritional parameter. The scale is about the size of an iPad, stores easily and can weigh up to 10 lbs. January calls for a lifestyle check-up for many of us – this little number will shed light on the quality of what we’re eating, even if it doesn’t shed our extra holiday pounds.

Nutritional Scale, $49.95, Lee Valley Tools

14

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Karen Anderson

Must-have kitchen stuff

bring on the heat King’s Heavenly Hot Sauce is just what you need to keep you warm in the depths of winter. It should be classified with a warning: caution – legal addictive substance. It’s that good. First you’ll find yourself spicing up a soup here or there, then you’ll start dipping dumplings and shrimp into it, and then you’ll start stir-frying everything just so you can add its flavour boost and warming kick of heat. Winter? What winter?

ALL WINTE N E R OP THURSDAY – SUNDAY b 9AM – 5PM 510 77TH AVE SE b CALGARYFARMERSMARKET.CA

King’s Heavenly Hot Sauce, $10.99/500ml, King’s Restaurant/Wonton King locations

the skinny on bergeron cheese Fromagerie Bergeron is new to Alberta, but has won the hearts of Les Quebecois for decades. A shop in Cochrane sells Bergeron cheeses exclusively and sampling is encouraged. There are curds and a poutine sauce mix to take home, pretty goat cheeses, aged cheddar with a distinctive bite, a wide selection of Dutch-style gouda, and the biggest surprise in the shop – a six-percent-fat gouda. Aptly named Six Pourcent, this award-winning gouda is a low-fat cheese with a creamy mouthfeel and satisfying flavour. What a great way to start the New Year.

Fromagerie Bergeron Six Pourcent Gouda, $1.75/100g, Fromagerie Bergeron, Cochrane

a sweet heart The old saying about the way to a lover’s heart being through the stomach might be something you want to explore this Valentine’s Day. A great homecooked meal has sealed many a relationship deal. This pretty Le Creuset heart-shaped casserole will set the tone for a romantic evening. Braise a beef bourguignon and serve it with fresh bread, a salad and a luscious red wine. Doing your prep ahead and delivering the finished product in this cupid-approved pot will allow you to save your smoothest moves for your sweetheart. Dessert could get interesting.

Le Creuset heart-shaped casserole, $215/1.9 l, Le Creuset store

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

15

one ingredient

Julie Van Rosendaal

Oranges

Rhubarb lets us know that spring has arrived. Strawberries signal summer, and fall is all about apples. But because oranges fly in from afar and are omnipresent in grocery stores year-round, they don’t get the same seasonal recognition their produce department compadres do. Citrus fruits are at their best in the bleak midwinter – just when we need a little something bright and sunny to perk us up.

If you pay attention, you’ll notice the orange section grow during the winter months.

Mandarins show up around Halloween. Among them are those family members known as clementines, and the squat, almost pear-shaped, loose-skinned Japanese satsumas. The tangerine arrives in early winter, at about the same time the Valencia orange makes way for the ever-popular navel orange, named for its bellybutton end and prized for its lack of seeds and thick, easy-to-peel skin.

Around Christmas, dramatically dark-fleshed blood oranges arrive. These Sicilian oranges stand out from the crowd with their burgundy interiors, but only once you slice into them; from the outside, they resemble any other thick-skinned orange, except for the odd red colouring that hints at what’s underneath. Bitter Seville oranges are high in pectin and, thus, are used mostly in making marmalade.

some D eals come in B ig packages fig.1

$400 ÷ 25 s new best friend = $16 a person

pig roast fig.2

real pints

er 20oz. craft be @ $7.25 pint = 36 cents/oz

own path Carve your 223-8th Ave. SW 403-265-3665 www.thelibertine.ca

Like other fruits, each orange variety has its own characteristics and unique flavour notes. Most are best when they’re heavy for their size. Once home, they’ll store well, another reason they are keepers throughout the winter.

In the kitchen, oranges are used as often for their zest as for their flesh. With a pronounced orange flavour, the grated zest delivers a bright citrus punch more effectively than the juice. When adding orange zest to a recipe, grate it finely (a Microplane or similar fine grater works perfectly) to release more of the flavourful oils. Beating the zest along with the butter and sugar for a cake, muffin or cookie recipe will release even more of its flavour and distribute it more effectively throughout the batter.

Whole oranges deserve more table space than they usually get; try serving slices or segments in salads, finely chopped into salsas, or lay slices atop a side of salmon as it roasts. The juice of all varieties does well in sauces, marinades, and vinaigrettes, and as part of the braising liquid for pork, lamb, chicken and beef.

Add orange juice in small quantities to soup stock, such as carrot-ginger, squash, or anything that will benefit from a sweet-acidic citrus lift. Rich duck loves the brightening power of orange.

Try tucking a halved orange and a few sprigs of rosemary into the cavity of a chicken before roasting it. Deglaze the pan with a dab of butter and a squeeze of orange juice after frying fish or searing scallops. For dessert, thinly sliced oranges top cakes and tarts before baking. Oranges can be poached or simmered in syrup and served on rice pudding, ice cream and panna cotta, or they can be used in place of lemon when you want your citrus less tart and more sweet.

And, remember to use your orange’s name when introducing your dish to family or friends. What’s in a name? The suggestion of intriguing citrus subtleties in your delicious dish – satsuma squares, blood orange cake, Seville marmalade, tangerine scallops. After all, an orange isn’t always just an orange.

Orangettes – candied orange peel dipped in chocolate Scrub navel oranges and carefully peel them, leaving the skins as intact as possible. Cut the peels into 1/3-inch wide strips and trim away the soft white pith. Put them into a medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil; drain and set aside. Add 1 c. sugar and 1/2 c. water to the pot and bring the water to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Return the strips of orange rind to the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, until soft and candied. Remove the rinds with tongs or a slotted spoon and set them on a wire rack over paper towels to dry overnight. Roll the candied rinds in sugar to coat, then dip them in melted chocolate if you like.

More ways with orange peel: n Freeze citrus peels in a Ziploc bag to use later for grating zest.

Use a fine Microplane grater to zest the peel while it’s still frozen. n Simmer strips of orange peel in a small pot of water with a cinnamon stick and a few cloves for DIY potpourri. n Strips of orange peel make great fire starters. The oil in the skin fuels the fire and smells delicious. Cut strips and let them dry before using.

16

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

recipe photos by Julie Van Rosendaal

Sticky Orange Chicken These bite-sized nuggets of sticky-sweet chicken are like take-out at home. Serve them with steamed rice and broccoli rabe, bok choy, broccoli slaw or spinach sautéed with garlic. zest and juice of a large orange 1/4 c. soy sauce 1 T. brown sugar 1 T. honey

Slow-Roasted Pork Carnitas with Orange and Milk Carnitas, or “little meats,” are most often made with braised chunks of flavourful meats like pork shoulder. The long, slow cooking time gives the tough connective tissues a chance to break down while the milk and orange act as tenderizers and flavour. Adapted from Epicurious.

2-3 lb. boneless pork shoulder (butt end) or boneless country pork ribs

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

canola or olive oil, or lard, for cooking

1/2-1 t. sambal oelek or Sriracha hot sauce

1 orange, washed and quartered

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized chunks

1 c. whole milk

canola oil, for cooking

In a small saucepan, stir together the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic and sambal oelek. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until it’s reduced and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

In a shallow bowl, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour. Heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Pour the sauce over the chicken, stir to coat, then cover and cook it for a few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and covered with a sticky glaze. Serve immediately with rice and veg or broccoli slaw. Serves 6.

3 5

Y E A R S

Pork:

2 t. grated fresh ginger

1/4 c. flour

C E L E B R A T I N G

salt and pepper

For serving: corn tortillas, warmed avocado, diced finely chopped onion salsa sour cream cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut the meat into a few chunks, heat a generous drizzle of oil or dab of lard in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides, transferring it to a baking dish as it browns. Squeeze the orange wedges over the meat and toss the rinds into the baking dish once it has browned. Pour the milk overtop, then add enough water to almost cover the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Pull the meat apart into smaller pieces, remove and discard the orange rind, and turn the oven up to 375°F. Roast the meat, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is crisp and browned on the edges.

Place the dish of pork directly on the table surrounded with the corn tortillas and accessories.

Let everyone dig in by piling pork, avocado, onion, salsa, sour cream and cilantro on their corn tortillas. Serves 8 to 10.

continued on page 44

EXPERIENCE SOMETHING UNIQUELY DELICIOUS For the connoisseur of everything “gourmet“ a stop at Willow Park Village is a must! All the perfect ingredients from sweet treats, delicious cheeses, seafood, award-winning restaurants, chef-prepared cuisine-to-go and fresh-baked bread to high-quality kitchen essentails can be found in one convenient stop.

www.wpv.ca Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for contests, specials and everything that’s happening at WPV!

@ willowparkshops

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

17

Right ac ro from Ch ss in ook Shoppin g Centr e... stop by before or after shoppin g.

New Meat & Vegetarian Menu!

Peking Duck, Dim Sum, Thai Curry, Combo from $24.90 Unique Veggie Ginger Beef and Veggie Dried Ribs Show this ad for a 10% discount on your meal (valid until Feb. 29, 2012; some conditions apply)

5802 Macleod Trail SW • 403-252-8830 • www.buddhasveggie.com Open Wednesday through Monday, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. • Closed Tuesday

feeding people

Linda Kupecek

Cooking on the cheap

You can cut corners, but you don’t have to suffer while doing it.

I suppose there are still people who dine on lobster, truffles and foie gras every day, quaffing hundred-dollar bottles of wine with the feast. I’m not one of those people. These days, my budget is more macaroni and cheese with beer.

In the 1940s, people across North America and Europe did without, while troops fought a world war. Today, Wall Street blunders, not war, have forced many of us into temporary lifestyle cutbacks. Life goes on, but maybe with a cute little chicken on the table, not a three foot high hunk of prime rib.

Many of us are looking for ways to cook decent meals without breaking the bank. After my Lulu Malone mystery novels (Deadly Dues and the upcoming Trashing the Trailer) sell a trillion copies, I may change my tune, but maybe not.

Once you get the hang of cooking frugally, it’s hard to break the habit.

Of course, it’s one thing to cook on the cheap. It’s entirely another to cook on the cheap and create meals that are edible and appealing, even as the wolf snarls at the door.

Before throwing in the towel and living entirely on Kraft Dinner, I devised a few rules for cutting corners in the kitchen so I can buy shoes instead.

1) Cook from scratch. Though time consuming, making your meals from the ground up is way healthier, and way cheaper, than warming up prepared foods.

Most City Palate readers probably cook meals without any processed food whatsoever in the mix. Me, I’m the other sort of reader. I used to scrabble together meals on a chicken wing and a prayer, using as many shortcuts as possible. Then I compared the cost of pre-cooked rice with plain old brown rice and I almost flipped upside-down into the supermarket buggy in horror at my past lavishness.

2) Go high fibre. Beans, brown rice and lentils are not only cheap eats, they’re also incredibly good for you and your cholesterol levels.

Years ago, when a fervent young physician mistakenly warned me that I was about to kick the bucket from high cholesterol, I dashed out and bought a hundred dollars worth of cookbooks devoted to low-cholesterol dining. Happily, I didn’t expire prematurely. I managed to cure myself with this investment because of the good, low-cost, high-health recipes within. I’ve made the money back 10 times over with the dough I’ve saved while cooking high fibre (translation: beans and brown rice) and low fat (translation: no more than five pounds of butter in a sauce, no matter how much I love Julia Child).

I’m ecstatic that I no longer need to cook dry lentils in a big soup pot. Hallelujah!

Now I can run off to a discount supermarket and buy a can of lentils – already cooked – for less than a dollar. Buy five of those and you have the makings of several perfectly respectable meals, as long as you doctor them tastily.

The basic recipes in all run-of-the-mill vegetarian cookbooks call for brown rice, kidney beans and lentils, but one can spice them up with apples, raisins, curry powder or chicken broth. I’m not saying the resulting meal will get you into Le Cordon Bleu, but it will feed a family, and nobody will die of malnutrition.

Throw in a can of sockeye salmon, bought on sale for two dollars, and your meal might actually approach the category of “yummy.”

3) Be inventive. A barbecued chicken from the supermarket deli may seem ho-hum to some and extravagant to others, but many of us stretch that bronzed bird into several meals. Those hot chickens go on sale regularly for about eight dollars. With a package of potato salad, you have a meal for a family for about ten bucks. Slice up bananas to go with it, and it’s almost healthy.

There are myriad ways to get three more meals out of that little cluck. I usually throw some pieces into a crockpot, with celery, onion, potato and a bit of chicken broth, for a comforting chicken soup. Or, I mix it into brown rice, frozen peas and frozen corn, with lots of salt, pepper, paprika and curry powder. Tossed into whole wheat pasta, with whatever veggies are hanging around in the fridge, that chicken has new style. If you’re inclined to go the low-calorie route, a bed of dressed romaine lettuce allows the chicken to have a little nap before going down the hatch.

I’m the sort of person who lies awake at night worrying about food poisoning, so I freeze whatever is left of the little bird after the second day.

18

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

4) Breakfast anytime. Scrambled eggs, pancakes or French toast can be a quick and economical supper on a day when a “regular” meal is impossible. Side benefit: the night owls in the house will love it, and wonder why they can’t eat like this all the time.

5) Freeze everything. Put every little bit of juice, vegetable, broth, meat or

poultry into meticulously labeled containers with date and contents. You never know when you will be standing in the kitchen, a glass of bargain chardonnay in hand, a pot in the other, and wondering just what sort of mélange you can whip together out of artichokes, chicken and butternut squash. This may be how great recipes are created (although, rarely in my home).

6) Bless the crockpot. It’s sort of retro, but oh, so handy. You can throw almost anything (including the above concoctions) into a crockpot, and as long as there is enough chicken broth (two dollars a carton when on sale), you have something halfway decent to feed a family, along with what, in great recipes, is called A Loaf of Crusty Bread, but in my house is called Whatever is Whole Wheat And On Sale This Week. Add barley and your cooking will be stylishly “rustic.”

7) Read M.F.K. Fisher’s How To Cook A Wolf.

This brilliant and wonderfully written book, which Fisher wrote in 1942, is chock-full of great recipes and witty strategies for surviving tough times. I’ve never gone as far as adding cooled soup and vegetable juices to a gin bottle in the freezer, but it sounds like a grand idea, especially if there is any gin left in the bottle. Much as I adore this book, I draw the line at baking my own bread.

Having said that, I’m intrigued by the recipes for War Cake and Tomato Soup Cake (which sounds weirdly appealing to a non-baker).

This is M.F.K. Fisher’s recipe, as she wrote it, from How to Cook a Wolf.

(Note the absence of eggs and butter.) Fisher writes: “It is very good with a glass of milk, I remember.”

War Cake 1/2 cup shortening (bacon grease can be used, because of the spices that hide its taste) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon other spices... cloves, mace, ginger, etc.

1 cup chopped raisins or other dried fruits... prunes, figs, etc.

1 cup sugar, brown or white 1 cup water 2 cups flour, white or whole wheat 1/4 teaspoon soda 2 teaspoons baking powder

Sift the flour, soda and baking powder. Put all the other ingredients in a pan, and bring to a boil. Cook five minutes. Cool thoroughly. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Bake 45 minutes or until done in a greased loaf-pan in a 325-350°F oven.

evolving simple ingredients

I confess that after a week of virtuous cheap cooking, I fling off the chains of parsimony, and skip down the aisles of Co-op, where I heft various parcels of fresh trout until I find the perfect one, which I carry home like a trophy and cook in olive oil and eat with risotto and asparagus. We all need a little treat now and again, or we would go totally bonkers.

M.F.K. Fisher’s words from half a century ago apply even today, in our fast-paced, high-tech society. “Yes, it is crazy, to sit savoring such impossibilities, while headlines yell at you and the wolf huffs through the keyhole. Yet now and then it cannot harm you, thus to enjoy a short respite from reality. And if by chance you can indeed find some anchovies, or a thick slice of rare beef and some brandy, or a bowl of pink curled shrimps, you are doubly blessed, to possess in this troubled life both the capacity and the wherewithal to forget it for a time.” Amen, M.F.K. One can always find a way to make the very worst of times the very best of times through inspiration, imagination, inventiveness, and a willingness to fall back on old, less-than-trendy standbys. Light a few candles, set a table, pull out the china and silver that you haven’t sold, and live in style, malgré tout!

Linda Kupecek is the author of The Rebel Cook: Entertaining Advice for the Clueless, and Deadly Dues, the first in the series of Lulu Malone mysteries, both from TouchWood Editions.

She is seriously inept in the kitchen, which never keeps her from writing about things culinary.

101, 899 Centre Street SW 403.984.2180 charcut.com

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

19

Great Cheap Eats Where some of our fave foodies go to get a great cheap eats fix to soothe their souls and wallets in the post-holiday doldrums.

Desmond Johnston, Brassica Mustard

My family loves T&T Supermarket in the Pacific Plaza shopping centre on 36th St. NE. The store offers a stand-alone food service counter where we can find everything from sushi to dim sum to braised pork hocks to whole cooked fish with sauce to barbecued duck, pork and chicken to congee... all to eat there or to go. It’s fresh, fun and excitingly delicious every time we go.

Al Drinkle, Metrovino Fine Wines

Despite having a particular liking for the great downtown pizza joints, I occasionally find myself careening along the bike paths by the river with a bottle or two in my backpack. The destination is Pizza Bob’s Classic Pie, 2610 Kensington Rd. NW, where there’s really tasty slice-pie, Friday night karaoke and no corkage fee. A full belly, an empty backpack and a wallet that sits somewhere in-between makes for a nice ride home.

Sal Howell, River Café

I have to admit that my favourite cheap eats are at Boxwood, 340 - 13th Ave. SW, in Central Memorial Park. Cheap eats is why it exists! We dine there with the children who love Joy’s noodles and the porchetta sandwiches. I’m particularly fond of the lemon lentils and Bethel’s ginger beer.

It’s quick and casual wholesome food for on-the-go or for sitting at the counter at lunch and dinner.

Karen Anderson, Calgary Food Tours

I love the lunch buffet at Juree’s Thai Place Restaurant, 2055 - 16th Ave. NW, for a cheap eats fix filled with authentic Thai flavours. For $12.95 you get spring rolls, soup, coconut rice, pad Thai, a vegetarian dish, two meat dishes, toasted coconut ice cream and green tea. I kid you not. The atmosphere is calming, the staff are caring and the quality is consistent. Juree Trentham, the owner, is a Thai native who learned to cook by working at a variety of resorts in Thailand. She also encourages the Thai nationals she sponsors to work in her kitchen to show off their best dishes. The pad Thai has a tamarind, soy, brown sugar sauce that is exactly what I crave. The green curries are hot and lively. The tom kha khai soup of chicken and vegetables has Thai herbs, like kaffir lime and lemongrass, bathed in coconut milk... mmmmm, satisfying. Juree’s is just the thing to help your post-holiday pocketbook and lift your spirits to get through another cold winter’s day.

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012 20 CITY PALATE january february 2011

Allan Shewchuk, lawyer and Italiphile cooking instructor Having travelled extensively, I’ve concluded that the universal purveyors of great cheap eats in almost every corner of the globe are the Lebanese. They are friendly and generous and love to see you happy and full. Nowhere is that truer than at Little Lebanon, 3515 - 17th Ave. SW, where donair and shawarma-type pockets are filled with chicken and other delights and baked as you wait. The hummus and stuffed grape leaves are the best I have had in years. The owners always offer a free sweet treat of baklava which perfectly tops off a garlicky taste extravaganza. They also cater with superb huge platters that are vegetarian friendly.

Grayson Sherman, Jelly Modern Doughnuts

Awesome Kitchen, 205 - 12th Ave. SW, is great for late-night tandoori chicken pizza by the slice. After a day surrounded by sweets, I drop in to Mirchi, 825 - 12th Ave. SW, for the shrimp curry. If you note a theme in my choices... yes, Indian is the new Italian.

Julie Van Rosendaal, Dinner with Julie blog

I love to go to Thi Thi for Vietnamese subs – an oldie but a goodie – and it has to be the one by the Harry Hayes building, 209 - 1st St. SE. I also love Little Lebanon, 3515 - 17th Ave. SW, for the wonderful salads and pockets of fresh flatbread filled with cheeses, chicken, meat. Everything I’ve had there is fab! And Mirchi, 825 - 12th Ave. SW, is not exactly a secret. I love the curries, naan, and Pakistani ribs – yum!

Shelley Boettcher, author of Uncorked: The Definitive Guide to Alberta’s Best Wines $25 and Under

I love the Danish-Canadian Club, 727 - 11th Ave. SW, for the affordable, all-you-can-eat brunch on Sundays. It’s not fancy or trendy, and if you ask the old-timers, nothing has changed at the club since the 1960s. (The art on the walls is definitely worth checking out.) We love it because everyone is always friendly, and it’s a great place to take the kids. My husband loads up on Danish open-face sandwiches (smorrebrod), we all have made-toorder omelets, and my kids eat their weight in aebleskiver (small, round Danish pancakes.) And there are danishes. Real ones. You don’t have to be Danish to go to the club, and you don’t have to have a membership, although you’ll probably want to join after you go a few times.

Pierre Lamielle, author of the cheeky cookbook Kitchen Scraps

I have lots of places where I get a great cheap eats fix, but I managed to whittle it down to five. The large chicken shawarma at Jimmy’s A&A Mediterranean Deli, 1401 - 20th Ave. NW, is a beast of a feast, loaded with juicy chicken, lots of fresh veg and as much creamy garlic sauce as you can handle. Eat it on a park bench so you can slop it all over and have a place to rest when you’re done.

The hand pies at the Bon Ton Meat Market, 1941 Uxbridge Dr. NW, come in a variety of flavours – pork, steak and kidney and chicken pot pie.

They’re just the right size for enjoying one or two. Okay, make it three, and a nap.

Bundle up and head to the Alley Burger Truck, which you’ll find on Twitter @alleyburger, and get a whole truck burger, a big, sloppy one, fully loaded. If you manage to find the truck, you also deserve a poutine sprinkled with spicy Portuguese seasoning salt.

There are lots of Vietnamese noodle shops, but Co Do, 1411 - 17th Ave. SW, has a big bowl of pho with extra beef tendon and a side of fried quails that makes me think of the scene with Harrison Ford eating noodles in Blade Runner.

The industrial park institution, King’s Wonton, 104 Meridian Rd. NE, slogs out buckets of the best wontons in the city. Get a super wor wonton soup for $10.99 and you’ll be able to hear the wontons sloshing around in your tummy all day.

Pam Fortier, Decadent Desserts

We both love to cook, so don’t go out to eat much. Even lunches tend to be leftovers, or home-made sandwiches on home-made bread. When I do need to get a lunch out, I get a sandwich from Rustic Sourdough Bakery, 305 - 17th Ave. SW. The bread is fresh and I can choose from good quality deli meats. I can get it dressed just as I like it. Not so exciting in the lettuce department – no arugula – but as close to home-made as I have found. I often eat only half of the large sandwich. The next day, I take the other half apart and re-toast the bread in the oven at the bakery to freshen it up, then put it back together. Winds up being $3.50 for each lunch.

Dave Thurgar, serial entrepreneur

About 10 years ago, a visiting chef friend introduced me to Village Pita Bakery. I liked it, but initially only went there if I was in the neighbourhood. Over the years it’s become my go-to place for something fast, tasty and inexpensive, and now I find reasons to make sure I’m in the area at lunch time. Owned and run by Abdel Rahman and his son Ramas, the place is first and foremost a bakery. There’s a small grocery section where you can find things like pickled turnip, fresh and dried dates, couscous and lots more interesting food. Then there’s the food counter with the typical shawarmas, but above the till is a sign advertising the featured pies – meat, spinach and za’atar, to name a few. Place your order and either Abdel or Ramas will scoot into the back, and by the time you’ve picked out a Middle Eastern beverage from the cooler, he’s back with your pie.

This is a large pita that’s been stuffed with filling, folded, then grilled like panini. The meat pie is my favourite – lean ground beef, parsley, tomato, onions and spices. To know what kind of spices they use, I’d have to buy the place – they’re a secret! With the pie comes a complimentary small dish of olives. You sit yourself down at the window-length counter, splash a little lemon juice and home-made hot sauce on your pie – I learned this from watching the locals – and enjoy one of the tastiest and most inexpensive meals in the city. While you’re eating, you can pretend to read the Middle Eastern newspapers, since that’s all there are. You’ll be very surprised at the amount of change you get from a $10 note. It’s in Short Pants Plaza at Memorial Dr. and 28th St. SE. ✤

Join Nicco and his international staff for exceptional service as they globetrot you through the wine world at Eau Claire Wine Market Specialty spirits and beer also offered

1040-8TH STREET SW PHONE: 403.265.0244 www.bumpyscafe.com HOURS: M-F 6:30-5 • S&S 7:30-4 CLOSED HOLIDAYS

Award winning espresso, cappuccinos, and lattes.

We always pull you the best espresso shot – minimum double shots in our drinks.

Muffins - Fresh baked, from scratch, all morning.

Soul warming oatmeal – over 25 toppings to choose from.

Fresh grilled Panini’s, homemade Mac & Cheese.

Gooey Grilled Cheese, just like home.

Made from scratch goodies – like Grandma’s Where service & cleanliness come first.

Great shaded patio.

Make yourself at home at Bumpy’s.

EAT-IN TAKE-AWAY CATERING

tel 403-262-9463 eauclairewine@shaw.ca

Just inside the Eau Claire Mall southwest entrance across from the Sheraton

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

21

Watching Your Waste A foodie explains why “I hate wasting food.”

by Julie Van Rosendaal

Food is a really big deal these days. Chefs, food writers and TV cooks are the new rock stars. The cookbook market has expanded to food blogs, online food magazines and recipe apps, cooking schools are overflowing, and new restaurants are opening like crazy. We’re becoming more nutritionally savvy and more inclined to eat locally, connecting with the sources of our food through local farmers and producers. We spend time growing what we can in our back yards and in community gardens.

Unfortunately, for all our celebration of food, we also throw out more of it than ever before.

While discussing the issue of food security (adequate access to food) a couple years ago with writer and food activist Barbara Kingsolver, author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, she pointed out that we tend to make our meal choices based on what we feel like eating – what we’re in the mood for – rather than on what’s in season, what’s available, or what needs to be used up in the fridge. She was right. It used to be that dinner came from whatever we had on hand. Now that we have a vast array of choices, we treat food as if it’s easily expendable.

I’ve always hated wasting food. I embrace leftovers with a McGyver-like enthusiasm to transform them into something new. Although I wasn’t alive during the Depression, nor did I have parents who enforced the cleaning of our plates, l’ll orchestrate an entire meal around a bunch of cilantro that’s about to go slimy rather than toss it into the compost bin. It’s common for most of us to dig through our crispers and venture to the back of the fridge, culling the contents on a regular basis. It’s routine to regularly toss all that is starting to wilt or nearing its expiry/best-before date, whether the package has been opened or not.

Waste begins with production. David Suzuki’s web site tells us that about a third of the produce grown in North America isn’t esthetically pleasing enough to be sold fresh in our grocery stores – deformed carrots and unevenly coloured or misshapen apples aren’t sufficiently pretty for picky consumers. And if they do make the cut and are put on display, many perishables get damaged or are simply not sold before they’re deemed to be overripe or have passed their “best-by” dates.

The cycle continues at home. Last year, an article in the Toronto Star noted that Canadians toss out about 40 percent of their edibles every year. Wasted food most often winds up in landfills, where it rots and produces methane, one of the worst of the greenhouse gasses. It’s the same story worldwide – a study released in 2011 by the United Nation’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) pegged global food waste at about one-third of the food produced for human consumption – equal to about 1.3 billion tonnes per year.

There are plenty of contributing factors, especially in North America. They include “big box” stores that offer price breaks if we buy in enormous quantities, walk-in pantries and home freezers the size of small cars, the stigma of eating leftovers, and eating what we’re in the mood for or what’s convenient, as Kingsolver noted, rather than what’s on the verge of decomposing in the crisper. If we want to try a new recipe, we’ll happily go to the store in search of the required ingredients rather than to the kitchen to use what we already have. Our Depression-era forebearers must be rolling in their graves.

To counteract these wasteful habits, we should adopt the practice of mindful cooking. Like mindful eating, it focuses on using what’s local and seasonal – and already available in your kitchen. We can make soup out of just about anything. We can pickle bits of veg and turn small quantities of overripe fruit into smoothies or add a bit of sugar and cook it into jam. Most food that’s nearing the end of its lifespan can be tossed into the freezer until we have time to incorporate it into a meal. Gleaning – a farming term that refers to the act of picking what’s left from a field that has already been harvested – has become a new foodie term that could as easily apply to our home kitchens. When it seems like there isn’t a thing in the house to eat, there’s probably plenty.

Fresh parsley: toss a handful into hummus, soup, salad, stew – or freeze to use in cooked dishes later.

Fresh herbs: spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and dry them in the oven – on the lowest possible heat – for 2 to 4 hours. Store in jars or small containers once the herbs are completely dried.

Lettuce: cut off the stem end and put it in a glass or bowl of water. If all else fails, add it to soup or make Lettuce and Pea Soup (see page 36).

Cucumbers: thinly slice them into a jar, add a peeled garlic clove or a few mustard seeds and a big pinch of coarse salt. Simmer two parts apple cider or rice vinegar with one part sugar; when the sugar dissolves, pour the liquid over the cucumber slices. Cool and refrigerate.

Peppers: when they start to go wrinkly, chop them and toss them in the freezer to add to soups and stews. Or roast them: cut them in half, pull out the seeds and roast the peppers at 450°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin bubbles and starts to blacken. Cool them in a covered bowl, then peel off the skins and store the peppers in the fridge or freezer.

Stale bread: tear it into chunks and whiz it into crumbs, or use it to make a strata or French toast. You can also cube the bread, toss it with oil and toast it until golden to make croutons for your salads and soups.

Here are a few good uses for the usual suspects that are likely hiding in your fridge. Also, check out a funky web site from the U.K. called lovefoodhatewaste.com for good tips on how to waste less food at home, save money and help the environment. continued on page 36

In vino veritas.

Left over lasagna... my favourite.

Did you make it?

Don’t say you bought it.

Goes well with your homemade Pinot Grigio.

Illustration by François Richardier

Thank you so much for inviting me.

22

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

The Real Italian Experience Full Specialty Grocery Line In-store Bakery Deli Meats & Cheeses Salad Bar ~ Antipasti ~ Olives Imported Olive Oils & Balsamics Fresh Produce Cappuccino & Dessert Bar In-store hot & cold lunches Home made take home dinners Ceramics and Kitchenware Catering & Gift Baskets

Good food, Good wine, Good friends...that’s Boccavino!

Full menu including: Antipasti & Our Signature Rosticini Pasta Risotti Seafood Authentic Pizza Veal Dishes Chicken & Steak dishes

All day Happy Hour Sundays & Mondays 2202 Centre Street NE 403.277.9166 www.linasmarket.com

2220 Centre Street NE (beside Lina’s Italian Market)

Mark your calendars

April 25, 2012 the

sharp

foundation

403.276.2030

www.boccavino.com

the

SHARP

foundation

entice Worth the Splurge FIVE CoursE TasTIng MEnus & WInE PaIrIngs

1126 memorial drive nw, kensington calgary | 403.228.4442 reservations | kensingtonriversideinn.com

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

23

Have an unsentimental Valentine’s Day

by Kathy Richardier

Down with sentimentality!

Down with the same old expectations!

Down with the same old Valentine’s Day gifts!

You should be showing your love to your loved ones 24/7/365... and you know it! But Valentine’s Day appears right on schedule just like every other “special” day of the year. This year, we urge you to look upon Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to do something different, something unexpected, something that doesn’t fulfill those pre-conceived expectations that breathe the faintest whiff of “bogus” if you think about it just a bit.

We’ve assembled a collection of possibilities to put a tickle of surprise and fun into your Valentine’s Day and take the pressure off the expectation to spend whacks of money to “prove” your love. There are always those who believe that proof of love is chocolates, roses and dinners in expensive restaurants, but there’s no help for them, so we won’t even try.

For the rest of you, spend your dough in unexpected and fun, even silly ways, rather than on that expected diamond bracelet (nothing wrong with that, of course).

1. Take your loved one on a “mystery date.” I was once whisked away on a mystery dinner date to a German restaurant celebrating Oktoberfest in March... in Carbon, Alberta. Carbon! You don’t reveal the date, but you should know if your loved one is likely to be up for such an adventure.

2. If you both like to cook, or you want to get your loved one more interested in cooking, sign up for a cooking class in your very own home with Cordon Bleu-trained chef Patrick Dunn, InterCourse Chef Services, inter-course.ca. Better yet ... sign up for his class on Aphrodisiacs for Lovers!

3. Take the cook in your family to buy the perfect, professional-quality chef’s knife, then give the cook the night off and use it to make dinner.

4. Take your loved one out to eat the tastiest cheap food you can find – but only if he/she has a sense of humour.

(For a round-up of places to find great cheap eats, go to page 20.)

5. Buy a great bottle of champagne and drink it out of small canning jars while you go for laughs watching the French Delicatessen, or get totally creeped out watching the Canadian/French Splice.

6. Alternatively, drink that great champagne out of canning jars while sitting on the sofa, facing each other, reading books, snuggling your feet against each other’s tummies to keep them warm. A little foot massaging doesn’t hurt either.

7. We all know that, since life is short, we should eat dessert first. Cook your sweetie’s favourite dinner and serve dessert first!

OR, take your sweetie to a restaurant you both like and order dessert first. See if it causes a bit of a kerfuffle among the staff.

8. If you’ve got young kids, buy your loved one the gift of time and self-indulgence – a day at the spa,

or even just a couple of hours with her/his favourite book in a fave coffee house while you look after the kids.

9. Take your lover on a Valentine’s Day picnic – despite the weather.

10. If you and your true love aren’t shy about really good food presented in a really sexual manner, you’ll love the outrageous Erotic Valentine’s Dinner hosted by PaSu Farm, February 10 and 11. As owner Patrick de Rosemond says, “It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.” But it might be yours. Food and sex... what a notion! Not just for Valentine’s Day either... (This could be a mystery date, see item #1)

11. Take your sweetheart to see a really different kind of play at Theatre Junction in the Grand Theatre. February 15 to 25

features Attempts on Her Life, one of the high points of experimental theatre written in the last quarter century (so the blurb says).

12. But if you really MUST get all romantic, you can take your true love on a week-long tour of the Périgord region of France with Cuisine et Château, a French Culinary Journey, where you’ll stay in a historic French château and immerse yourself in French food and culture. C’est très bon, ça! Visit cuisineandchateau.com. ✤

24

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

but more fun ancy February 11, 2012 • 6 PM till midnight Join us for a night of culture, cuisine and cocktails in support of Glenbow Museum. For tickets and information, visit glenbow.org/schmancy or call 403 268 4188

Prix Fixe Menu $39.95 Tuesday – Thursday Evenings 1900 Heritage Dr SW Calgary

•

Reservations 403.268.8607

•

www.HeritagePark.ca

PROJECT: 3316469 Schmancy Funding Event FILE NAME: 3316469 Schmancy_CityPalate_Ad.indd EXECUTION: 3316469 Schmancy_CityPalate_Ad.pdf PUBLICATION: City Palate ART SCALE: 1:1 TRIM SIZE: 4.625” x 3.75” BLEED SIZE: n/a

2

STUDIO ACCT MANAGER MANAGER

CLIENT

vy

C

M

Y

K

PRInTED aT 100%

11 CALGARY LOCATIONS INCLUDING NEW STORES AT ASPEN LANDING AND CHINOOK CENTRE www.bernardcallebaut.com

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

25

A feast of Food and Wine Festivals Our guide to sipping, savouring, slurping, chomping and grazing your way through the year.

The Lilac Festival

Event: Date:

You can eat your way around the world with the offerings of 4th Street’s 35 ethnically diverse restaurants while enjoying free concerts and busking.

Website: lilacfestival.net

On the menu:

JUNE

by Karen Anderson In October, Calgary was named a 2012 Culture Capital of Canada by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore. That designation by the federal government augments the $2 million in grants and arts funding our mayor and city council have allotted to celebrating and growing our city’s culture scene. Since food and culture are intrinsically linked, we have compiled this listing of great food, wine and cultural festivals taking place in 2012 in and around Calgary to help facilitate your engagement in this aspect of city life. You’ll see that there’s a lot more to Calgary’s food scene than the flapjacks flipped at the hundreds of Stampede breakfasts this city generously hosts each year. We’ve had private wine stores flourishing since the 1980s, our chefs have put us on the global map with both prairie and Rocky Mountain regional cuisine, and we enjoy a booming restaurant scene that reflects our ethnic diversity. So, go ahead and sip, savour, slurp, chomp and graze your way through 2012.

The Calgary Ukrainian Festival

Event: Date:

Zabava means party in Ukrainian and that always involves dancing, drinking and food. Tickets for the annual zabava sell out fast.

Website: calgaryukrainianfestival.ca On the menu:

Carifest Calgary

Event:

Date:

February 10

Place: The streets and restaurants of Chinatown

Dim sum, Chinese New Year’s banquets, street food and a colourful parade and entertainment at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre.

Website: culturalcentre.ca On the menu:

Winefest

Event: Date:

February 24 & 25 Place: The BMO Centre, Stampede Park

An all-inclusive price includes your wine samples, hors d’oeuvres, a complimentary Riedel wine glass and tasting notebook.

Website: celebratewinefest.com On the Menu:

MARCH Date:

The Calgary Co-op Grape Escape

Event:

Dates: March

All you can eat and drink – products from more than 60 beer, wine and liquor representatives.

Website: coopwinesandspirits.com/events

APRIL

Salut Wine+Food Festival

Event: Date:

The organizers of this festival challenge Calgary’s best restaurants and bars to make food and wine affordable and accessible. Celebrity chefs host special events and the mood is playful and fun.

Website: salutwinefestival.com On the menu:

Event:

A Quebecois-themed cultural festival that corresponds with Carnaval de Quebec each year. The price includes musical entertainment, a buffet of Quebec favourites and a piece of maple taffy the kids can help make in the snow.

Website: acfa-calgary.ca

The Calgary Philharmonic Cork & Canvas Art & Wine Festival

Calgary International Beerfest

Date:

March 6, 7 & 9 Place: Willow Park Wine & Spirits, Date:

La Chaumiere & the Calgary Petroleum Club

41% of the CPO’s earned revenue comes from this event which features an exclusive wine tasting at Willow Park, luncheon at La Chaumiere and gala dinner and art auction at the Petroleum Club. The art that will be auctioned is already on the CPO website and is of masterpiece quality. Food plus art equals keeping classical music live in our city. That’s a winning formula.

Website: cpo-live.com On the menu:

26

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

May 4 & 5

Place: The BMO Centre, Stampede Park

More than 200 different types of beer, beer seminars and sampling of food. Entertainment is provided and each guest will receive an official Calgary International Beerfest sample mug to use throughout the event and take home afterwards.

Website: get-a-life.ca/calgarybeerfest On the menu:

Greek Festival

Event: Date:

mid-june*

Place: Calgary Hellenic Centre

Greek festivals are about philoxenia – generosity to strangers – and are a great excuse to dance, drink and eat.

Website: calgaryhellenic.com On the menu:

Event:

City Palate’s 2nd Annual Pig & Pinot Festival

Date:

June 21

Place: TBA - in City Palate

4 teams of 2 chefs are given a heritage breed pig to cook as they please. The teams are matched with a wine store that pairs pinot noirs and pinot blancs to perfectly match the divine swine.

Money raised benefits a different local charity each year.

Website: citypalate.ca On the menu:

JULY

The 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede

Date:

July 6 - 15

Event:

Place: Stampede Park & the whole rootin’ tootin’ town!

Pancake breakfasts, beef on a bun for lunch and barbecues every evening. Don’t forget about the midway food and local and celebrity chefs who cook and offer samples at the Stampede Kitchen showcase.

Website: calgarystampede.com On the menu:

Event:

10 days in April*

Place: A variety of restaurants and bars in Calgary

March*

On the menu:

Now in its 31st year in Calgary, patrons enjoy everything from movies, parades, reggae and gospel music and, of course, Caribbean food.

Website: carifestcalgary.com On the menu:

On the menu:

MAY

Place: Canada Olympic Park

23 & 24

Place: The BMO Centre, Stampede Park

Calgary Maple Festival des Sucres

Event:

June 11

Place: Shaw Millennium Park

FEBRUARY

Chinese New Year 2012: The Year of the Dragon

June 1 & 2

Place: Acadia Recreation Complex

Date:

Event:

May 27

Place: 4th Street SW

The Lake Louise Wine Summit

Event: Date:

May 24 - 27

Place: The Post Hotel and Spa

Premiere wines from the Old and New World, a black tie gala fundraiser for Kids Cancer Care and the deluxe accommodation and cuisine you’d expect from Alberta’s only 5-star Relais & Château hotel and restaurant.

Website: winesummitlakelouise.com On the menu:

Event:

Calgary Turkish Festival

July 14 & 15 Place: Eau Claire Festival Plaza Date:

Music, whirling dervishes and delicious Turkish specialties.

Website: calgaryturkishfestival.com On the menu:

Kensington Sun & Salsa Festival

The 105th Priddis & Millarville Country Fair

Baconfest

Event:

Event:

Event:

Date:

Date:

August 18 Place: Millarville Race Track

Date:

late September* Place: Bowness Community Centre

This is about where your food comes from, celebrating heritage recipes and new recipes, garden produce and, of course, a pie-eating contest and pie auction.

Don’t just visit – everyone’s welcome to enter something in the competitions and become a participant in one of Canada’s longest-running agricultural fairs.

Website: millarvilleracetrack.com

On the menu:

July 22 Place: Kensington Road & 10th Street NW

Over 500 gallons of salsa in 40 different varieties. You buy $3 worth of chips and taste to your heart’s content while enjoying a real street fair and six Latino bands spread throughout the community.

Website: visitkensington.com On the menu:

AUGUST

Inglewood Sunfest

Event: Date:

August 4

Place: 9th Avenue SE

This is the kickoff of the Fringe Festival, so you’ll see street performers, fashion shows, vintage cars, the area’s own version of “antiques road show” and lots of great food from the neighbourhood restaurants.

Website: inglewoodsunfest.com On the menu:

Afrikadey!

Event: Date:

Second week of August*

Place: Prince’s Island and venues around the city

African music, movies, dance and African food.

Website: afrikadey.com On the menu:

The 12th Annual Chinatown Street Festival

Event: Date:

August 11 Place: Chinatown

It started as a celebration of the reopening of the Centre St. bridge in 2000, and has just kept on gaining popularity for its street food and entertainment galore.

Website: chinatowncalgary.com On the menu:

Marda Gras Street Festival

Event: Date:

August 12 Place: Marda Loop

Bourbon St. in Calgary for all ages, with all the restaurant patios on 33rd Ave. and 34th Ave. open, plus more than 150 street vendors.

Website: mardaloopbrz.ca On the menu:

Taste of Calgary

Event:

On the menu:

Expo Latino

Event: Date:

A food fair of Latino favourites, live bands, dancing, art market, and a beer garden.

Website: hispanicarts.com On the menu:

India Fest

Event: Date:

This outdoor festival will be in its 16th year with musical entertainment and a mix of exotic global cuisine. The money raised goes to four local charities each year and each vendor must have at least one $2 offering.

Website: tasteofcalgary.com On the menu:

Globalfest

Event:

a showcase of South Asian food, art, fashion, music, dance and culture which is family oriented and donates a portion of the proceeds to a different charity annually.

Website: indiafestab.com On the menu:

The Food Truck Festival

Event: Date:

AUGUST* Place: Stephen Avenue

Really tasty street food and a frenzy of people excited to get it all in one location.

Take your friends, divide and conquer, or just people watch in the line ups. It’s fun, good quality food.

Website: yycfoodtrucks.com On the menu:

SEPTEMBER

The Calgary Highland Games

Event: Date:

The world’s leaders in pyrotechnics are chosen to compete in this outstanding international fireworks festival which is also a world youth leadership and accessible multicultural experience. You’ll find an international café, beer garden, treats like deluxe waffles, kettle corn, MacKay’s Ice Cream and Fiasco gelato on the grounds. One of the biggest opportunities for those that don’t typically meander to 17th Ave. SE is all the little hole-in-thewall eateries with street food on offer during each evening of the festival. Stroll Calgary’s “International Avenue” and get a taste of our truly diverse city.

Website: globalfest.ca On the menu:

September 1

Place: Springbank Park for All Seasons

Whether it’s the games themselves or their boast of “the best beer garden in western Canada,” even The Rick Mercer Report checks out this event.

Website: calgaryhighlandgames.org On the menu:

20th Annual BBQ on the Bow Festival

Event: Date:

September 2 Place: Eau Claire Festival Market

The Alberta Championship for real southern barbecue – the noun – smoked low and slow over charcoal and wood, Kansas City-style.

Look for pulled pork, beef brisket and racks of ribs from the vendors on site.

Website: bbqonthebow.com On the menu:

Date:

August 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 Place: Elliston Park, 17th Avenue SE

August 26

Place: Shaw Millennium Park

Date:

August 16 - 19 Place: Eau Claire Festival Plaza

August 23 - 26

Place: Prince’s Island Park

Slow Food Calgary’s Feast of Fields

Event:

a bacon-eating contest, a chef’s competition, people in bacon costumes, music and beer, all in aid of bringing a jazz and food festival to town. The inaugural year saw an overwhelming response and the organizers say they’ll be ready this year with lower prices and lots more bacon, now that they know there are more than 2000 bacon lovers in our city.

Website: baconfestcanada.com

OCTOBER

Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival

Event: Date:

October 12 & 13

Place: The BMO Centre, Stampede Park

200 exhibitors showcase the latest and greatest beverage products with prices ranging from great value to uber expensive. There’s even an onsite liquor store so you can take home the things you liked best. Local restaurants show off their best and balance the evening nicely.

Website: rockymountainwine.com

On the menu:

The Fairmont Banff Springs 21st Annual International Festival of Wine and Food

Date:

October 26 - 28

Event:

Place: The Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff

Last year’s 20th anniversary of this “grande dame” of food and wine festivals included a three-day journey of intimate tastings from Dom Perignon, Miguel Torres, Cedar Creek Estates, Clos Du Val, Maculan, Lagarde and Glenmorangie Whisky precisely paired with modern and regionally inspired cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs from Top Chef Canada. The package includes two-nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily, two intimate lunches complete with wine pairings, Friday night vintner’s reception and Saturday night Gala Dinner, six formal wine tastings, culinary demonstration and wine pairing, valet parking, and gratuities.

Website: fairmont.com/banffsprings/hotelpackages

On the menu:

NOVEMBER

The Calgary Co-op Grape Escape

Event:

Dates: November

All you can eat and drink – products from more than 60 beer, wine and liquor representatives.

Website: coopwinesandspirits.com/events On the menu:

all year long Event:

Okanagan Wine Festivals spring, summer, fall & winter throughout the Okanagan Valley

Date:

Dates:

20 of the city’s best chefs showcase the bountiful harvest of more than 75 local producers serving small plate offerings with “local” wines from the Okanagan and Niagara while everyone chills to the sounds of smooth jazz in the garden. Unlike many festivals, there are no coupons to buy, so once you enter the garden and receive your plate, fork and wine glass you can relax, taste and visit the afternoon away.

Website: slowfoodcalgary.ca

On the menu:

September 9 Place: Rouge Restaurant, 1240 - 8th Avenue SE – in the garden On the menu:

16 & 17

Place: The BMO Centre, Stampede Park

Place:

The Okanagan Valley celebrates each season of wine – the “waking of the vines,” outdoor wine tastings, harvest, and winter activities when the vines are “sleeping” – with festivals, parties and activities for all.

Website: thewinefestivals.com

*Specific date not available at the time of printing.

Karen Anderson is the owner of Calgary Food Tours.

She also connects city folk with farm folk through City Palate Foodie Tootles, which she organizes and hosts.

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

27

Food and the City Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution

Urban gardens, Hillhurst-Sunnyside, Calgary

Story and photos by Jennifer Cockrall-King

As a food writer with a serious passion for gardening, I have long been in the habit of stopping to talk with anyone watering a few pots of rosemary and basil on the patio. Several minutes later, we’d still be trading stories about what interesting edibles could be grown with the right amount of obsessive coddling.

About five years ago, I started noticing more tomatoes and cucumber vines twisting around condo balcony railings where previously there had only been the usual flowerpot standards of geraniums and lobelia. Then a few maverick homeowners ripped up their front lawns and replaced them with tidy rows of pole beans, peas, and carrots. Other urbanites were not-so-subtly defying city bylaws and keeping chickens and beehives in backyards. Finally, it was impossible to ignore how community gardens continued to mushroom in size and quantity, not just in my hometown of Edmonton, but in other cities I visited.

28

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Before long, I was obsessed with finding food growing in cities in unexpected places and ways. I wanted to delve into the question of why there seemed to be a growing number of urbanites suddenly investing time and energy in growing veggie gardens, and even keeping a few laying hens or beehives in the city.

Once I started following the thread of urban agriculture, it was all I could do to keep up. I was bombarded with email updates from my friends with news about their urban chickens, complete with glamour photos of the laying hens and boasts about egg counts. My friend Patty Milligan – aka Lola Canola – reported that she couldn’t keep up with requests for her beginner urban beekeeper courses, and Jeremy, a 13-year-old friend who lives in the Okanagan, finally convinced his parents that his fascination with bees and honey wasn’t just a phase. (His two wooden beekeeping hive boxes, which he skillfully hand painted with cartoon bees and flowers, are thriving and producing lavender- and mint-scented urban honey.)

And I watched how, within a few short years, it seemed as if the social event of the year – for urban hipsters, community activists, and baby boomers alike – had become the springtime seed exchange in communities all over North America. continued on page 30

A Great Wine Store New Arrivals

Ferrando (Piedmont), Pfeffengen (Pfalz), Summers (California), Williams Selyem (California), Donelan (California), Betz (Washington) Tesseron Cognac

Upcoming Tastings Jan. 15- Fleur de Sel Champagne Party ($250) Jan 27 - Conterno Fantino Barolo Ginestra Vertical (98,99,00,01, 03, 05 / $60) Feb 24 - Jim Barry The Armagh Vertical (98,99,00,01,04,05,06 / $75) Mar 16 - 21+ Club Single Malt Tasting ($125) See our website for details.

BIN 905

Distinctive Wines and Spirits

2311-4th Street SW 403.261.1600 / bin905.com

in association with the

Naramata BeNch WiNeries associatioN presents

Flavours oF Bc’s Naramata BeNch

PROVOKE YOUR PALATE meet the WiNemakers sample 40 WiNes

eNJoy gourmet caNapés

JaNuary 26, 2012

VIP TasTIng | 6Pm PublIc TasTIng | 7Pm

tickets From

$95

atplive.com eveNts

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

29

Food and The City continued from page 28

Heading out on the road, I travelled to cities at the forefront of taking back their food systems and adapting them to an urban environment. I sought out the forward-thinking pioneers who had been working in the urban agriculture movement, as well as the fresh-faced newcomers oozing enthusiasm.

I spent time in well-known hotspots of urban agriculture in North America, such as Vancouver, where 42 percent of households grow food in their yards at home, and Toronto, where 40 percent grow food in their yards. I was fascinated by the game-changing projects taking root in unlikely places like Milwaukee, Detroit, and Chicago. I ventured as far away as I could, to the United Kingdom, where I met Mark Ridsdill Smith who grows thousands of dollars worth of fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs on his six-foot-bynine-foot balcony and in a few window boxes in his London flat. In turn, he introduced me to Azul-Valerie Thome, whose “Food from the Sky” is essentially a farm on the rooftop of a grocery store so that vegetables can be picked, packed, and purchased within just a few hours from dirt to display cooler. I obsessed over the burgeoning urban wine movement in London, only to find that urban vineyards were everywhere in Paris (132 in the greater Paris region) and as far away as Vienna (1,700 acres under vine within the city limits). I also found a thriving urban beekeeping community in Paris, helped along by a decadelong ban on chemical pesticide use in the city limits.

Urban gardens, Paris, France

Growing Public Orchards: Calgary, Alberta It’s infuriating when deer maraud through the pea- or corn-patch and nibble it down to stubs. But nature can be forgiven, the human element, not so much. Produce-napping and unauthorized gleaning in any community garden or urban farm is no more welcome than vandalism.

Talking to community gardeners and garden managers, stories of thieves who made off with the ripe tomatoes, pulled beets, pinched herbs, and stripped raspberry canes clean were easy enough to come by. Most urban gardeners at community gardens just accept this as part of urban living, and they plant a bit extra to compensate for it.

(Anecdotally, urban gardeners have told me over and over again, the culprits are usually “little old women”; the second most common tomato-nappers or herb-pinchers are fellow gardeners.) Often, if the problem persists, they collect fees from the collective for fences and padlocks.

But what if foraging and grazing wasn’t just expected, it was encouraged? What if parks were places to go for a walk on a sunny afternoon where you could pick an apple off a tree and crunch away in plain view of others? This is exactly the idea of a municipal public orchard and other edible landscapes that some cities are experimenting with – for example, a public orchard in Ben Nobleman Park in Toronto, and others, further west, in Calgary.

On a mid-July day, I sought out a public orchard in Calgary, a city well ahead of the curve in North America with its three municipally planted orchards. They were planted in 2009 as part of a five-year test project. The idea was to test management models – city-run orchards to self-organizing community-run orchards – to gauge which type would be more effective. The city also needed to gather information on which fruit and nut trees would even grow, how much they would produce, what pest and disease pressures they could withstand, how well they worked in the larger community parkland, and at the most basic level, whether orchards could even get a foothold in a city where there are often fewer than 100 frost-free days per year.

The Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Garden Orchard, (photo on previous page) the first completed community orchard in the city, was at the end of an inner-city residential street of neatly kept single-family homes. The first thing that struck me was that it was not an orchard, as I had pictured in my mind, of wellorganized straight rows of mature fruit trees. Instead, it was a haphazard collection of saplings, planted rather closely together on a triangular point where a small park with spruce and birch trees rimmed an irregular patch of lawn.

Urban gardens, London, UK

And then I returned to Cuba, which still leads the global pack in truly sustainable food production, with edible ecosystems modeled on the ones found in nature with high levels of biodiversity, a type of managed, edible wilderness. No wonder Cuba has the world knocking on its doors to learn and exchange knowledge.

Though it was like trying to capture lightning in a bottle, I did my best to cram the best and the most interesting stories and photos of gardens and people at the centre of this movement into my book Food and The City: Urban Agriculture and The New Food Revolution. While I expected to find the most advanced initiatives in places like New York, Toronto, and London, I was especially proud to include stories unfolding right in our own backyards in Edmonton and Calgary, where small and large acts of growing food is transforming our communities into livelier, healthier, happier places.

30

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Urban orchard apple, Calgary

A steep hillside rose behind the orchard, intensifying the summer heat. This, I thought, would hold the orchard in good stead. (Clearly, the settlers who named Hillhurst and Sunnyside were literalists.)

But as I walked closer, I could see that the effects of a recent midJune hailstorm had pockmarked the small green apples and pears.

Other saplings had been almost eaten down completely by deer.

The apple, pear, hazelnuts, apricot, and cherry trees would have to fight hard to survive.

But it was possible to grow all of these fruit and nut trees in cities, even as far north as Calgary and Edmonton. In fact, in the small park adjacent to the triangular HillhurstSunnyside orchard, a couple of older apple trees had fruit hanging on them. A trio of teenaged boys were kicking around a soccer ball and bantering amongst themselves.

As I poked amongst the younger fruit trees, the boys stopped their game to each pick an apple from the older tree and began to talk about how delicious the (unripe!) apples were. After about five minutes, they whipped their apple cores into the woodchip beds that surrounded the grass and resumed their informal soccer match.

There was the proof that would convince any naysayer to the value of a community orchard. If you plant it, they will come. Even teenage boys will eat fresh fruit. ✤ Jennifer Cockrall-King is an Edmonton-based writer, but admits to frequent visits to Calgary, whether to lurk in community orchards or her favourite restaurants and food shops. She blogs about food, travel, urban agriculture, and her up-coming book tour dates at foodgirl.ca.

Food and The City: Urban Agriculture and The New Food Revolution will be released in Canada, the US, and the UK in February 2012. $24.95, softcover, 360 pages, 50 black and white photographs.

Calling all

back-of-the-house restaurant cooks!

Ever wondered what a fresh baguette tastes like from a Paris bakery?

Or how tuna is prepared by the sushi chefs in Tokyo?

Or why Morocco is the spice capital of the world?

City Palate can help you further your culinary education with a Culinary Travel Grant to help pay for your travel and expenses.

For details on how to pitch us on where you’d like to go and what you’d like to learn, go to

citypalate.ca

Deadline for entries: March 23rd, 2012

We look forward to hearing from you.

EVERYTHING YOUR TASTEBUDS CAN HANDLE

CRMR at Home is Calgary’s destination for the best in gourmet culinary products and entertaining cooking classes. Explore our diverse retail selection of tasty homemade and internationally sourced cuisine, unique glassware, and quality kitchen tools. Our ever popular Chef’s Table classes allow you to spend an evening learning how to create delicious meals in a relaxed and interactive atmosphere.

403.532.0241/CRMRATHOME.COM 330-17TH AVE.SW CALGARY AB

crmrathome SPECIALTY MARKET

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

31

Keep it Up, Brainiacs –

Our future’s in your hands If anti-aging scientists have their way, we’ll be able to eat, drink and be merry ad infinitum.

By Kate Zimmerman

Hey, Blubberbean! Yeah, you with the cruller. Could you put the doughnut down, just for a second? I mean, right down – there, on the plate. No picking at it! Just leave it alone. Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

I only want to buy you a little more time here on planet Earth, cavorting with your pets and whatnot. Thing is, I’ve been advised by the brain trust at the online ScienceNews, a “magazine of the society for Science & the Public,” that you and I will live way longer if we just step away from the table once in a while and try to eat like yeast.

It seems that experiments with yeast, worms, flies, spiders, fish and rodents reveal that “severely restricting” calories fights aging. The thesis of ScienceNews’ article, called Healthy Aging in a Pill, is that if Carrie Fisher keeps it up with the Jenny Craig, she’ll be able to do the twist in her Princess Leia gown and hairy earwarmers at her 110th birthday bash.

Reporter Laura Bell cites one study revealing that monkeys that ate 30 percent less than their companions reduced their incidence of age-related disease and, 15 to 20 years after the research began, had a lower mortality rate. As a result, human volunteers at three American research centres are aping them, slicing their normal caloric intake by 25 percent to see if it makes a difference.

That’s awfully noble, I suppose, but God forbid these paragons come for dinner.

No host wants Mr. or Ms. Abstemious at her table, waving away the fine vintages and just saying “no” to butter. Thankfully, even scientists know it’s not cool to be so self-restrained that you make everybody else look bad. So they’re trying to develop a pill that will help “achieve the anti-aging windfall of calorie restriction without actually having to do it,” as ScienceNews puts it.

To that end, Bell writes, certain scientists have isolated synthetic and natural compounds that duplicate the biochemical mechanisms the body activates to guard against stress when cells are “partially starved” of nutrients. If you’ve been drinking red wine “for health reasons” (wink-wink), you’re already aware of the benefits of resveratrol, which is found in wine and red grapes. Researchers, bless their pointy heads, are also exploring the plus sides of other compounds. As the article points out, however, there’s no way of knowing a) whether they’ll work, and b) whether they’ll be safe to use for this purpose.

The trouble is that nobody really understands why we grow old, or why using only a side-plate at the buffet table has any bearing on exactly how old we grow. Even David Gems, a biologist who works at the Institute of Healthy Aging at University College London, admitted to Bell that he and his colleagues “don’t really know how it works.” An anti-aging biotech industry, however, is on the case.

That industry may need to thwart the body’s protective response to the threat of starvation, a phenomenon that’s familiar to anybody who has ever dieted. We the overfed always dream that dining only on mandarin oranges for a long weekend will allow us to drop 50 lbs. by Tuesday, but this is never the case.

“When food intake plummets, emergency alarms go off inside a cell,” Bell explains. One of her sources at the Maryland biotech firm GeroScience, George Roth, puts it this way. “There are energy sensors somewhere that turn on some genes and turn off other genes.” Anti-aging researchers focus on each gene that the body activates as a potential clue in their bid to slow the aging process.

32

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

For a while, they were homing in on antioxidants, which “neutralize damaging molecules called free radicals.” This approach was likely too simplistic, Bell suggests. “The body ages for many reasons, and more than one are tied to caloric intake.”

It seems that when we overeat, as so many of us do, we damage much more than our bikini-readiness. We can cause inflammation and mess with our insulin levels, which can fuel tumours. The experts agree that if an anti-aging drug is to work, it will likely need to have a “global impact” on the body’s chemical reactions.

Among the subjects GeroScience is exploring is how the body processes glucose. By feeding mice a compound found in avocados called mannoheptulose, researchers found that they were able to discourage an enzyme called hexokinase that ordinarily causes the chemical reactions that occur when glucose hits a cell.

As Bell puts it, “Starving a cell of hexokinase is like sending a chemical memo that less energy is coming in.”

The crucial finding here is that most of the mice that chowed down on mannoheptulose lived about 30 percent longer than regular mice.

(My guess is that the other mice moved to Mexico, preferring to get their mannoheptulose with a side of freshly made tostadas.)

Other prospective lifesavers are under the microscope. Resveratrol (the red wine and grapes solution) has been identified as a compound that can artificially stimulate sirtuins. Their work in cells consists of removing carbon-loaded chemical bunches from proteins but sirtuins’ side effects appear to be protecting the body from serious ailments like diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

“The problem is that resveratrol and the sirtuins haven’t convincingly shown that they can lengthen life, as opposed to simply protecting against diseases that shorten life prematurely,” Bell points out. “The distinction may sound trivial, but in anti-aging research, the two concepts are very different.”

There’s much more to devour in this article, but at this point, my non-scientific brain is spinning around like Charlie Sheen at the Mustang Ranch. If a simple pill can one day prevent old age from being a terrible struggle, all I can say is this – “Go, scientists, go!”

I’ll take my second century with a side of Krispy Kremes. ✤ Kate Zimmerman chooses the high life.

Feeling _?

Metrovino has a full line-up of fun, interesting, delicious classes and events all winter long. Come join us!

Steel Cut Oatmeal

New toppings available Jan. 12th

We have an oatmeal for that!

Hearty, steel-cut oatmeal with your choice of 3 toppings.

www.goodearthcafes.com

✶ Sangiovese Six Ways ✶ Let’s Get Serious (about French Wines) ✶ Montalcino Madness ✶ Grand Cru Burgundy ✶ Voluptuous Viognier See a complete listing at metrovino.com

722 -11th Avenue S.W. 403-205-3356 www.metrovino.com • wine@metrovino.com

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

33

Learning Coffee

from beans to art

The second step is helping new baristas become comfortable making drinks, and having them practice a lot so their movements become natural. Next, May and his students work on details, like training the palate to distinguish between different types of coffee.

A good barista already loves java. “If you don’t like coffee, I don’t believe you can be a good barista,” says May. “If it all tastes bad to you, how on earth can you be expected to diagnose a shot, and understand what it’s supposed to taste like?”

A good barista must understand the fundamentals of making a good cup of coffee. It starts with the grind – the tiniest change could affect the flavour of the coffee. Then there’s the ever-important tamp. After the barista measures coffee into the portafilter, he or she presses it down firmly. This is called the tamp, and if it isn’t firm enough or it’s at an odd angle, the water won’t flow through the coffee properly.

The piece de résistance, in terms of barista achievement, is the art he or she creates in the foam of a latte. Learning the skill of latte art comes last. Called a barista’s signature, latte art, which requires a light touch, focus and control, can take months to learn.

A barista competition shows there’s much more to coffee than just pouring it Story and photo by Jessica Patterson

There was a dizzying array of steaming drinks being poured and served at the Prairie Regional Barista Competition that took place in Calgary in early August, as a huddle of people surrounded Charissa Schultz, the performing barista, measuring everything from the cleanliness of the bar during her performance to the efficiency of her movements.

Schultz smiled. All was well. Everything was under control – except for the butterflies in her stomach.

To the outsider, the competition simply featured one barista after another, each hoping to wow a panel of judges with his or her skills and familiarity with an espresso machine.

But that day, the coffee poured had truly been sweated over, studied, and topped artfully with a milk foam flower.

Thirteen baristas were scheduled to compete, and Ben Put, Transcend Coffee in Edmonton, won the day.

For these baristas, the experience was valuable no matter where they placed. “I thought it was fun,” said Schultz, the manager of Caffe Crema in Calgary’s Bridlewood. “I wanted to be able to encourage my staff to compete, and say I’d done it.”

Next time you order a latte or an espresso, take a second to appreciate the effort that went into making it. Chances are, the barista who poured your beverage trained to do so. Some baristas even go to school to learn how to do it perfectly.

Most of the competitors at the Calgary event learned handson in their respective cafés. Serious coffee afficionados, however – those who want to make a career out of being a barista – train outside the café. There are schools like the Canadian Barista Academy in Toronto, where everything coffee-related is studied, from growing conditions to the flavour profiles of the beans.

34

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

“We are on the brink of a change in education,” Schultz said. “We learn by apprenticeship now, but what will happen is a barista will need a “degree in coffee.” I think it has a lot to do with demand.”

Joel May, from Fratello Coffee Roasters, is one of several Calgary trainers who help baristas learn the intricacies of making perfect coffee. He has competed at the regional championship for several years. The competition measures the entire skill set of the competing baristas, from their in-depth knowledge of the coffee beans to their coffeemaking skills. “The competition is important to a barista because it helps us develop a far deeper knowledge of the coffee we’re serving. After the competition, we take that knowledge and apply it in our own shops,” May said.

May has trained nearly 100 aspiring baristas in Calgary.

If you were to put his training into a structured program of courses, it would amount to five three-hour classes, ranging from Coffee 101 – in which May teaches aspiring baristas about basic espresso and coffee preparation – to preventative maintenance for espresso machines.

The first step in May’s training is an introduction to those contraptions.“People tend to be intimidated by espresso machines. They’re hot, they make noise, they create a lot of pressure, and they can burn you.”

“It took me years to get to the point where I could make art by pouring latte foam and talk at the same time,” May admitted, laughing. That’s how intensely focused the barista has to be to get it right.

Latte art is indicative of a certain level of skill, but it isn’t what truly makes a cup of coffee great. “You can pour latte art on a bad cup of coffee and it’s like putting lipstick on a pig,” May said. A good barista adds latte art much the way a chef decorates a plate. It enhances the look of the dish, but it doesn’t make the dish taste better.

“It’s an interesting quandary for me and for a lot of barista trainers – everyone wants to learn latte art. The challenge for us is to get them to realize that latte art comes last. Before they get into latte art, they need to be able to produce an excellent cup of coffee.”

It comes down to priorities. Just ask competitor Luke de Waal, a barista at Caffe Crema. He wasn’t happy with the latte art he created until he’d been pouring coffee for eight months. De Waal, 20, has been a barista for two years. He learned from anyone who would teach him, mostly on the fly, he said.

“I do consider it art,” de Waal said. “I was never good at making any other kind of art. I can’t draw, I can’t paint, but latte art is something I can make that people appreciate.”

De Waal prefers to make latte art by free pouring rather than etching. Free pouring is a technique where the barista creates a pattern while pouring steamed milk into coffee.

Some baristas prefer to free pour because it’s fast and efficient. Common free-pour designs on top of espressos include a rosette or a tulip – but are sometimes as elaborate as a dragon, a swan or a phoenix.

Etching is done after the steamed milk is poured; the barista uses a stir stick to etch a design. Some baristas use a squeeze bottle of chocolate syrup to create more contrast. Design variants include geometric patterns, animals and shapes.

“I pour because I think it takes more talent,” de Waal says. “I don’t think etching takes much skill – it’s just like sketching with a pencil. But pouring latte art – you either have it or you don’t.”

Some baristas never learn how to make latte art, though they can make a great cup of coffee. The art-making hand movements take time to learn. The next time you order a latte, watch carefully as a flower is “inscribed” on the top of your coffee, now that you have a better understanding of what it’s about.

As for the competitors who didn’t triumph in this year’s barista competition, there’s always next year. ✤ Jessica Patterson is a Calgary freelance journalist. She can be found with a hot cuppa joe at a certain Kensington coffee shop.

Live a Better Life Series Tea Sommelier Certificate Program

Expand and enhance your love of tea with this eight course certificate program at Bow Valley College.

Design a menu for a perfect pairing, learn the nuances of preparing different teas. Evaluate teas from around the world while you perfect your palate.

For more information: liveabetterlife.ca Phone: 403-410-1546 To register: bowvalleycollege.ca/apply Phone: 403-410-1400

est. 1963

...from our family to yours Hot lunches Monday – Saturday Woodburning pizza oven Thursday – Sunday, noon–3pm

An authentic Italian shopping experience!

403.277.7898 I 265 20 Avenue NE italiansupermarket.com

Oyster : Available After 5pm (Except Thurs & Fri) Sushi : Available After 5pm (Except Thurs-Fri-Sat) Above Price for Individual Piece.

Only Available for Dine in.

No Conjunction with Other Promotional Offer.

Limited Time Offer CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

35

Watching Your continued from page 22

Waste

Wines & Spirits

the Grape Escape March 23 & 24

2012

1 day-old loaf of crusty bread or baguette

Lettuce is one of the most commonly tossed foods, but when it wilts and is unfit for salad, it still makes a darn good soup. This makes a small batch, but it’s easily doubled. Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet.

2 - 3 c. chopped fresh vegetables, such as onions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, spinach or chard

1 small onion, chopped 2 - 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 T. butter 1 large head romaine or leaf lettuce, chopped 2 c. chicken stock 1 c. frozen peas, thawed 1/2 t. sugar 1/4 c. whipping cream or sour cream

An event for Co-op members and their guests.

In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and butter, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the lettuce and stir until it wilts. Add the stock, peas and sugar, and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook it for 15 minutes, then remove it from the heat and add the cream.

Purée the soup until smooth using a blender or a hand-held immersion blender. Serve hot, or cool completely, then chill and serve cold.

Serves 2 to 4.

Classic Biscuits Biscuits can be made with milk that has soured a bit so that you don’t want to use it in your coffee or cereal. You can also use buttermilk or the last of the yogurt or sour cream, thinned with a little milk or water. The biscuits can be easily customized – add 1/4 cup grated cheese to the dry ingredients (a great way to get rid of cheese ends), or add a cup of fresh or frozen (unthawed) berries or a handful of raisins or other dried fruit along with the milk or cream.

2 c. all-purpose flour 1 T. baking powder 1/4 t. baking soda 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. butter, cut into small cubes

Join us at the Grape Escape brought to you

by Co-op Wines & Spirits.

You don’t want to miss these informative and entertaining evenings featuring wine, spirits and beer samples from producers from all over the world.

March 23 & 24, 2012 • 5pm to 9pm BMO Centre, Stampede Park $50 per evening, plus GST

Tickets are available at all Co-op Wines & Spirits locations. www.coopwinesandspirits.com

36

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Similar to a frittata, a strata makes use of stale bread and any other scraps you might have in the fridge – wrinkly peppers, cheese ends, leftover cooked meat and veggies. Chances are that whatever needs using up will make a fantastic strata.

Lettuce and Pea Soup

olive or canola oil, for cooking

Wine, Spirit s and Be er Fes tival

Fridge-Cleaner Strata

oil for cooking

1/2 - 1 c. chopped, shredded or crumbled cooked meat, such as ham, sausage or chicken (optional) 8 large eggs 2 c. milk salt and pepper to taste 2 c. grated cheese (any kind, or a combination)

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes, or tear it into chunks. In a heavy skillet, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the vegetables until they’re soft and any moisture has cooked off.

Spread the bread cubes into a buttered 9” x 13” baking dish, then top with the veg and leftover meat, if you’re using it. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper and about half the cheese. Pour over the bread and veg, cover the baking dish and refrigerate the strata for 4 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to bake the strata, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the strata, scatter the remaining cheese overtop and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm.

Serves 8 

Cilantro Pesto This fresh pesto makes use of a whole bunch of cilantro in one go. You can also make it using flat-leaf Italian parsley, tossing in a few other fresh green herbs that need to be used. The pesto is delicious served over roasted salmon or whitefish.

3/4 c. soured milk, buttermilk or thinned plain yogurt or sour cream

1 bunch cilantro, stems and all

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl or food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and cut with a pastry blender or pulse until the mixture is crumbly, with bits no bigger than the size of a pea. If you’re using a food processor, dump the mixture into a bowl. If you like, toss some grated cheese into the mixture.

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Add the milk and stir the dough just until it comes together. Pat it into a 1-inch-thick circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cut into 8 wedges. If you like, brush the tops with a little milk (this will make them brown nicely). Pull them apart, spacing them an inch or so from each other on the sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Makes 8 biscuits.

1/2 c. pine nuts or fresh walnuts, toasted 2 - 3 garlic cloves, crushed salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 - 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Pulse everything except the olive oil to a paste in the food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil at the end. Store the pesto in the fridge for up to a week. Makes about 1 cup. ✤ Julie Van Rosendaal is a regular contributor to City Palate and the creator of the blog Dinner With Julie. Her latest book, Spilling the Beans, with co-author Sue Duncan, was recently published by Whitecap.

Get Fresh with Us!

Willow Park Village 10816 Macleod Trail South | 403.278.1220 Compleat Cook Cooking Classes 3400 – 114 Avenue SE | 403.253.4831

Slow Food Calgary

www.compleatcook.ca

presents...

Roots & Shoots March 19, 2012 River Café: Prince’s Island Park Cocktails - 6:00 p.m.

Introductions - 6:30 p.m.

Members $115; Non-Members $145

(GST & gratuity included)

Slow Food Calgary’s annual celebration of spring’s hope-filled return is once again hosted

by River Café. Join host chefs Andrew Winfield and Krissy Dumas as they welcome this year’s guest chefs: Justin Leboe of Model Milk, John MacNeil of Teatro and Mike Dekker of Rouge, for a magnificent seasonal multicourse prairie menu, accompanied by stellar Canadian wines.

This popular event is always a sell-out!

Tickets & details are available at: The Cookbook Co. Cooks 722 - 11th Ave. SW, 403.265.6066

Learn more about the Slow Food Movement at...

slowfoodcalgary.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

37

stockpot Stirrings around Calgary

now hear this!

Greens Eggs & Ham is seeking 15 investors of $10,000 each via the Slow Money Alberta financing structure.

Commitments are needed by March 1 to allow them to plan for the next year.

GE & H is a farm near Leduc, Alberta – if you’re interested in investing in this local artisan food business, contact Mary Ellen and Andreas Grueneberg at 780-986-8680 or info@greenseggsandham.ca. The Slow Money Alberta Committee has its own web site at slowmoneyalberta.org and will hold information meetings early in 2012.

Slow Money helps people like GE & H increase production to meet a growing market demand. To find out more about Slow Money, go to slowmoneyalliance.com.

restaurant ramblings n Franca’s Perfect Gifts has found a new home at 3811 Edmonton Tr. NE (403-277-0766). Franca Flaviano – one of the most charming women on the planet – now has a larger space for your dining delectations, her thriving catering business and for displaying her beautiful gift selections. Besides great coffee, panini and desserts, Franca and her family are set to launch a family-style, Saturday night dinner. Depending on what the menu is that week, you get to enjoy a multi-course meal for a more-than-reasonable amount of money. Visit perfectgifts.ca. n Two of our fave people – chefs/owners of CHARCUT Roast House, Connie DeSousa and John Jackson – have teamed up with Sidewalk Citizen baker Aviv Fried and charcuterie man Grant Van Gameren, formerly of Toronto’s Black Hoof, to treat Calgarians to their first temporary restaurant, CHARPOP. The menu and location are under wraps for the moment, but the three-day dining experience is set to POP January 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. You’ll have to go to charpop.com to get tickets and find all the tasty details. n Chef’s Table at the Kensington Riverside Inn has been awarded a coveted Four Diamond AAA Rating, ranking the restaurant as a premier establishment esteemed by the hospitality industry and more than 52 million AAA/CAA members!

Only three restaurants in Calgary have achieved this distinction. Chef Craig Boje and his talented team take a modern approach to classical French dishes – check it out at 1126 Memorial Dr. NW.

Where gourmet meets casual.

4611 Bowness Road NW | 403.288.4372 notabletherestaurant.ca

38

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

n Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts will open a new restaurant mid-May in the old Avocado space on 17th Ave., next door to one of its current restaurants, Cilantro.

It will be called Bar C with a little line above the C, like a brand. Stay tuned. n A stay at the charming Baker Creek Chalets and dinner at Shelley Robinson’s Baker Creek Bistro reminded us of how much we like Shelley’s food. Elk short ribs

braised in coffee to a seductive succulent tenderness and scallops pan-roasted to a light caramelization and served on smoked pork and tomato risotto. This talented chef has not lost her magic touch though she may be “lost” in the woods! Stay in the cozy, comfy chalets, eat Robinson’s good fare – and watch the trains rumble by behind the chalets... can’t miss them. n It was a cold, grey day in November when we received notice that a favourite restaurant, Capo, closed its doors. Chef and owner Giuseppe Di Gennaro fashioned his creative takes on Italian fare for more than five years. But he’s moved on to his new, more casual digs, Borgo, and we are grateful to still be able to eat his good food. n There’s a great special at King’s Restaurant, 104 Meridian Rd. NE. A huge bowl of wonton soup, a choice of appetizer and a bottle of water or a can of pop for $11.99. A smaller soup version is a bit less dough, and the same combination is available at the Wonton King locations.

Everything is made from scratch, the quality is very fresh, and the wontons from the soup dipped into the solid bits from the hot sauce are sublime! n A City Palateer raved about the large bowl of heart- and body-warming sausage and lentil soup she and her hubster shared at Spolumbo’s recently. For $4.50, it was plenty for both of them. A tasty, steal-of-a-deal lunch for two on a chilly day. n Fleur de Sel restaurant invites you to celebrate its 13th anniversary January 15 for a horizontal champagne tasting – all the bottles from 1998 – including Dom Perignon Rosé, Veuve Clicquot La Grand Dame and Krug. To accompany, canapés, foie gras and oysters. Tickets are $250 at Bin 905, 2311 - 4th St. SW. n Rocco Cosentino, son of Franco, owner of the 30-year-old La Dolce Vita in Bridgeland, has turned the upstairs dining room into a pizza bar – LDV Pizza Bar, with a wood-burning forno. Who doesn’t love a good pizza, and now we have more to choose from. Visit ldvpizzabar.com to see what it’s all about. Go eat pizza! n Check into Cassis Bistro at Casel Marché for French Tuesdays. Every Tuesday features French food, wine and music, while you practice your French with Gilles at the bar! This is the Cassis version of French immersion. Parlez-vous français? n Petite is less petite now that it has moved into its 4th St. and 17th Ave. home, and that’s a good thing. More room for more people to enjoy the good food created by talented chef Jared Alvey. The new Petite is at 344 - 17th Ave. SW, the space includes a lounge and a chef’s table. n Get your day started with Good Earth Café’s hearty, delicious oatmeal topped the way you want at the oatmeal customization station. Choose coconut, chocolate or butterscotch chips, peanut butter, craisins, bananas and Granny Smith apples. It’s the most important meal of the day... do it right!

continued on page 40

KNITSPIRATION

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

39

stockpot continued from page 38

Pay for a

wine wanderings n Don’t miss a delicious wine tasting – Flavours of BC’s Naramata Bench – presented by Alberta Theatre Projects in association with the Naramata Bench Wineries Association, January 26, Willow Park Wines and Spirits, Willow Park Village. The wineries of the Naramata Bench produce some of Canada’s tastiest wines. Visit atplive.com, click on “events” to purchase tickets or phone 403-2947402. Tickets to this event are the prize for our Crossword Contest on page 47.

Gift Card...

Get

worth of food!

Spend $35 on a rechargeable gift card and we’ll add an extra $15 to the card ($50 total) between now and February 29th, 2012. King’s gift cards valid at King’s Restaurant, Wonton King’s gift cards valid at all three Wonton King locations.

Text “WONTON”to 587.880.1922 to receive regular coupons for savings at any of our 4 locations

www.kingsrestaurant.net

www.wontonking.com

join the fanclub

Wonton King Deerfoot Meadows 403.252.6612

7070 – 11th Street SE Mon to Fri 9:00am - 4:00pm Sat 10:00am - 4:00pm Sun & Holidays Closed

Wonton King Foothills Industrial - 403.236.4224 7800 – 30th Street SE Mon to Fri 8:00am - 4:00pm Sat 8:00am - 2:00pm Sun & Holidays Closed

Wonton King McCall Lake - 403.291.3538 3449 – 12 Street NE Mon to Fri 9:00am - 4:00pm Sat 10:00am - 3:00pm Sun & Holidays Closed

Kings Restaurant 403.272.2332

104 Meridian Road NE (Centre Ave. & Barlow Trail) Mon to Sat 7:30am - 4:00pm Sun 8:00am - 2:00pm Holidays Closed

n Winefest returns for its 20th year at Stampede Park, February 24 and 25. Taste hundreds of local and international wines, enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and receive a complimentary Riedel wine glass. Tickets and details at celebratewinefest.com.

Private industry and trade tasting, February 24, 2 to 5 p.m. Two business cards are the price of admission. n Don’t miss the Great Italian Wine Encounter presented by Vendemmia International Wines and Calgary Health Trust, February 2 and 3, Fairmont Palliser Hotel. Funds support blood health and apheresis treatment in Calgary. Silent and live auctions, a gala with a chance to taste 50 wines, and a luncheon for women. Visit calgaryhealthtrust.ca and click on “events” to get the details and purchase tickets. n Soif de Savoir (thirst for knowledge) 2012 courses, presented by Metrovino, will quench the “thirst” of beginner to expert. Or get a group of friends together for a customized, tutored tasting. Check the calendar at metrovino.com/calendar. n A much-anticipated event returns in the spring – Calgary Co-op’s Grape Escape, March 23 and 24 at the Stampede’s BMO Centre where the world’s wines, beers and spirits rule the evening accompanied by tasty food. Co-op Wines & Spirits also presents Penfold’s Grange Tasting, March 31, at the Oakridge Tasting Centre.

Check coopwinesandspirits.com for details and more tasting events. n Bin 905 tastings: January 15, Fleur de Sel Champagne Party; January 27, Conterno Fantino Barolo Ginestra Vertical; February 24, Jim Barry The Armagh Vertical; March 16, 21+ Club Single Malt.

See bin905.com for details. n Don’t miss the 13th Annual Wine Stage, January 28, part of One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo, Hotel Arts, 119 - 12th Ave. SW. An evening of great wine and food. Tickets at 403-2949494. Proceeds support One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre.

TASTING ROOM

RADIO

WITH HOST TERRY DAVID MULLIGAN Wednesdays 6 - 7 PM 93.7 FM Calgary | www.ckua.com

n The Okanagan’s Mission Hill Family Estate has been named Winery of the Year at the InterVin International Wine Awards Competition, topping the list of more than 300 wineries entered in the competition. Mission Hill collected a total of 20 medals for its portfolio of fine wines spread across virtually every category in the competition. Look for these award-winning wines at your fave wine store. n The Friends of Fish Creek present A Taste of Spring, wine and beer tasting

40

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

and silent auction, March 16, at Willow Park Wines & Spirits in Willow Park Village. Tickets are $40 online at friendsoffishcreek.org, 403-238-3841 or email chris@friendsoffishcreek.org n J. Webb Wine tastings: January 11, Bordeaux Blitz; February 1, Beer 101; February 29, Wines of Southern Italy; March 7, Brown Bag Challenge 2.0, Oldies vs. Newbies. All tastings at the Casel Marché location, 17th Ave. and 24th St. SW. Phone 403-625-5218 for details or visit jwebb.net. Burns Night with independent whiskies, January 21 at the Calgary Petroleum Club. Tickets at J. Webb, Casel Marché and Glenmore Landing. n Tour de France of Food and Wine series at Crowfoot Wine and Spirits’ event centre, hosted by Linda Garson of Vine and Dine and chef Thierry Meret of Cuisine et Château. January 21, Rhone Valley; February 18, Bordeaux; March 24, Loire Valley; April 21, Burgundy. Reserve at 403870-9802 or email linda@vineanddine.ca. n Janice Beaton Fine Cheese and FARM: Taste & Dine, January 11, Big Bold Reds; February 15, Home-Grown Wine; March 14, Innovative Beer; April 11, Rosé. Sip & Savour, January 17, Scotch; February 21, Wine from Obscure Places; March 20, Viva España; April 17, Spring Sippers. Cheese Classes – visit jbfinecheese.com for details.

whisky wanderings n The Scotch Malt Whisky Society got its start in Scotland to celebrate and bottle only single cask, single malt whisky from more than 125 distilleries. When a particular bottling is sold out, it’s gone forever. Calgarians Rob and Kelly Carpenter launched the Canadian branch of the Society, with Kensington Wine Market its exclusive retailer. KWM hosts “First Fridays” on the first Friday of every month where members and those interested in joining can sample the Society’s new monthly releases. Get more information at smws.ca or by emailing curious@smws.ca. n Celebrate Robbie Burns’ birthday at a scotch dinner with five Arran Malts paired with five courses at Sage Bistro in Canmore on Wednesday, January 25.

Tickets are $89 from Sage Bistro, 1-403678-4878 or Canmore Wine Merchants, 1-403-678-4999.

cooking classes n At the Compleat Cook: Winter Salads, Cooking Light but Filling, Easy Meals - Short on Time, Chocolate - Sweet & Savoury, Valentine’s Day Dinner, Hot & Spicy, New Orleans, Cheese – An Entertaining Idea, Vegetarian, Flavours of India. Phone 403-253-4831 or visit compleatcook.ca for the full 2012 calendar. n Atelier/Workshop de Chocolat at Alliance Française, 206 - 7th Ave. NW, February 8, taught by pastry chef Marnie Fudge of Cuisine et Château. Hands-on class and a chocolate tasting. To register, phone 403-245-5662. Visit afcalgary.com for details. n Bundles of Energy in-home cooking classes focus on simple, whole food

taught by holistic nutritionists. Book classes with family, friends, co-workers or sports teams. Launching February 1 is a meal plan program. For details visit the web site at bundlesofenergy.com or email info@bundlesofenergy.com. n At The Cookbook Co. Cooks: A Night Out: Couples’ Classes, Girls’ Night Out: Cocktails & Hors D’Oeuvres, Gems of Gluten-Free Baking, Bread Making, An Ethiopian Menu, Off the Menu of Rasoi, French Farmhouse Menu, Valentine’s Day Couples’ Class, Thai Classics, Duck 6 Ways, Off the Menu of Model Milk... visit cookbookcooks.com for the full calendar.

general stirrings n Get your sourdough croissants from Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, and anything else from bakermeister, Aviv Fried, The Bicycle Dude. Croissant purists might scoff, but a croissant made from sourdough has more body and the crisp “crust” is less inclined to fly away when you bite into it. Not to mention buttery brioche, breads with all the toothsomeness, texture and flavour you crave in your bread. Visit his bakery/store where free samples of toothsome bread will have you buying much more than you planned on, but you’ll love every bite. Visit sidewalkcitizenbakery.com for location, open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. n On Saturday February 25, 18 Degrees of Jazz takes place at Hotel Arts. A night of jazz brought to you in a modern sound

by Calgary Jazz Orchestra led by Johnny

Summers. Proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and area. n Here’s a handy web site: glutenfreepassport.com has restaurant/ travel/menu information for multiple allergens, including international information. There’s also a phone app and links to other GF/allergy sites. n Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut is open in Chinook Centre. Some products, like hot chocolate, gelato and chocolate pastries, are available only at this location and the Aspen Landing store. Look for “The Twelve”… unique chocolate creations such as Earl Grey tea paired with chocolate, sea salt caramels and mango peppercorn ganache – just in time for Valentine’s Day. The ultimate gift for chocolate lovers is milk or dark chocolate hearts filled with an assortment of chocolates. n Amaranth Whole Foods Market sponsors Epicurious Kids in Crowfoot for Gluten Free Birthday Parties. Details at epicuriouskids.ca. Amaranth in the northwest presents “Spring into Health”; Amaranth Health & Wellness in the southeast presents “Words on Wellness.”

Events page at amaranthfoods.ca or Facebook for registration details.

protection. Individual Gala tickets for this year’s event are $500. The purchase of a gold table is $10,000. A gold table accommodates 10 guests plus a celebrity and his/her companion. Tickets are available through The Fairmont Banff Springs, 403762-1710, or Angela.Gray@fairmont.com. n Professional photographer Shallon Cunningham specializes in food photography. Salt Food Photography works with chefs, restaurant owners, and ad agencies to capture images that whet the taste buds. Visit saltfoodphoto.com to see the portfolio, or call Shallon Cunningham 403-998-1447. n In some parts of the U.S., it’s a tradition to serve a cookie buffet at weddings along with the wedding cake. ITZA Bakeshop is “proposing” this charming tradition for your spring wedding – a pretty cookie buffet complemented with small decorative gift boxes or bags so your guests don’t have to sneak cookies into their pockets! Phone ITZA Bakeshop at 403.228.0044.

continued on page 42

The Light Cellar Superfood Shop | Teaching Kitchen Raw Chocolaterie & Elixir Bar

n Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Alec Baldwin and other Hollywood celebs gather January 12 to 15 at the Fairmont Banff Springs to protect North American waterways while skiing at Sunshine Village during The Fairmont Banff Springs Celebrity Sports Invitational. This event has raised millions of dollars for environmental

The Alchemy of RAw chocolATe

ONLY THE F O O D CAN COMPETE WITH THE

SAT, feB 11Th oR SpeciAl AphRoDiSiAc clASS TueS, feB 14Th Learn to craft superfood & herbaL raw chocoLates from scratch using prisitine heirLoom cacao. caLL to register as space is Limited.

May You Be Nourished with Light

SCENERY

Become youR own chocolATe mAkeR

Organic fair trade Authentic Living BULK ingredients raw nuts & seeds CACAO exotic dried fruits and berries

seaweeds & algaes TONIC herbs & teas

unique ferments & raw HONEYS

The Delta Lodge at Kananaskis features six mouth-watering dining venues set against the backdrop of Mount Kidd. The Obsessions Deli has something to satisfy all tastes, or step in from the outdoors to the relaxed and friendly setting of the Bighorn Lounge.

For the tastes and ambiance of Italy, you’re welcome at Grappa. If you are looking for a quick meal or just a place to unwind in an features Rocky Mountain fare with a healthy dose of variety and Seasons Steakhouse is our fine dining, award-winning restaurant.

For reservations call 403-591-7711 or visit www.deltalodgeatkananaskis.com Hours of operation are subject to change and vary by season. Please inquire about hours of operation when reserving.

raw Chocolates & ELIXIRS

Glenmore Trail

Macleod Trail S

adult environment, Woody’s is the place to be. The Fireweed Grill

superfood powders

Freshly HandCrafted in-house

Heritage Drive

Visit our website for hours, classes and events 403 453 1343 | 6326 Bowness Road NW

www.thelightcellar.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

41

stockpot continued from page 41 n Don’t miss all the excitement of One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo, now in its 26th year! This international festival of the arts features music, dance, theatre and wrestling. It takes place at 19 venues throughout Calgary, January 5 - 28, including Wine Stage. To see everything that’s happening, go to hprodeo.ca.

Tickets at hprodeo.ca or 403-294-9494, or at the Epcor Centre box office. n At the Kingsland Farmers’ Market, Angela’s Artisan Olives and Delizia’s Pasta have merged to become Ang & Lina’s Gourmet Foods. Look for Angela’s handstuffed olives, plus hard-to-find olives from Italy, Greece, Morocco, Spain and Turkey. Lina offers her home-made pasta, made with locally grown semolina flour, and stuffings such as red pepper and artichoke, lemon ricotta, butternut squash and goat cheese. You’ll find all your favourite Italian products. n The Rhythm Café meets every month on a Friday night at the Inglewood Community Hall to drum, drink coffee and enjoy a live performance by local musicians. Drums are provided, no experience is needed and the drum circles are facilitated by a professional drum circle facilitator. Check circlesofrhythm.com/ rhythmcafe.htm for details. n This is fun... three chefs who graduated from SAIT did an “Anthony Bourdain” and wandered the Asian world in search of food and culture by both eating and cooking like the locals. Chefs Chad and Clayton Klyne and Lyndon Wiebe filmed their adventures and now you can check into what these guys have been up to by watching their show, “Chefs Run Wild,” on the Travel and Escape channel (pay TV 114). To learn more about the chefs and their adventures, visit their web site withoutborderschefs.com. If you don’t have pay TV, go to travelandescape.ca/watch/chefs-run-wild/ to watch online. n Vine & Dine South America in Chile and Argentina with Vine & Dine’s Linda Garson, hosted by Civilized Adventures, February 24 to March 7. Wine tastings, fine dining, cooking class, in-depth discovery of the winelands of Argentina and Chile. Email info@civilizedadv.com or visit the web site at civilizedadv.com for all the tasty details. n Viabar is a locally made, gluten-free, organic, vegan cereal bar, which is not baked, so all the grains and seeds in it are raw. Each bar contains over one gram of omega-3s, is high in whole foods, and is free from soy, wheat, dairy, peanuts, and additives. Find it at Community Natural Foods, Sunterra, Blush Lane Organic Market, Amaranth Whole Foods, Market 17, Planet Organic, Extreme Bean, Higher Ground, Camper’s Village, Valta Bison. n Join tourmeister Peter Blattmann on a Culinary & Wine Tour of AlsaceGermany-Austria, October 7 to 20.

Take part in hands-on cooking classes with celebrity chefs preparing regional delicacies, taste acclaimed rieslings and unique grüner veltliners with wine makers at

42

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

centuries-old estates. Cruise scenic rivers, lined with the world’s steepest vineyards.

Indulge in the world-renowned pastries, concerts and operas of Vienna. For details, visit gourmet-experience.com or call 403230-5375 or e-mail blattman@telusplanet.net. n Seasoned Solutions Culinary Tours with tourmeister Gail Hall: Sip and Spa Tour to Sonoma, California, February 17 to 20; Vietnam and Cambodia, March 8 to 24. Visit seasonedsolutions.ca/culinarytours for details or email gailhall@shaw.ca. n Domaine Pinnacle, producer of tasty ice cider, has launched a delicious and distinctly Canadian product for your drinking delectation – Cabot Trail Maple Cream Liqueur – made with maple syrup, cream and rum. A pleasant switch up from Bailey’s. Find it at your fave Liquor Depot store. n The Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Food and Health Unit, presents a workshop for food processors on Exploring the Allergic and GlutenFree Marketplace, February 21, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton.

Seating is limited, register by February 17 by phoning 1-800-387-6030. For details, email annette.anderwald@gov.ab.ca or call 780-644-2404. n Orangeworks Kitchen & Home has opened its store in North Hill Mall, at 16th Ave. and 14th St. NW, offering unique and high-quality kitchen and home products based on a European retail model. Look for the likes of French Revol and Appolia ceramics, Le Creuset and Chasseur pots, Belgian, French and Finnish glassware, cutlery from Germany and Japan and espresso machines by Expobar of Spain.

Visit orangeworkskitchenandhome.com. n Win an interactive evening at Casel Marché, 17th Ave. and 24th St. SW, where you can Drink & Dine, Sip & Nibble, Shop & Taste – a guided shopping tour of Market 17, a cooking class, a J. Webb wine pairing, discounted shopping. Fill out an entry form and drop it in the contest box – a winner will be chosen every Saturday.

Entry forms are available at J. Webb Wines in Casel Marché and Market 17. caselmarche.com. n Natalie MacLean is Canada’s internationally known wine writer. Having launched a prizewinning first book, Red, White and Drunk All Over, MacLean takes us on a tour of the world in search of great inexpensive wines in Unquenchable, subtitled, A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines.

A fun, lively, often irreverent read that doesn’t get you bogged down in dry “wine-speak.” (Doubleday Canada, $29.95, hard cover). n Get the iPhone app for John Gilchrist’s Cheap Eats 2 at bit.ly/cheapeats2.

Yukon Food: A Boreal Cornucopia CANADA’S PREMIER SPICE SHOP IS RIGHT HERE IN INGLEWOOD

by Karen Anderson Fabulous gourmet food exists in the far reaches of Canada’s north and the best of it is local. Whitehorse resident Michele Genest punches down beliefs to the contrary as easily as she does a batch of her rising sourdough bread.

Genest is the author of The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures in Northern Cooking which recently won silver in the Culinary Culture category at the 2011 Canadian Culinary Books awards. She moved to the Yukon in 1994 and has eaten locally ever since. Raised in Toronto by a French Canadian mother and a dad who hunted and fished, she was no stranger to wild fowl coming through the kitchen door. Now the fowl has turned to big game, including moose, caribou and elk, and in the ultimate global fusion Genest turns them into moose moussaka, caribou sausage with fennel and orange peel, and elk liver pâté.

Genest was once enRoute magazine’s dining editor and a globetrotting food writer who lived for a time in Greece. Then, she visited a sister in Whitehorse and never left. Genest got a job in a café where she combined her cooking skills with global influences and imagination. She befriended the locals, earned their respect, and gradually learned their secret foraging spots for berries, mushrooms and spruce tips. Word of her writing talents surfaced and she was offered “The Boreal Chef” food column for Yukon North of Ordinary magazine. After two years, Genest was so inspired with the people, culture and food of the Yukon, she decided to do a cookbook.

Would Alberta’s bison and beef stand in for moose and caribou? Genest admitted she used them to develop recipes. Though her friends love her Braised Moose Ribs with Espresso Stout and Chocolate, they were equally happy using beef short ribs. Other of her staples, like birch syrup, spruce tip jelly and foraged berry jams, have found their way into Calgary’s specialty markets.

Not since Laura Beatrice Berton’s iconic book, I Married the Klondike, has there been such an intimate and joy-filled portrait of daily life in the Yukon. And, just like Berton, Genest not only fell in love with the North but with a man of the North as well.

She married a professional mountain guide and outdoorsman – they appear to live and eat happily ever after.

Karen Anderson, owner of Calgary Food Tours, toured the Yukon by RV in 2010.

incredible selection • expert knowledge

1403 A 9 TH venue  403 261 1955 WWW.SILKROADSPICES.CA

1316 9th Avenue SE Calgary AB 403 514-0577 www.knifewear.com

Canada’s AWESOMEST

knife shop Where chefs and foodies shop.

donating 50% of all sharpening proceeds for 2012 to the SERVANTS ANONYMOUS SOCIETY OF CALGARY

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

Specializing in unique European and North American products.

• Custom-made end-grain cutting boards, butcher blocks and countertops • • French cookware • Wüsthof knives • KME knife-sharpening system • 1336 9 Avenue SE • 403.457.5910 • www.durangokitchenwares.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

43

one ingredient Oranges continued from page 17

Tangerine Bars Base: 1/2 c. butter, softened 1/4 c. sugar 1 c. all-purpose flour

the marmalade simmered. If the marmalade wrinkles and doesn’t run together after you run your finger through it, it’s a good gel consistency.

When the marmalade is the consistency you like, remove it from the heat. Pull out the tea ball of orange seeds, pour the marmalade into clean, warm jars, and seal them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or you can cool the marmalade completely and store it in the fridge or freezer. Makes about 4 cups.

pinch salt

Topping: 1 c. sugar 2 T. all-purpose flour 1/4 t. baking powder pinch salt 2 large eggs grated zest of a tangerine juice of a tangerine (about 1/4 cup) icing sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, stir the butter and sugar together until creamy.

Add the flour and salt and continue to stir until the mixture is well combined and crumbly.

Press the base mixture into the bottom of an 8”x 8” pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 8 minutes, until just golden around the edges. Remove the base from the oven. In the same bowl (no need to wash it), stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, tangerine zest and juice, and stir the topping mixture until it’s well blended and smooth. Pour the topping over the base.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until slightly golden on top and bubbly around the edges. Remove the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top with icing sugar before cutting into bars.

Makes 12 bars.

Orange Marmalade Make this marmalade using Seville oranges, or whatever oranges you can get your hands on – even a combination. Blood oranges make a beautifully coloured marmalade.

The orange seeds are simmered with the marmalade because they contain pectin.

4 large, thin-skinned oranges (you’ll need 6 cups of chopped orange) 5 c. water pinch salt 4 c. sugar

Cut the oranges in half and poke the seeds out; put them into a tea ball if you have one, or wrap them in cheesecloth. Slice the oranges thinly and then chop them crosswise into as big or small pieces as you like. Put the orange pieces and the tea ball into a pot with the water and salt and bring the water to a boil; simmer for half an hour. Turn off the heat and let the oranges sit for a few hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to make the marmalade, stir the sugar into the chopped oranges and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook it for about half an hour, or until the marmalade gels – you can test it by dropping a small spoonful onto a saucer that you kept in the freezer while

44

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Little Blood Orange Cakes If you like, brush the still-warm cakes with a glaze made with equal amounts of orange (or lemon) juice and sugar, simmered until the sugar dissolves.

1/2 c. butter, softened 1/4 c. canola oil 2 c. sugar finely grated zest of a blood orange 5 large eggs 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 3/4 c. buttermilk or thin plain yogurt juice of a blood orange 1 blood orange, washed and sliced very thin sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar and orange zest for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating it on low speed just until they’re combined. Add half the buttermilk to the batter in the same manner, then another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and the orange juice, then the rest of the flour.

Beat the batter just until the ingredients are combined.

Divide the batter among lined or greased muffin tins, filling them three-quarters full, or fill two 8”x 4” loaf pans. Top each little muffin-tin cake with a slice of orange, or arrange orange slices in rows on top of the loaf cakes. Sprinkle the tops of the cakes with sugar.

Bake the muffin-tin cakes for 25 to 30 minutes or the loaf cakes for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden and the tops are springy to the touch.

Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 1-1/2 dozen small cakes or 2 loaves.

SUPER SALE! SUPER SALE! SUPER SALE! AT KENSINGTON WINE MARKET

FRIDAY JANUARY 27, SATURDAY JANUARY 28 & SUNDAY JANUARY 29 ONLY! 10 to 15% Savings on all IN-STOCK Wines Plus other IN-STORE Super Specials!

In-store or online only, no phone orders. No special orders or layaway. No other promotional discounts apply.

1257 Kensington Road NW, Calgary www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

SUPER SALE! SUPER SALE! SUPER SALE!

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

45

LUNCH . DINNER . ESCAPE 220 42AVE SE CALGARY AB 403 287 9255 WWW.ALLOYDINING.COM

CraVingS HEat & SErVE

healthy fresh easy

YOUR DESTINATION FOR CULINARY INSPIRATION Feel the enthusiasm of our students when you dine at the Highwood Dining Room. With our students’ passion for food, service and inspiring menus, all paired with extensive training by renowned chefs and service instructors, it’s truly a culinary inspiration.

The Highwood is not just another dining room – it’s a unique experience where our students gain incredible skills and experience in dealing with the core of our industry, our guests.

SAIT Polytechnic 1301 - 16 Avenue NW 403.284.8615, ext.2

Pre-packed gourmet meals

Prepared from our chef’s kitchen to your table View our menu at www.cravingsmarketrestaurant.com 7207 Fairmount Dr SE | 403-252-2083 | info@cravingsmarketrestaurant.com

46

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

FOR RESERVATIONS VISIT SAIT.CA/HIGHWOOD

City Palate CrosswordPlay to win Mail in your completed puzzle by January 20th, 2012 to: City Palate, 722 - 11th Avenue SW, Calgary T2R 0E4

Tickets for 2 to ATP’s Flavours of BC’s Naramata Bench January 26th, 7 p.m. at Willow Park Wines & Spirits Meet the winemakers. Taste 40+ wines, enjoy gourmet food and entertainment. Details @ ATPlive.com.

(See ad on page 29)

or fax it to: 403-262-3322, or scan & email it to: gail@citypalate.ca

Across 2 Mediterranean caviar (8) 5 Old World grain (6) 7 Miniature sweets (8) 10 Beer & soda pop (6) 12 Bread stick (8) 13 Goat’s milk leap to immortality (6) 14 Seedless spread (5) 16 Duck sauce (6) 17 Powdered mango (6) 21 Aromatic cocktail buddy (7) 22 Lacy exterior to nutmeg (4) 25 French bakery (11) 26 Traditional Spanish sausage (7) 29 Drunken French cherries (10) 32 Cream enhanced mozzarella (7) 33 Lemon butter sauce (8) 37 Orange home (8) 38 Pizza pocket (7) 39 Best pizza flour (6,4) 41 Spanish tubular fry-bread (7) 42 Ice cream drizzled with espresso (8) 45 Brandy from an orchard (8) 46 Pizza without tomato sauce (6) 48 3-sided dumpling (8) 49 Ubiquitous Thai noodle dish (3,4) 51 French casserole dish (7) 54 Fermented rice beverage (4) 56 Festive Italian bread (9) 57 Caramelized milk (5,2,5) 59 Little toasts (8) 60 Spreadable pork sausage (9) 61 Peppery green (10) 64 Tortilla chip’s best friend (9) 65 Italian sheep’s milk cheese (8) 66 Pricey spice (7) 67 Potato croquette (8) 68 Volcano chocolate cake (6) 69 Italian breadsticks (8) Down 1 Lentils with a pedigree (2,3) 3 Semi-frozen syrup (7) 4 Develop the gluten in dough (5) 6 Italian white wine variety (10) 8 Air-dried beef (8) 9 Sticky chestnuts (6,5) 11 Baby potato (5,3) 12 Famous French chicken (6) 15 Italian white bean (10) 18 Jamaican beer (3,6) 19 Ingredient in a Florentine sauce (7) 20 Russian self-boiler (7) 23 Milk curdler (6) 24 Almond flavouring (10) 27 Italian cult wine (8) 28 Goliath-sized olives (9) 29 Cold tomato soup (8) 30 French pancake (5) 31 Flower of the salt marsh (5,2,3) 34 AOC red pepper (8) 35 Sharp clam (5) 36 Thick, hearty meat sauce (4) 40 Cod & potato on toast (8) 43 Manual coffee maker (6,5) 44 Rustic pie (7) 46 Creamy soupe (6) 47 Chinese cutlery (10) 50 Crispy French cookie (5) 51 Moroccan tiny pasta (8) 52 Robust beverage (5) 53 Instrument of the kitchen (9) 55 Hefeweizen ingredient (5) 58 Napoleon-endorsed knife (8) 60 Rice wine condiment (5) 62 Coin shaped pasta (7) 63 Swiss latke (5)

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

47

7 quick ways with Squash

Either way you choose... amazing food, wine, culture, history and photographs will be in abundance every single day!

We love winter squash. It comes in a riot of colours and sizes and shapes, its flesh is so good for you, and with not much effort, you can transform it into all manner of tasty, winter-worthy meals.

The only challenge with the big old winter squashes is that, unless you bake them, skin-on, you need to take care and use a really sharp paring knife to cut the hard skin off. But once that’s done, Bob’s your mother’s brother. One of the easiest and most attractive ways to serve squash is to get a big roundish one, cut it in half, remove the seeds and bake it until the flesh is tender. Scoop some of the flesh out of one half, leaving enough to form a bowl that will hold soup, and scoop all of the flesh out of the other half. Make a soup with the flesh, pour it into the squash “bowl,” set the bowl in the centre of the table, These and serve your soup. recipes

1. A Simple Squash and Apple Soup

are on our website

Peel and cut a squash into cubes. Peel and cut Granny Smith apples into cubes. Put all the cubes onto a baking sheet and roast them in a 400°F. oven until tender. Remove and purée in a blender. Pour the squash and apple into a soup pot, add broth of your choice – chicken or vegetarian – to thin to soup consistency, season to taste with salt and pepper and a splash of maple syrup. Toss in a can of corn for texture, if you like. Serve in bowls topped with crumbled blue cheese.

(You can toast the squash seeds until crisp and golden when you’re roasting the squash and apple – rinse them first. Lightly salt while still warm, then toss them on top of the soup instead of or with the blue cheese.)

Join us and other fellow foodies for an authentic culinary adventure like no other.

The south of France in the spring or the Tuscan hills in the fall...

Please visit our website for all the delicious details!

Booking now for Spring 2012 in France: May 11th – May 18th Booking now for Fall 2012 in Italy: September 30th – October 7th

THE COOKBOOK CO. COOKS 722 - 11th AVENUE SW PH 403-265-6066

cookbookcooks.com 48

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

2. Simple Roasted Winter Squash This is the easiest way to deal with acorn squash that has a delicious flesh but is hard to peel. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and strings.

Put butter, salt and pepper and brown sugar into each half. Put the halves, cut-side up, in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F. until tender, about 1 hour. Yum!

3. Tagine of Butternut Squash, Shallots, Golden Raisins

and Almonds

From Tagines & Couscous, by Ghillie Basan. Not so very quick but very tasty.

Heat 3 T. oil and 1 pat of butter in a tagine or heavy-bottom pot. Add 12 peeled, whole shallots and 8 garlic cloves, lightly crushed. Cook, stirring, until they begin to colour. Add 2/3 c. golden raisins, 2/3 c. blanched almonds, 1 - 2 t. harissa paste or other hot sauce, like Sriracha, and 2 T. dark runny honey. Toss in 1 medium butternut, or other, squash, halved, peeled, seeded and sliced. Make sure it’s coated in the oil. Add enough water to cover the base of the tagine or pot and cover it. Cook gently 20 to 30 minutes until the shallots and squash are tender but still a bit firm. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with couscous. Serve lemon wedges to squeeze over top. Serves 3 to 4.

4. Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Butter From chef David Forrestell. Combine 2 c. roasted and puréed butternut squash (about 1 large) with 4 c. steamed and riced yellow-flesh potatoes (like Yukon gold), 1 T. minced sage, 1 c. flour, 1 egg, salt and freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Knead lightly on a floured surface until a soft dough forms. Let it rest 15 minutes. Roll the dough into a finger-thick cord and cut the cord into 3/4-inch pieces. Poach the gnocchi in a large amount of boiling salted water until they float to the top. Drain well and serve drizzled with sage butter: brown 2 T. butter per person in a saucepan with 1/2 t. minced sage per person. Serves 4 to 6.

5. Lem’s Baked Squash Adapted from Lem’s Sweet Potatoes from Jack Daniel’s Old Time Barbecue Cookbook. Mash 4 c. roasted squash (or sweet potatoes) with 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. white sugar, juice of 1/2 lemon, 3/4 t. nutmeg, 4 T. melted butter and 1/2 c. Jack Daniel’s whisky. Spoon into a casserole dish and bake at 350°F. until piping hot. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

6. Spaghetti Squash is Fun This is fun for the kids. Get a large spaghetti squash, cut it in half, clean out the seeds and fibres, put the two halves into a roasting pan, cut-side up, with 1/2 c. of water in the pan, cover with foil and bake until tender in a 375°F. oven, about 1 hour. At the same time, cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and roast them in a pan, cut side up, about 20 to 30 minutes until shriveled a bit. Remove the tomatoes and reserve. When the squash is tender, scoop out the “spaghetti” strands, serve them in bowls topped with butter and salt and pepper, and a generous drizzle of tomato sauce. Garnish with the roasted tomato halves and snipped basil.

7. Gail Norton’s Browned Butter Squash Split a butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. Leave the skin on and slice it into about 3/4” wedges. Brush the flesh lightly with olive oil and bake the squash at 400°F. until tender, about 45 minutes. While the squash is cooking, heat 1/2 c. of butter in a frying pan on high heat until it starts to foam, then turn the heat down to medium and allow the foam to brown. Swirl the pan while this is happening. Make sure you don’t take the browning too far, or you’ll end up with blackened butter and have to start again. Remove the browned butter from the heat and brush it on the squash. Put the squash back in the oven for about 15 minutes. Serve on a platter, and if there is leftover butter, drizzle it over the squash pieces.

THE THE FINER FINER THINGS THINGS IN IN LIFE LIFE ARE ARE CALLING. CALLING.

130 366 Aspen Glen Landing SW | Calgary, Alberta www.aspenwineandspirits.com | 403.239.4904

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

49

B N J. Webb Wine Merchant Presents:

ight

urns

An evening of Celtic Music, Burns Poetry & Independent Whiskies

back burner

Allan Shewchuk

Shewchuk on simmer

Leave my molecules alone!

Born at the tail end of the baby boom, I’ve enjoyed all of the great food trends of the modern era. They started with my mom’s classic recipes, written in her own hand and kept in a little stained scribbler like all moms had way back when. Then along came TV dinners, which were horrible, but which provided so much excitement because of their little compartmentalized aluminum trays containing inedible mashed potatoes and an unidentifiable dessert.

For me, TV dinners marked the beginning of food trends that were wildly popular but didn’t necessarily translate into “good eats.”

That rule certainly held true for the next craze – fast food featuring Big Macs and hoagies, which were exotic because they featured sauces that you couldn’t get at home. Of course, you couldn’t get them at home because they were made from petroleum products that would make tar sands sludge look healthy to eat. Luckily, the next trend was healthier. That’s when home cooks started to go “ethnic” – Tex-Mex, Cajun, Moroccan and Vietnamese tastes swept over our palates. They created hours of joy in the kitchen, but left a pile of discarded tortilla warmers, tagines and chopsticks in our garages with every change of cuisine, much to my anti-hoarding wife’s chagrin.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

at the Calgary Petroleum Club • Tickets $75

7:30 - 10:00pm Tickets available at J.Webb Wine Merchant locations: Glenmore Landing: 90th Ave. and 14th St. SW 403-253-9463

Casel Marché: 24th St. and 17th Ave. SW

www.jwebb.net

403-685-5218

With the advent of the Food Network, trends began zipping by at supersonic speeds.

At first, I went wild for Emeril Lagasse, but his “Bam!” routine became passé in the blink of an eye, once I saw Iron Chef Japan and the wacky dishes turned out in Kitchen Stadium – treats like fish roe ice cream and whale meat confit. Just when it looked like there was nowhere left to go but back to mom’s old recipe scribbler, along came extreme dudes like Ferran Adria at El Bulli, and Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck, who pushed the envelope with “molecular gastronomy.” This form of cooking demands an understanding, at a cellular level, of the chemistry and physics behind the preparation of any dish. For these chefs, it’s not enough to make a good soufflé, you have to understand scientifically why it swells when you cook it and how to then alter it so that it tastes the same but doesn’t resemble the dish you know and love. These are the guys who figure out how to make hot ice cream or how to cook a soft-boiled egg so the yolk’s on the outside. This was where my joy over food trends hit the wall.

See, I have no interest in turning my kitchen into a chemistry lab because I’ve never been a “science guy.” You know the people I’m talking about – they were the schoolmates who got excited about dissecting frogs and figuring out how to blow up someone’s locker. They grew up to be engineers or geologists who think it’s cool to take a family holiday and skip Disneyland so the kids can see a shale gas deposit. They have no concept of art or creativity, but they can explain the tensile strength of steel. These types wouldn’t know a good soufflé if it fell on their heads, but they would go ga-ga over making a dish using liquid nitrogen to flash freeze and shatter bacon so it can be turned into a gas to be sniffed at the table before you dig into your sous-vide quail.

Give me a break! This isn’t cooking – this is “Revenge of the Nerds” with cutlery.

I recently met a chef from L.A. who told me that although he hated the molecular gastronomy trend, he felt that he had to do this “science” stuff to keep the customers coming. So he explores websites such as Ideas in Food, where scientist-cooks spend day and night developing new dishes. They’ll make shrimp into pasta noodles, for example, by cooking them at low temperatures and then using transglutaminase (a protein binder called “meat glue”) to bind the shrimp so they can be rolled and cut into tagliatelle. I could tell from the look on this poor chef’s face that he would much rather just serve real tagliatelle with a shrimp sauce, as opposed to playing God and reshuffling the molecules in a crustacean.

Not being a science guy means I’m sure that if I tried molecular, it would just be humiliating. Given that I usually can’t flip an omelet in a frying pan without having it fall apart, I don’t think I’ll be attempting to make a soft-boiled egg with the yolk on the outside anytime soon. In fact, when I see a recipe that has the word “transglutaminase” in it, I almost pray those TV dinners make a comeback.

They weren’t gastronomy, but at least you knew which molecules were dessert. Kind-of…

Allan Shewchuk is a lawyer by day, and an Italian ”chef,” wine taster and food writer by night. Sometimes he tastes wine before nightfall.

50

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012

Rodin used marble for creating his works of art.

We chose passion, vision and ambition for this masterpiece.

When building a stately home, you must first choose a lot worthy of your new masterpiece. The last remaining lots in Crestmont offer the perfect canvas for your work of art. Mountain, river valley and natural reserve views are everywhere. So come and visit our greatest showhome parade to date. Featuring two new luxurious estate homes from two of Calgary’s most respected estate home builders, Augusta Fine Homes (403-233-9265) and JayMack Custom Homes (403-828-9596) at 53 and 57 Crestridge View SW respectively.

One might say that they’re artists in their own right.

Prices start from the $900’s for lot and home.

C REST M O NT AL /V

ROUNDABOUT TRANS-CANADA HWY / 16TH AVE N

LE

YR

ID G

E EX

IT

VD SW T BL ON TM ES R C

W

ES

H

EW

S

CRESTRIDGE MEWS SW

IDGE RISE S CRESTR W

C R E S T R I D G E VI

CRES TM ON TW AY S W

C RESTRIDGE HEIGHTS SW

W

CRESTMONT D RI V

CRESTMONT - City Pallet full page - 9.5x11.75 - Dec29_DP.indd 1

www.crestmont.ca Crestmont • evanston • silverado • the hill • ravenswood Coming soon – redstone • Painted sky • double Creek

CITYPALATE.ca JANUARY FEBRUARY 2012 11-12-06 1:33 51 PM