City Palate May June 2012

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city palate the wine issue

citypalate.ca

MAY JUNE 2012

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

JOIN US FOR LUNCH OR DINNER AND PAY NO ELEVATION FEES. Sky 360 offers more than just magnificent views of Calgary and the Rocky Mountains.

Unforgettable food, an inviting contemporary design, and an impressive wine list all come together to make this unique dining destination a step above the rest.

101 - 9th Avenue SW Calgary 403-532-7966 www.sky360.ca @Sky360Calgary

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Rembrandt used oils. We chose passion, vision and ambition as our mediums.

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.

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www.crestmont.ca

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4 CRESTMONT CITYPALATE.ca JUNE 2012 - City PalletMAY full page - 9.5x11.75 - March.indd

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

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12-02-07 11:23 AM

Canada`s Largest Outdoor Rooftop Patio

FRESH NEW MENU JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER

Located in Scotia Centre (225 - 8 Ave SW) 403 237 5556 www.westrestaurantandbar.com

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free parking nearby

two-tier patio now open

stampede

parties

amazing catering | fantastic take out | exquisite desserts

T R E E 403.242.3246 2129 33rd Avenue SW www.redtreecatering.com

grilled corn w/cake memorable cowboy prosciutto

ranate chipotle butter pomegranate molasses baked beans ovative chocolate lemon fresh summer watermelon pomeg prosciutto pulled mesquite pork meals to go blackberry 6

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

contents City Palate May June 2012

features

24 n The Iron Sommelier

2 dishes, 3 sommeliers, 3 judges, 6 wines.

30 n Wino-a-Wino

When wine becomes a blood sport.

Geoff Last

34 n Say Cheese!

Meet your Local Cheese Makers Karen Anderson

38 n Fresh off the Press

from the Okanagan Valley

Lots of new winery activity in one of Canada’s hottest wine regions.

Jennifer Cockrall-King

44 n Okanagan Offbeat

Cool food in the hot valley.

Holly Quan

46 n Tootling Mexico... Baja Style

Kathy Richardier

50 n Confessions of a Meat Freak

Ron Shewchuk

57 n NINE things I learned in France...

City Palate’s first Culinary Travel Grant recipient reveals the “real” France...

Charity Mann

61 n City Palate Readership Survey

Tell us what you think – there are prizes!

Cover artist: Gary McMillan is a Calgary artist who has painted just about everything in oil on canvas. His latest art adventure was to paint motel parking lot-scapes between Calgary and Palm Springs, California. Enjoy his work online at gmcmillanart.com.

thursday – sunday b 9am – 5pm 510 77th ave se b Calgaryfarmersmarket.Ca

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city palate editor Kathy Richardier (kathy@citypalate.ca) publisher Gail Norton (gail@citypalate.ca) magazine design Carol Slezak, Yellow Brick Studios (carol@citypalate.ca) contributing editor Kate Zimmerman contributing writers Karen Anderson Jennifer Cockrall-King Jackie Cooke Ellen Kelly Geoff Last Charity Mann Jenni Neidhart Holly Quan Colleen Seto Allan Shewchuk Ron Shewchuk Julie Van Rosendaal contributing photographer Carol Slezak for advertising enquiries, please contact advertising@citypalate.ca account executives Janet Henderson (janet@citypalate.ca) Ellen Kelly (ellen@citypalate.ca) Liz Tompkins (liz@citypalate.ca) prepress/printing CentralWeb

A wide variety of fresh seafood.

distribution Gallant Distribution Systems Inc. The Globe and Mail website management Jane Pratico (jane@citypalate.ca) City Palate is published 6 times per year: January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October and November-December by City Palate Inc., 722 - 11 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2R 0E4 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 email kathy@citypalate.ca

calgarycoop.com/food/seafood 8

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

For questions or comments please contact us via our website:

citypalate.ca

contents City Palate May June 2012

departments

11 n word of mouth

Notable culinary happenings around town

13 n eat this

What to eat in May and June Ellen Kelly

14 n drink this

Must-have kitchen stuff Karen Anderson

18 n one ingredient

left you hanging with another

BaD grocery store chicken

Burgundy’s Golden Slope Jackie Cooke

16 n get this

Busy scheDule

tonight?

Asparagus Julie Van Rosendaal

20 n feeding people

Discover calgary's real Meal alternative, anD a truly fresh approach to eating well on the go.

Feeding babies

Colleen Seto

chef prepared dine-in or Take away

22 n well matched

hoT cuisine, soups, salads & sandwiches

Made-in-heaven food

and wine pairings

Jenni Neidhart

personalized GourmeT enTrees healThy essenTials menu coffee, beer and wine bar

54 n stockpot

office & evenT caTerinG urban Grocery

Stirrings around Calgary

58 n 6 quick ways with...

Toast

62 n back burner... shewchuk on simmer

Home-made whine Allan Shewchuk

403.265.3474 • www.tmdish.com

check out our new web site @ citypalate.ca join us on facebook

like us to win monthly prizes!

Our dishes are nOw being expOsed at the new Calgary Farmers' market.

NOW OPEN! Open Daily in BriDgelanD at the COrner Of 1st avenue & 8a street ne

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Live a Better Life 10

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.

Tea 101 will run on May 6 – 13 and September 22 – 29, 2012.

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Wine Tour of the Okanagan Spend a long-weekend in palate heaven, visiting Okanagan wineries after the autumn harvest, tasting new releases and enjoying fabulous meals. October 19 – 21, 2012 Find out more: liveabetterlife.ca

word of mouth Notable culinary happenings around town

and the culinary travel grant winner is....

Peter Swarbrick, chef de cuisine at Ox & Angela. Peter has spent his professional cooking life in a number of Calgary’s fine restaurants, including Il Sogno, St. Germain, Centini and Catch.

While Catch was closed for renos, Peter lent his capable hands to Una’s owners as they opened their second restaurant, Ox & Angela. They offered him a position, and though he loved working at Catch, he wanted to be part of this dynamic, growing group. Now that O & A has switched its food focus from Latin America to Spain, which seemed a better fit, Peter’s culinary travel plans are to immerse himself in the cooking of Spain. “I need to live and breathe the food I’m trying to cook” – including learning how to cook a proper paella. When Peter returns, he will write about his experiences for City Palate and prepare a meal for the City Palateers using his new-found knowledge (like a proper paella!)

In order to help further the education of local professional restaurant cooks, City Palate offered a travel grant to help one of them get to where he/she wanted to go to learn more about the world’s cultures and food. We were interested to read about the wide range of travel/learning aspirations that fuelled the culinary passions of the applicants.

a new farmers’ market to check out At the Wild West Event Centre – on the TransCanada next door to Calaway Park – you’ll find a great, new farmers’ market, Calgary West Country Market! What a perfect location for a market – open on Saturdays, April 28 to October 27, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Check the web site at calgarywestcountrymarket.ca for a listing of the vendors and any other details you might want. Great!

Look for everything from skin care products, clothing and jewelry, to fruit, vegetables, bread and meats.

a celebration of the porcine

read these

Don’t miss City Palate’s 2nd annual Pig and Pinot Festival, June 20th at Hotel Arts. Teams of chefs will work their magic on delicious local piggie parts – their creations will be matched with pinot noir and pinot blanc from around the world.

Proceeds go to Meals on Wheels.

Tickets are $100, available at The Cookbook Co., 403-265-6066, ext 1.

See our ad on page 47.

With spring in full swing and the planting season upon us, we can never get enough good information on what to do with the vegetables we’ll be reaping by summer’s end, if not before. James Peterson, food writer/ photographer, cooking teacher and author of seven James Beard awardwinning cookbooks, has written the vegetable bible – Vegetables – The Most Authoritative Guide To Buying, Preparing and Cooking, With More Than 300 Recipes (Ten Speed Press, $40, hard cover). You think you know vegetables – you know nothing!

Seriously, any lover of the veg will love this book – it introduces itself with “skills for preparing and cooking vegetables,” then tackles every veg you ever heard of and some you may not have, like burdock and salsify. Good pictures, too, like specifics on how to deal with artichokes, and what to do with a fresh truffle, should you ever have one. Tell every vegetable lover you know about this book.

“like us” on facebook winners Congrats to June Wong who won CPO tickets for February, and to Patrus KC, Donny Pollywog, Canadian Boy Zorn and Ali Lar who won $25 gift certificates to Toscana Italian Grill. “Like us” on Facebook and you could win a monthly prize.

fun for your lips Fun for you, fun to give someone – from Wine Country Organics, San Francisco, organic grape seed oil lip tints in eight nourishing wine-inspired shades: zin, claret, merlot, shiraz, rosé, pinot, syrah and port. Good colours for all lips, slicks on smooth and light, and stays put. We can all use a little more good wine in our lives – check the web site at winecountryorganics.com for all the details, then order online. You’ll want one of each grape.

great food in the loop A City Palateer dropped into Red Tree Kitchen on 33rd Ave. in Marda Loop looking for a sandwich for lunch. She didn’t find one, but waxed poetic about “an incredible brussels sprout, cabbage and apple salad and a delicious piece of cornmeal-crusted chicken. Plus a baguette. I was expecting it to be a lot, but it was only a little over $10!

The store looks fantastic and the food is real and tasty.” Doesn’t get much better than that.

While you’re celebrating the veg, you can celebrate cheese – the two are mutually inclusive – with The Cheesemonger’s Kitchen, Celebrating Cheese in 90 Recipes, by Chester Hastings (Chronicle Books, $39, hard cover).

Cheese goes with wine, too.

Calgary has many great cheese mongers where you can find everything from the deliciously ordinary to the palateperking sublime. Speaking of which, if you can find French feta, there’s a lip-smacking recipe for golden eggplant with creamy French feta and croutons.

It would probably work with other kinds of feta too. If you’re the kind of person whose relationship with cheese is to cut a chunk and eat it on a cracker or baguette – not that there’s anything wrong with that – this book will have you wanting to expand your relationship with “milk’s leap toward immortality.”

How ‘bout this for lasagna’s leap toward immortality – Lasagna with Asparagus and Burrata. Mmmmmm ... cheese.

Vancouver’s Premier Culinary Centre at the entrance to Granville Island

Professional Culinary Arts • Professional Baking & Pastry Arts • 1-Year Dual Diploma Program • WSET wine programs

picachef.com 1-800-416-4040

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

tel 403-262-9463 eauclairewine@shaw.ca

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

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

eat this

Ellen Kelly

What to eat in May and June

Left to our own devices, we would still be gnawing on last year’s turnips. Once again, we have our closest neighbours to thank for seasonal goodies and, soon, our farmers’ markets will be overflowing with local bounty. Asparagus, new potatoes, herbs and greens, peas and baby broad beans – all contribute to a sense of real spring even though we are just getting our own gardens in the ground. We’ll see our local produce soon enough, but for now, here’s to a strawberry that tastes like a strawberry… with more to come!

For a homegrown experience, Broxburn Vegetables & Café in Lethbridge (1-403-327-0909) is a favourite spot to buy, pick and eat strawberries. Take the kids and put them to work promising a picnic – child labour laws are suspended during strawberry-picking time. There are many ways to satisfy a summer craving for strawberries, but strawberry jam is my chosen method of ensuring I have that luscious flavour in the middle of winter. It takes three days to make, but it’s not complicated. Start with 4 c. of halved or quartered berries, the very best you can get your hands on. Mix them with 2 c. of sugar and let stand for at least eight hours, stirring every once in a while to dissolve the sugar. Do this before you go to bed, and in the morning you can place the mixture in a large heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan with the juice of a large lemon (about 1/4 c.).

Securely wrap the chopped peel and seeds of the lemon (the source of pectin) in cheesecloth and add to the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil hard for about five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let sit for 24 hours. The next morning, bring the berries to a full boil and continue to boil until a set is reached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cheesecloth bag. Take the pan from the heat and let the jam cool for 10 minutes. At this point, you can add 2 to 3 T. Cointreau, if you like. Pour the hot jam into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Strawberry shortcake is a universally loved dessert. If you have scones or biscuits in the freezer, it can be tossed together at a moments notice. Sift together 3 c. flour, 6 t. baking powder, 4 T. fine sugar and 1 t. fine sea salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour 2 c. whipping cream into the centre. Quickly mix the cream into the dry ingredients without over-working the batter. On a floured surface, turn the dough out and gently work into a rough ball. Pat into a slab about 1/2-inch thick and cut desired biscuit shapes. Brush with cream, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 375°F. for about 12 to 14 minutes. Allow your biscuits to cool a bit, then top with macerated strawberries – sliced and sprinkled with a bit of sugar to bring out the juices – and whipped cream.

BUY: Look for deep green artichokes that are heavy in the hand for their size. Choose vegetables with tight leaves that “squeak” when pressed against each other. Don’t wash or trim the artichokes until you’re ready to use them. Store in a tightly closed plastic bag in the crisper for up to a week.

TIPS: Rub the trimmed parts of the artichoke with lemon as you work; the flesh will darken if left exposed too long. Cook the trimmed stems and eat as the “cook’s treat” with a little lemon and mayonnaise.

DID YOU KNOW? We often see two types of large globe artichokes here, with and without thorns. The thorny artichokes have meatier leaf bases and a deeper flavour.

Illustrations by Pierre Lamielle

BUY: Choose strawberries that are scarlet, plump and fragrant. They’re fragile and very perishable and should be used right away.

Try to buy fruit from as close to home as possible to ensure ripeness.

TIPS: Never refrigerate strawberries. Like tomatoes, the cold destroys the delicate flavour. If you have a cool spot, they will keep for a day or two, but they get moldy very quickly. If you have to wash them because of dirt or sand, do so before hulling and use immediately.

DID YOU KNOW? The strawberry is a peculiar fruit, known as a false or accessory fruit. Unlike any other fruit, the seeds are on the outside, and are, in fact, the actual fruit.

The soft flesh they are attached to is an enlarged receptacle. Who knew?

Artichokes are huge thistles and it’s the flower bud that we covet. Instant gratification has no place in the eating or preparation of artichokes.

You simply cannot approach a whole artichoke with a knife and fork and gobble it down in a few minutes. It is a civilized vegetable, requiring us to anticipate and participate in the delights it offers. A stuffed globe artichoke makes a lovely presentation and is perfect party fare. Allotting one artichoke to every 1 or 2 people, trim the stems close to the base and clip the thorny tips of the leaves. Cook in a lemon enhanced chicken stock until the base or “heart” is easily pierced by a skewer, but still remains firm. Drain, reserving the broth, and set both aside. Meanwhile, prepare a stuffing using butter, small croutons, sautéed onion and celery, and either bits of cooked spicy sausage or small cooked salad shrimp, or go Portuguese and use both. Every time I make this dish, the stuffing is different, depending on what’s at hand.

When the artichoke is cool enough, gently spread it open and remove the fuzzy choke at the centre, being careful not to dig out too much of the fleshy heart. A sharp edged spoon works well for this. Fill the centre with stuffing, gently pushing stuffing in between the leaves as well. Set the large “flowers” in an ovenproof dish and bake for 45 minutes, basting with the reserved broth a couple of times during cooking. Set the artichokes out on a large platter for everyone to pull apart and enjoy. Wine and good conversation are a must.

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drink this

Jackie Cooke

Burgundy’s Golden Slope

When considering purchasing any type of real estate – buying a home, looking for the right place to open a business, or maybe even buying a vineyard in Burgundy – there’s one piece of advice a buyer can always rely on: “It’s all about location, location, location.” If we were to compare the world’s vineyards, this old adage would be more relevant in Burgundy than in any other wine region.

Burgundy is a unique wine growing area, where two thousand years of history, including vineyard sub-division by different owners and siblings from many generations of a multitude of families, has created a region made up of a patchwork of stamp-sized vineyards. To explain briefly, much of how this happened was due to Napoleonic inheritance laws about dividing an estate – which might include vineyards – equally among siblings. The result was that a single parcel of land would become sub-divided with each passing generation, and in some instances, an inheritor/owner might only lay claim to several rows of vines producing an impossibly small amount of wine.

While inheriting a property (known as a domaine) in Burgundy might sound both romantic and lucrative, strict laws regulated by the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) determine how each vineyard is classified, based on its location. Historically, the best sites produced the highest quality grapes, making them the most soughtafter wines, commanding top prices. The outstanding vineyards were named and some were surrounded by rocks, creating a walled enclosure or “clos.”

In Burgundy, the Côte d’Or – Golden Slope – is where the most prestigious wines of the region are produced. The northern section of the slope, the Côte de Nuits, is famous for its reds, while the southern section, the Côte de Beaune, is noted for its whites.

More specifically, there is also a distinct legal division between each village in these regions, and again, a further more definitive division between each vineyard. In the Côte de Nuits, for example, the slope faces east and southeast, and rises from below the main highway to 300 - 400 metres of elevation. The location of a vineyard on the slope determines how it’s classified by the AOC, which controls and regulates wine production in France. Most important for the vigneron (wine grower) is that the location determines everything – how the vineyard is tended, the quality of fruit it produces and the price the wine commands in the market. As a general rule, price increases as the AOC designation becomes more specific, starting at the bottom, or “village” wines, working up to premier cru, or “first growth” wines, and finally, at the top of the designations, the grand cru, or “great growth” wines.

At the northern part of the Côte de Nuits is the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, which is home to nine grand cru wines, more than any other village in Burgundy.

Planted here are 5.4 square kilometers of vines, which is massive when compared to its closest neighbour, the village of Morey-St-Denis, which is one-fifth the size. At first glance, this famous hill may appear to be one large contiguous vineyard, but it’s actually an intricate mix of different parcels. Each parcel has its own individual name and designation, and in some instances, only a few metres or a very narrow dirt road separates one vineyard from another. These parcels are divided into three designations, with the low and high parts of the slope being a mix of village and premier cru vineyards, while all the grand crus sit side-by-side across the mid-slope.

You might wonder what the big difference is, since it’s all the same dirt and vines, right? To simply compare dollars and cents of a village wine to a grand cru, the price might jump from $55 to $500 or more! While there is a vast amount of technical data, including extensive research, on soil composition and two thousand years of history that can explain why this is so, the most important reason to buy these wines is because of how they taste.

OSPITALITÀ ITALIANA QUALITY APPROVED

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

When considering buying a village wine, I search for an old vine cuvée or lieux-dit.

A lieux-dit is, essentially, a small piece of land that has been recognized as special and has been given a name. Located below mid-slope is a village-level vineyard called Clos Prieur, one of those named parcels. It is separated by about 6 metres – the distance of a narrow dirt road – from a premier cru site bearing the same name. This is an unusual exception, where one vineyard has been separated into both village and premier cru – the name on the labels will be the same, but the designations will identify which is which. Clos Prieur premier cru, itself, is nestled

beside Mazis-Chambertin grand cru, with only a narrow path separating them.

There are just a few premier cru vineyards in Gevrey, such as Aux Combottes, whose vines are lined up directly beside a grand cru – Latricières-Chambertin, in this case. Having a prestigious neighbour has its benefits. When village and premier cru vineyards are located cheek-by-jowl with grand cru vineyards, they get the benefit of sharing some of the terroir that makes the grand crus grand.

Sadly, due to the fact that most Burgundy wines above village level are made in small and “you’ll never see any” quantities, my advice is to purchase a few different village-level Gevrey-Chambertin wines and get to know something about the people behind the wines. This may only require tasting them to decide which one suits your palate. There are only a handful of premier crus from Gevrey available in Calgary – Clos St. Jacques is the one I recommend. While you’re spending time with these wines, splurge on a grand cru and cellar it for five to ten years.

While you’re waiting for it to mature, a trip to Burgundy might be in order... by visiting the region, a closer look will give you the opportunity to understand what three different wines from the same hillside is all about.

In general, the wines from Gevrey tend to be the most powerful, tannic and fruit-driven of the red burgundies, with the top examples possessing great potential for long-term cellaring. Regardless of their classification, the wines from Gevrey-Chambertin have a distinctive red or black cherry flavour and intensity unlike any others from Burgundy.

2009 Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur $67 Exclusive to Metrovino Alexandrine, daughter of Marc Roy, is the passionate 4th generation vigneron who believes the family’s wines achieve amazing quality due to the work in the vineyards. To quote her, “my wines have a soul.” Because this vineyard is located below Mazis-Chambertin and shares some of the grand cru’s terroir, it gains a similar spicy character and a powerful tannic structure.

2009 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos St. Jacques Arriving in May – inquire at your favourite wine store Everyone who knows wine agrees that this premier cru should be classified as grand cru – especially the five owners of the vineyard, who consider it among their top-performing wines. Dense black and maraschino cherries, with a good amount of new oak and a long finish characterize this wine.

2006 Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru $450 Exclusive to Bin 905 The Dugat-Py family is in its 13th generation running the domaine. Annual production of this wine is only 150 to 200 cases that come from a tiny piece of this grand cru that measures about 6,900 square metres. The wine is still young, but exudes classic bing cherry fruit, red licorice, warm earth and soft leather. On the palate, the wine has a silky, plush texture and layers of complexity. While delicate, it has a sturdy backbone and solid tannin structure that will contribute to its ability to age.

This wine tastes like it has a serious pedigree, and it does. If possible, cellar it until its 20th birthday.

Jackie Cooke is a certified sommelier who has drunk a fair share of burgundy. She maintains her burgundy consumption running the wine program at her new restaurant, Avec Bistro.

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Own a Luxurious Apartment in the South of France

get this

In the heart of the Languedoc, the world’s largest wine-growing region, the fully restored Château Charlotte awaits you. One studio and one 1/4-share in a 1 bedroom apartment remain...

• surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, situated in the center of the bustling town of Olonzac • salt water swimming pool, garden courtyard, barbeque area • wonderful hiking and biking countryside, with a recreational lake and the Canal du Midi just a ten minute walk • half hour drive to the Mediterranean Sea, Narbonne and historic Carcassonne Completely Canadian owned.

A unique experience and opportunity.

Contact: david.furneaux@gmail.com

mmm... Mexican melting cheese It’s exciting to find an authentic Quesillo de Oaxaca (Oaxacan melting-style string cheese) in Calgary. The brand is Queso Dorado and the cheese is cooked cow’s milk made in Burnaby, BC, by Flamingo Foods. The production is complicated and involves stretching strands of curds to form long strings which are then rolled in a ball like yarn. Quesillo de Oaxaca has a high melting point and a salty flavour – it’s as good as ones we’ve tasted in Southern Mexico. Now you can get out your Dianna Kennedy and Rick Bayless Mexican cookbooks and stuff your quesadillas and chiles rellenos with the authentic ingredient just like they do.

Queso Dorado melting string cheese, $9.59/pkg, Salsita Mexican Food Market

And starting this spring... Jardin de Charlotte with village houses, pool and gardens.

a wine skin for the wine jet set New, lighter and even more portable than other wine bottle protectors, this Wineskin is your perfect travel partner.

Keep one in your suitcase. It won’t take up unnecessary space and you’ll be prepared when you find that special vintage that’s worth lugging home. The bubble wrap and tight seal will not only protect the wine, but also your clothes and luggage. You can toast a safe arrival home and recapture a little of the magic of your trip when you open your souvenir with family and friends.

Wineskin, $3.50, The Wine Station in Okotoks

beer tender, another round please Wine lovers have long enjoyed sophisticated wine preservation systems – it looks like beer has joined the ranks. Crate and Barrel offers this cleverly named Beer Tender from Krups for countertop service of perfectly chilled draught beer. It has a patented carbon technology to keep your brew fresh for up to 30 days. The sleek chrome and black housing is engineered to work with Heineken and Newcastle Brown Ale mini kegs that liquor outlets, including Highlander, Zyn.ca and Willow Park, stock regularly.

Krups Beer Tender, $149.99, Crate and Barrel

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Karen Anderson

Must-have kitchen stuff

do you have a really grape smile?

If you’re fine with red wine but have disdain for the stain it can cast on your smile, then Wine Wipes are for you. Some people suffer from a plethora of purple on their tongue, teeth and lips caused by all those luscious deep red tannins, and if you’re one of the chosen few, it can be a little embarrassing. As the Wine Wipes package says, “Just because you are a Borracha doesn’t mean you have to look like one”. Keep this handy package of 20 wipes in your purse or pocket and people will only notice how great your smile is, not how grape it is.

A Great Wine Store New Arrivals

Villa Matilde (Campania), Skylark (California), Chasseur (California), Block Nine (California), Williams Selyem (California), Tavs (Spain)

Upcoming tastings

May 4 – Rhone Rangers, May 11th – Lambic Libations, June 8 – Canada vs Belgium beer battle, June 15th – Italian bubbles

Wine Wipes, $9.99/20 wipes, Durango Kitchenware

artichoke has its own app… …appetizer that is, and this one makes entertaining a breeze. Try adding a bottle of President’s Choice Artichoke and Asiago Tapenade to 1 c. of cooked, mashed cauliflower, 1/2 c. mascarpone cheese, 1 pkg. drained chopped frozen spinach and 1 tsp. chile flakes. Mix well, top with grated asiago, and bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes.

Serve with pita chips and a beautiful assortment of crudités. For a quick dinner option, cook your favourite pasta, sauté shrimp in olive oil and garlic until pink, then combine with the freshly drained pasta and a bottle of the tapenade. Toss and serve with fresh asiago and parsley sprinkled on top along with fresh asparagus added to the mix. It’s a dinner that will come together so fast you can call it your spring fling.

BIN 905

Distinctive Wines and Spirits

2311-4th Street SW 403.261.1600 / bin905.com

President’s Choice Artichoke and Asiago Tapenade, $5.19/270ml, Superstore

krazy for Kölsch

Le Nouveau

Kölsch beer originated in Cologne (Köln), Germany, and must conform to the German Beer Purity Act of 1512. This means it must be made with Kölshbier yeast, water, malt and hops only, and it must also be served frosty cold in specially designed tall slim glasses called stangen (German for rods). Kölsch beer inspired Bart Larson, a nuclear physicist, to start Mt. Begbie Brewery in Revelstoke in 1996. Mt. Begbie High Country Kölsch is a pale, mildly hoppy beer with a little wheat malt to give it its elegant and characteristic flavour.

Larson has done such a great job with his version that it won Gold at the Canadian Brewing Awards in 2011. It’s fabulous with grilled food on a hot day and with German food any time of the year.

You can find the beer at Zyn.ca in Calgary and you’ll find your stangen – the champagne flutes of the beer world – at Lee Valley.

Mt. Begbie High Country Kölsch $3.50/can, zyn.ca Kölsch beer glasses, $14.50/dozen, Lee Valley Tools Ltd.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

17

one ingredient

Julie Van Rosendaal

Asparagus

In Downtown Calgary

R E S TA U R A N T & L O U N G E

There are few foods that announce the arrival of spring as loudly as asparagus. (Rhubarb is as vocal, but doesn’t have as many fans.) Those who seek produce at its prime look forward to the few fleeting months in late spring that bring us bundles of snappy asparagus – the first out of the gate – to usher in a summer of fresh veggies.

While asparagus from California or Mexico is generally available yearround, it doesn’t compare to asparagus grown right here in Alberta. It’s not exactly a common crop, but our soil conditions, lack of pests and cool climate produce tender, sweet stalks. Those who’ve never before seen an asparagus field may not recognize one when they come upon it. Each stalk stands alone, poking directly out of the ground as if someone stuck it there. If it’s left to go to seed, each stalk produces a lush head of feathery foliage, a crown that renders it unidentifiable as asparagus to those not in the know.

Culinarily speaking, asparagus is a vegetable; botanically, it’s a flowering perennial. Alberta asparagus lovers are likely familiar with Doug and Elna Edgar of Edgar Farms outside Innisfail, who celebrate their asparagus crop with a festival every year (this year it’s June 2 and 3; for more info visit edgarfarms.com). It’s worth the drive for anyone interested in seeing how asparagus grows, and plucking a stalk straight from the dirt.

Asparagus doesn’t generally come in as many varieties as other produce. Mostly it’s the green stuff we’re all familiar with, but you’ll occasionally find white asparagus, the same variety prevented from turning green by being banked with earth and deprived of sunlight. In Europe, most asparagus is blanched this way.

The result is white asparagus, sometimes with purpley-green tops, that are more tender, nuttier, and sweeter than their green counterparts.

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When selecting asparagus, go for firm spears (avoid any that appear shrivelled on their sides) with purplish tips, which are an indication of sweetness. Contrary to popular belief, thinner is not necessarily better. Even Elna Edgar prefers thicker spears – she says they tend to be sweeter. (Bonus: if you plan to grill your asparagus, the thicker stalks are easier to handle with tongs and are less likely to slip through the grate.) What you want is asparagus that’s tender and not woody, and tender asparagus comes in all sizes.

You can tell where an asparagus stalk starts to get woody by bending it – it will snap where it naturally breaks. Trimming the woody ends is something you’ll want to do. Edgar Farms’ asparagus is the exception – because it’s harvested by hand, the stems have already been snapped off where they naturally break.

To store asparagus, stand the stalks upright in an inch or so of cold water in the fridge. If you like, invert a plastic bag overtop. Your asparagus should keep well this way for about a week.

As with most veggies, asparagus is perfectly delicious eaten raw, although it’s rarely served that way. Raw asparagus, particularly the stalks, tastes like fresh, sweet green peas. Try cutting raw asparagus into pieces or slicing it lengthwise into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler to add to a salad or serve – quickly blanched or not – on a crudité platter. Asparagus is fantastic in stir-fries and fried rice, scrambled into eggs, folded inside an omelet, simmered in soup and tossed into pasta or risotto. Try it atop a pizza or baked into a tart, quiche or frittata, or beer-battered and quickly fried in canola oil. Dip stalks into aioli or hollandaise (or melted butter with a squeeze of lemon) and give it a go roasted under a filet of salmon or a drippy poached egg. Serve it as a side dish, steamed or stir-fried along with trimmed green beans or shelled garden peas. Any Caesar lover will tell you that asparagus stalks are brilliant pickled and added to the drink instead of celery.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is a classic – serve it for brunch, lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer with crudités or wine and cheese.

Cooking the asparagus after wrapping it tightens the prosciutto, turning it into a sort of bacony shrink-wrap. Or, wrap raw or blanched asparagus in prosciutto and serve it as it is. thinly sliced prosciutto or serrano ham (1/2 slice for every spear) thickish asparagus spears, ends trimmed if necessary olive or canola oil, for cooking (optional)

Cut slices of prosciutto or serrano ham in half lengthwise and wrap one piece around each asparagus stalk, leaving each end exposed.

Serve the asparagus immediately or grill it on a preheated grill for 3 to 4 minutes, turning as necessary until the prosciutto is golden on all sides.

Alternatively, heat a small drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat and cook the wrapped stalks, turning as needed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the prosciutto is golden and tightly wrapped around the asparagus. If you’d like the spears to be more tender, pour a couple spoonfuls of water into the pan and cover it. After a few minutes, uncover the asparagus and continue cooking and turning it until the excess moisture has cooked off completely. Serve immediately.

Asparagus Vichyssoise Vichyssoise is the hoity-toity name for the far more humble-sounding leek and potato soup when it has been puréed and served chilled.

With its subtle flavour, asparagus is a delicious addition, lending a pale green hue.

This unique dish made with brown rice and chickpeas is a perfect fit for snappy asparagus.

The lemony tahini dressing is delicious with plain steamed or roasted stalks, too. Adapted from the brilliant food blog 101Cookbooks.com canola or olive oil 1 19 oz. can chickpeas, drained well 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 onion, chopped 1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 2-3 c. cooked brown rice, chilled 1/2 c. sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Tahini Dressing: 1/4 c. tahini juice of 1 lemon 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil 2 T. hot water 1 garlic clove, finely crushed pinch salt

savour

1 T. each butter and canola or olive oil

fine foods & kitchenware

1 small onion, peeled and chopped 2 leeks, chopped (white and pale green part only) and then washed in a bowl of cool water

Everything from aprons to zesters, aioli to yuzu vinegar.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Spring happens.. is your kitchen ready?

1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 c. chicken or vegetable stock salt and pepper 1/2 c. half & half or whipping cream

In a large saucepan or smallish pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the onion and leeks and cook for a few minutes, until they start to soften. Add the potatoes, asparagus and stock and cook for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream.

Purée the soup in the pot using a hand-held immersion blender, or do it in batches in a blender or food processor until it’s very smooth.

Add a little extra stock or water if the soup seems too thick. Serve hot, or chill and serve cold. Serves 6.

These recipes are on our website

Stir-Fried Asparagus with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing

1331 - 9th Ave SE, Calgary, AB Tel: 403.532.8222 www.savourfinefoods.com

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Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook them for a few minutes, until they start turning golden. Add the garlic and a bit of salt and cook until the chickpeas are they’re nicely golden and getting crispy. Transfer them to a shallow bowl.

Add the onions to the pan, along with a little more oil if you need it. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they get soft and start to turn golden. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, covered, to allow the asparagus to brighten and soften a bit. Dump the asparagus into the bowl with the chickpeas.

Add another slick of oil to the skillet and cook the rice for a few minutes, just to warm it through and brown it a bit. (Starting with cold rice means the grains will be more separate, and won’t clump together as you cook them.)

Return the chickpeas, onions and asparagus to the pan and toss them together to warm everything through. To make the dressing, shake the tahini dressing ingredients in a jar. Serve the chick peas and asparagus in shallow bowls, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with almonds.

Pass extra dressing at the table. Serves 4. continued on page 53

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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feeding people

Colleen Seto

Feeding babies

I still remember my mom feeding my younger sisters jarred baby food when they began eating solids. It came in an array of colours, not to mention some questionable aromas. I’d sneak bites of the applesauce, but the meat and veggies? Ewwwww.

Fast-forward 25 years, and memories of that food prompt me to make my own baby food now that I’m a mom. I want to be sure that what I feed my daughter, Annabel, now 16 months old, is healthy, nutritious and free of additives. Plus, I’ll save some bucks.

But when it comes to cooking, I’m what you’d call a neophyte. I’m not all that confident I’ll avoid the “ew” factor, but at least I will know what’s causing the “ew” factor. Making your own baby food is supposed to be easy, right? I mean, how discerning can baby be when she’s got nothing but boob milk as a point of comparison?

As it turns out, she can be very discerning. The whole feeding baby thing is very hit- and-miss. Banana, yes. Melon, no. Sweet potato, yes. Peas, no. Bread in the morning, not in the afternoon. Oy vey. Mashing bananas and slicing avocados are things I feel perfectly capable of doing, but Annabel’s ready for a change.

That’s when the panic strikes. I actually have to cook something now – and not just anything, but food that she will eat and that I can prepare properly. Would it be wrong to raise her on sweet potatoes alone?

I decide to seize the day and dive into the proteins. First up, chicken. Frying seems too greasy, so I boil it. Then I purée it. Then I feed it to her. Then she throws up.

Egad. What have I gotten myself into? It’s time for some expert advice.

I ask Sarah Remmer – a mom, registered dietitian and nutrition coach for expectant and new moms – for advice on making baby food. With her background, it was a no-brainer for her to make baby food from scratch. For those of us who are less knowledgeable, she suggests buying a cookbook for baby food or looking online for good baby food recipes. “Don’t go too crazy making smoothly puréed baby food,” Remmer also advises. “Your baby will quickly transition to coarser textures and you may be stuck with lots of leftover purées.”

She also cautions against buying a fancy baby food machine (hello, Baby Bullet!).

“A regular food processor or blender works just fine. And if you’re finding it too overwhelming and time consuming to make 100 percent of your baby’s food, know that it’s completely okay to purchase some store-bought baby foods.

Choose organic when you can.”

That was sweet music to my ears. It’s all well and good to want to make all your own baby food, but sometimes it’s just not convenient or feasible. Thanks to my mother-in-law, I was introduced to Baby Gourmet early on. It’s a guilt-free, organic and delicious line of baby food that is the brainchild of a Calgary mom.

Like other parents, Baby Gourmet founder Jennifer Broe was disappointed with the quality of baby food at the store. So she channeled her love for cooking and good food into making interesting and delicious recipes for her baby that would form the basis for her company. Making her own baby food meant she could carefully select the ingredients at the local farmers’ market, be creative with combinations, freeze the food into individual portions, and serve a variety of foods.

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A self-taught cook, Broe is clearly more adept in the kitchen than I am, but she admitted that making her baby’s food could be time consuming. “I would spend lots of time prepping food, and at the end of all my work, only baby had a meal!”

Her efforts were just too good not to share, and am I ever glad she did. “Right from the start, my mission with Baby Gourmet was to provide every baby and every mom with the opportunity to eat delicious food – they deserve it!” says Broe. She set out to make Baby Gourmet available nationwide, and after five years of research and business planning, Baby Gourmet started selling its

signature green pouches in North America’s largest retailers, places like Superstore, Walmart and Safeway.

Thanks to Broe, all I have to do is add some Baby Gourmet into my lessexciting homemade veggies or noodles, and Annabel gobbles it up. A fair compromise, I’d say.

PREGO’S

“You’re doing a wonderful thing for your baby by making most of her baby food,” affirms Remmer. “Try to be patient and have fun as you introduce solids. It may take up to 20 tries before your baby accepts a new food. Keep reintroducing foods in a non-pressured way.”

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Broe agrees. “Don’t be afraid to try interesting combinations, and there’s no need for added salt or sugar. By introducing babies to a wide variety of flavours and textures, you’re setting a good foundation for their relationship with food.”

What I learned is that making baby’s food requires mostly common sense.

Food safety is numero uno. Next, to retain the nutritional value of the ingredients, try to do as little to them as is necessary to make them palatable.

That means steam, don’t boil; bake, don’t fry. Beyond that, just experiment. For instance, I discovered that browning meat in a pan and draining off the fat provides tastier food than boiling. (A note: if you find the food unappetizing, chances are, baby will too.) Annabel didn’t warm up to meat for a while, so I went with meat alternatives like tofu and lentils.

Taste the tradition

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It definitely does take more time and effort to make your own baby food than it does to crack open a jar, but you’re likely cooking for yourself and other family members anyhow, so just try to do it in tandem. Let baby sample off your plate or make an unseasoned version of the family’s dinner for baby.

The payoff nutritionally and financially makes it worthwhile.

Keep trying different textures, and do it often. And remember, baby’s rejection of your home cooking is not necessarily a reflection of your skill (or lack thereof).

So don’t make a ton of any one thing, and if it isn’t a success, just move on to different foods. Go back to that dish another day. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

For baby food recipes, tips and ideas from the experts quoted here, check out sarahremmer.com/blog and babygourmet.com/blog. Remmer also offers baby food recipes as part of her Super Start to Solids virtual nutrition package, and Broe has a “one meal, three ways” cookbook for feeding baby and family together coming out this summer.

2008

When not fretting in the kitchen, Colleen Seto pounds out prose for the likes of Avenue, up!, Canadian Living and National Geographic Books. colleenseto.blogspot.com

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

21

well matched

Lunch Time

220 42AVE SE CALGARY AB 403 287 9255

WWW.ALLOYDINING.COM

Harissa Lamb with Yogurt Dressing Harissa and preserved lemon add exotic heat and flavour to the lamb and bring out the vibrancy of the tomatoes. Take advantage of the season and substitute any good quality tomatoes you can find in a variety of colours.

Wine combining?

We can help.

1 T. harissa paste, found at Middle Eastern markets or specialty shops 1/4 c. olive oil salt and pepper 2 lb. boneless lamb loin 2 preserved lemons, flesh removed, rinsed and the rind sliced 1/3 c. chopped green pitted olives 1/4 c. Italian parsley leaves 1/4 c. mint leaves 1/4 lb. yellow cherry tomatoes 2 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped 2 T. olive oil fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper 4 pita breads

To make the lemon yogurt dressing, place the yogurt, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl and mix to combine, add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the harissa, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Coat the lamb with the harissa mixture and set aside for at least 10 minutes to marinate. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the lamb for 8 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your preference.

Place the preserved lemon, olives, parsley, mint and tomato in a bowl and mix to combine with the olive oil. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. To serve, slice the lamb and serve with the lemon yogurt drizzled over top, salad and pita bread as complementary sides. Serves 4.

Lemon Yogurt Dressing 1/2 c. Greek yogurt 1 T. lemon juice 1 clove garlic, finely minced fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

These recipes are on our website

Pair this dish with:

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Alvaro Palacios La Montesa Rioja (Spain) $30 This wine is one of the classic matches for lamb. The aromas offer notes of figs and plums with subtle hints of spice.

The tannins are savoury with wild and earthy red berry characteristics. This elegant wine maintains its structure and opulence from start to finish.

Terre de Priori Brunello di Montalcino (Italy) $58 This wine offers savoury raisin and tobacco qualities with underlying hints of licorice and cassis. The palate is filled with dried cranberry notes and soft plum and fig characteristics. The tannins offer structure while maintaining balance and complexity between the fruit and the acidity.

Jenni Neidhart

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Pappardelle with Buffalo Mozzarella and Braised Asparagus Sauce Alberta’s cool climate produces extremely sweet and tender asparagus. This minimal dish relies upon using only the best and being careful to only cook the asparagus until tender. Serve with any good quality soft melting cheese and even a drizzle of truffle oil if you are feeling indulgent.

2 lb. asparagus 1/2 c. vegetable stock 1/2 c. olive oil 1 t. minced fresh thyme 1 T. sliced garlic 3/4 lb. buffalo mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

Bend each asparagus spear until it breaks naturally at the point where the spear becomes tough. Discard the tough ends. Cut the asparagus on the bias into 2-inch pieces.

In a large sauté pan, combine the stock, olive oil, thyme and garlic. Season with salt. Add just as much asparagus to the pan as can fit in

a single layer. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, reducing the heat as necessary to keep it at a simmer. Cook the asparagus until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining asparagus.

While the asparagus is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer the cooked pasta to a serving platter. Drizzle with some of the pan juices from the asparagus, tossing the pasta with tongs to keep it from sticking. Top with the braised asparagus and torn cheese, then with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and fleur de sel. Allow 1 or 2 minutes for the cheese to begin melting over the pasta, then serve. Serves 6.

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Pair this dish with: Tamellini Soave (Italy) $20 This wine offers delicate white peach aromas with lingering apple notes.

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Boekenhoutskloof Semillon (South Africa) $34 This wine offers structure, complexity, and savoury fruit quality. The aromas are filled with golden apple and pear notes and delicate drops of honey.

The finish is fruit driven and mineral, with lingering dried apricots.

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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The Iron Sommelier 2 dishes, 3 sommeliers, 3 judges, 6 wineS Photos by Gregg Paisley and Carol Slezak

This is the 7th year of City Palate’s Sommelier Challenge that we’ve dubbed The Iron Sommelier. We have such a good time – we eat, we drink, we laugh – that we don’t see any end to these fun and informative challenges. It’s also a good opportunity to provide you with information you can use for your own food and wine pairings – in hopes that they will be more fun and not so much of a challenge!

Welcome to the 7th Annual City Palate Sommelier Challenge.

THE WAY IT WORKS This year we matched wines with two dishes made by JAROblue’s chef Colin Penttinen. Penttinen created the two dishes and fed them to our three sommeliers who then chose two wines they thought would pair well with both dishes – a classic match and a more imaginative choice. The Sommelier Challenge enlists the services of three judges who are involved in the food and wine biz. These judges taste each dish with each of the wines, then talk about how compatible each wine is with each dish. Finally, as a group, they choose one classic wine and one imaginative wine that paired best with both dishes.

OUR CHEF  Chef Colin Penttinen created an appetizer Pavé of Parsnips and Carrots drizzled with a savoury bacon and mushroom vinaigrette and finished with a clean, crisp radish salad. He followed that with a main course of Grilled Spring Creek Beef fanned atop smoked tomato spätzle with a balsamic reduction.

Our Judges  (L to R) David Bransby-Williams, WINE INKorporated Sarah Mehus, J. Webb Wine Merchant Andrew Jones, BonaVida Wines Our Sommeliers (next page)  Heather McDougall, Model Milk Restaurant Andrew Stewart, NOtaBLE Restaurant Marnie Harfield, WSET, Fine Vintage Ltd.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

See page 28 for the winners!

THE SOMMELIERS AND THE WINES (prices are approximate)

Heather McDougall Classic: Tenuta Santa Maria Amarone Italy $49 An earthy nose and palate and Rhone-like aromatics – bacon fat, pepper and violet – complement the root vegetables, while bright acid balances the vinaigrette and plays into the leafy quality of parsley and radish. There is enough ripe fruit and acidity to match the intensity of the smoked tomato spätzle and the meaty/spice/violet quality is a beautiful complement to the lightly charred beef.

Imaginative: Charlevoix La Vache Folle Milk Stout Quebec $7/500 ml The dark roasted malts bring a bitter, earthy richness to the aromatics, which play into the parsnip’s sweet spice, while the chocolate-y quality is a classic pairing with the bacon vinaigrette. A rich, yet tidy brew. The stout’s hoppy bitterness is also a great complement to the spätzle’s smoked tomato flavour, while its mid-palate malt – chocolate/coffee/ hazelnut – works well with the savoury beef.

Andrew Stewart Classic: 2009 Pierre Gaillard “Clos de Cuminaille” Saint-Joseph France $37 Trying to pair with the common flavours in both dishes, I decided to focus on the smoky and earthy components. This syrah displays a slightly smoky, almost cured meat and black fruit profile, while its acidity sits nicely with the bacon vinaigrette on the pavé. While grilled beef could stand heavier wine, the acid carries across both dishes in a delicious way.

Imaginative: 2010 Mullineux White Blend, Swartland South Africa $29 I’ve served many customers who love beef but can’t drink red wine, so selecting a pairing can be difficult. Acid and weight can go a long way where matching flavours falls sort. This old-vine chenin blanc blend combines stony minerality with high acid structure and complexity. The wine is a chameleon, surprising you with its body and freshness at the same time, like a well-balanced dish.

Marnie Harfield Both dishes have a significant umami (savouriness) component, so the wine should be fresh and fruity, with soft tannins, if red. Both wines have moderate acidity and a range of fruit flavours, with an equivalent body and flavour intensity as the food.

Classic: 2007 Eduardo Miroglio “EM” Pinot Nero Reserve Nova Zagora, Bulgaria $33 (available only at WINE INKorporated) Pinot nero (noir) was my choice for red, since its ripe berry fruit works well with the sweetness of the root vegetable pavé and the bacon and chanterelle vinaigrette. It also works well with the smoked tomato chutney without overpowering the delicate quality of the beef tenderloin. The tannins are soft.

Imaginative: Lustau Papirusa Manzanilla Spain $15 The sherry was very much an instinctive call. I thought its fruity and savoury qualities would work well with both dishes. It surprised me, however, that a fino style worked better than an oxidative style. continued on page 26

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

25

The Judges’ Comments... continued from page 27

PrEciSion &

Splendour

Parsnip and Carrot Pavé with classic matches:

Grilled Spring Creek Beef with classic matches:

2007 Eduardo Miroglio “EM” Pinot Nero Reserve

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

David – The wine has classic cherry fruit with spice on the finish. The pavé brings out the fruit and complexity of the wine, it gives the pinot a great finish.

Sarah – The weight of the food matches well with the weight of the wine with its fresh, bright fruit and medium acidity. The wine’s earthiness accents the bacon vinaigrette, its acidity allows all the flavours to shine. A tough pairing with parsnips, but this match rocks!

Andrew – The brightness of the pinot nero really complements the base and treble notes of this mostly vegetarian dish. The lip-smacking cherry fruit superbly balances the savoury bacon in the vinaigrette.

David – The wine tastes rich with the beef. The finish lingers and cleanses the palate, refreshes it, and makes it ready for the next bite.

Sarah – This is a nice one! The sweetness of the beef with the fresh red berry fruit of the wine is great. Salty flavours are bright and awaken the palate. Who knew Bulgaria could do pinot so well – very cool!

Andrew – First, this is a really well-made spätzle! The smoky notes in the tomato and grilled beef really enhance the wine’s aromas.

I find seductive fruit and freshness coming through in the pinot.

Tenuta Santa Maria Amarone David – With the beef, this wine David – The wine displays a little tastes heavy. Its earthiness becomes a sweetness, good acidity and spice, but little pronounced and may overwhelm the pavé dampens the sweetness and the dish a bit. there’s a slight bitterness on the finish.

Sarah – The wine gains weight when Sarah – I’m surprised by this one! The paired with this dish and slightly overwine emphasizes the sweetness of the whelms the food’s delicate flavours. vegetables and plays nicely with the Andrew – It’s nice to have an amarone that acidity of the dish. Very clean. has freshness and good balance of acidity and Andrew – The weight and plummy fruit fruit. There is an elegance to this dish and the flavour of the wine work with the pavé’s complex wine is not overpowering. The dark fruit has flavours – particularly the parsnip and bacon good length and works well with the meat nuances. The dish is very well prepared with protein and starchiness of the spätzle. layers of flavour finishing with the zest of citrus.

2009 Pierre Gaillard “Clos de Cuminaille” Saint-Joseph David – This wine works well with David – This is an elegant expresthe beef dish, but it doesn’t have quite sion of syrah, but the pavé makes the the refreshing qualities of the pinot. wine too aggressive on the palate.

Sarah – The smoky flavours of the Sarah – I love this wine, I have tomato chutney marry perfectly with to admit, and love the pairing. The this syrah. The wine brings the meaty gamey, meaty quality of the wine flavours of the dish forward. matches beautifully with the earthy Andrew – This smoky syrah is well-paired flavours of the dish. to the beef dish with its smoky tomatoes. In Andrew – The mineral notes and power of fact, I believe the fresh flavours are calling me the syrah are well matched with the layers of for another taste... flavour in this dish. A successful match.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Handmade with love in a wood-fired still by your kissing cousins on Vancouver Island

Victoria Gin is Canada’s First Premium Gin

Parsnip and Carrot Pavé with imaginative matches:

Grilled Spring Creek Beef with imaginative matches:

Lustau Papirusa Manzanilla David – With a fresh hint of green olives, the wine brings out a green olive character in the pavé. Both the wine and the food heighten each other’s flavours.

Sarah – Nuts, caramel and honey on the nose, and salty almond, walnut and acid on the palate matched with the pavé is fun! fun! fun! The weight of the wine and the pavé are balanced, and the “salty” sherry with the salty bacon is just yum!

Andrew – Bursting with personality, with its hint of spices, the sherry cuts through Calgary’s February day! With the dish it showed well, but the acidity of the pavé ran over it a bit. The smoky nature of the sherry did play well, though.

David – The flavours of the dish with the sherry are well-balanced. The sherry enhances the food while remaining a little muted but integrated.

Sarah – Sherry is a great food wine. The weight of this matches well with the food – the sherry is rich but cleansing; the acidity of the wine with the smoky tomato accentuates both flavours.

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Andrew – Sherry is playing its role here by bringing forward a mouthwatering reaction... but perhaps it’s a bit done in by the great range of flavours vying for attention in the beef dish.

Charlevoix La Vache Folle Milk Stout David – The beer is hoppy with a hint of David – I think the beer confounds sweetness. But I’m not a beer drinker, so the dish – it brings out the smoke but it’s hard to judge the match with the food. suppresses the other flavours.

Sarah – On the nose, coffee and cocoa; Sarah – Love this beer! It’s cleansing, on the palate, creamy, chocolate, bitter. and its roasted, malty flavours enhance The carbonation of the beer is pleasantly the smoky flavours of the tomato. Great cleansing on the palate, and the beer’s idea to bring a beer to a wine challenge! palate flavours are great with the bacon vinaiAndrew – I totally get the combination of grette. Bacon is great with everything... so is beer. aromatics between the stout and the beef dish.

Andrew – A malty, smoky, spicy prospect at Perhaps the chocolate overpowers the beef first sniff. The freshness of the pavé married a bit, but it goes so well with the balsamic well with the stout. This ale goes on my list, reduction. and so does the pavé. This was a surprising match – it got me out of my comfort zone. Nice!

2010 Mullineux White Blend, Swartland David – The citrus flavours and good acidity remained balanced and unchanged by the flavours of the pavé.

Sarah – The pavé enhanced and brightened the citrus notes in this rich white wine, with its creamy, pear and acidic palate. Very nice.

Andrew – There are lots of rich aromas in the wine and it shows power on the palate, so it might be a little heavy for the dish, although tropical fruit notes in the wine play nicely off the pavé. An interesting pairing. The next time I pick up lobster or scallops, I’ll revisit this wine.

David – This is tasting a bit sweet with the beef, but the acidity is still clean on the finish.

Sarah – What a cool pairing. It’s always a struggle trying to pair white wine with beef, but the fruitiness of the wine enhances the delicate grilled beef flavour, while the creamy oakiness of the wine matches the smoky tomato chutney.

Andrew – The rich weight and fruitiness of the wine pairs very well with the smoky, sweet beef notes and the assertive smoky tomato chutney.

continued on page 28

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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The Iron Sommelier recipes continued from page 27

The 31st Annual Calgary Stampede

WESTERN LIFESTYLES INVITES YOU TO...

CALGARY CO-OP

KITCHEN THEATRE

WINDOW ON THEWEST Ed Brown

DUELING CHEF COMPETITION back for 2012!!

Also back by popular demand the Kids’ Chili Cook Off and the Police vs Firefighters Cook Off

Watch website for updates.

Christie Simmons

Experience 10 Full Days of Live Entertainment!

Appetizer: Parsnip pavé with a wild mushroom bacon vinaigrette, finished with a radish salad. Serves 6.

Parsnip Pavé 1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1-1/2 lbs. parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 lb. butter 1/2 c. shallots, finely minced salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Put the carrots in one bowl and the parsnips in another bowl. Melt the butter with the shallots and divide the mixture between the two bowls of veg. Toss with the vegetables, then salt and pepper. Lay the vegetables like shingles, overlapping a bit, in an 8”x 8” pan, parsnips first, topped with carrots.

Press on the pavé to compress it, then cover it with parchment and lay bricks or stones overtop to compress the pavé while it bakes. Bake for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and, when cooled a bit, cut into 6 portions.

To serve: Place the pavé on appetizer plates, drizzle with the warm or room temp bacon mushroom vinaigrette and finish with the radish salad.

Bacon Mushroom Vinaigrette

The Western Oasis, BMO Centre, Stampede Park

403.261.0420 calgarystampede.com/westernshowcase Entry Deadline is Friday, June 22, 2012 Entry books now available

Smoking the tomatoes really makes this dish pop. However, if you don’t have a smoker, the flavours are still full and succulent – the bit of chiles in adobo adds a hint of smokiness.

Though chef Penttinen wouldn’t resort to liquid smoke if his life depended on it, you could try a drop or two stirred in at the end.

1.5 L can whole roma tomatoes, strained, juices reserved

1/2 t. minced fresh ginger

1-1/2 T. chipotle chiles in adobo

1/4 c. minced onion

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/4 c. dried wild mushroom mix, rehydrated and chopped (reserve the liquid)

1 T. maple syrup

2 scallions, sliced 2 t. chopped fresh rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

WESTERN OASIS

Smoked Tomato Chutney

1/4 c. equal parts minced garlic, ginger and shallots

1/2 c. olive oil

All of this and more in the

Grilled Spring Creek beef tenderloin with smoked tomato spätzle and a balsamic reduction.

Serves 6.

1 c. small-dice bacon

1/4 c. rice vinegar

Creative Arts and Crafts Entry Deadline is Friday, June 22, 1012.

Main:

In a small sauté pan, cook the bacon until it’s slightly crispy, then add the ginger and onion and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms plus the reserved rehydrating liquid and cook until the mushrooms are soft, the liquid has reduced and the mixture is quite dry. Add the scallions, rosemary vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Reserve.

Radish Salad Thinly slice a handful of radishes, then julienne them. Gently toss the radishes with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley. Finish the pavé with the salad.

2 T. minced parsley 1 T. oregano salt and pepper to taste

Place the drained tomatoes into a smoker over apple or stone-fruit wood for 30 minutes.

Remove them and put them on a cutting board.

Roughly chop, reserving the liquid. Simmer the garlic, ginger, shallots, chipotle, rice vinegar and reserved tomato juices until reduced by half.

Remove from the heat and add the smoked tomatoes, maple syrup and herbs.

Mix well and season to taste. Reserve.

These recipes are on our website

JULY 6 - 1 5, 201 2 Halls D & E, BMO Centre, Stampede Park

And the winners are...

Our judges loved the creative, palate-perking food chef Penttinen delivered from JAROblue’s kitchen.

Savoury and bright at the same time.

For event listings visit calgarystampede.com/westernshowcase

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

The standout wine that provided the best classic pairing with both dishes was the 2007 Eduardo Miroglio “EM” Pinot Nero Reserve from Bulgaria.

Spätzle Spätzle are squiggly little German-style noodles made by pushing the dough through a special sieve. If you don’t have a spätzle sieve, press the dough flat and flick bits of dough into boiling water with a dough scraper, chef Penttinen suggests. Otherwise, you can find dry spätzle at Edelweiss Village, or use any other small, flat noodle.

1/8 lb. butter, cut into small dice 2 c. flour 2 T. chopped parsley 1/2 t. salt 2 T. grainy mustard 1 c. whole milk 2 eggs

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Annual membership is $195.

2 T. olive oil

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until it’s pea size. Cut in the parsley and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, milk, eggs and oil. Combine the wet mixture with the flour with a wooden spoon, but don’t overmix it... you should be able to see the butter “peas” in the batter. Set aside for 30 minutes. If you have a spätzle sieve, press the batter through over a pot of boiling, salted water. If you don’t, flick bits of the dough into the water. Cook the spätzle for 2 minutes, drain well, dress with more olive oil and place on a tray to come to room temp.

To make a balsamic reduction, reduce 1 c. balsamic vinegar over high heat to 1/4 c. Reserve.

Sysco, your loc al food distributor, has always taken pride in supportin g the local community and ha s for many years procured local food for its valued custom ers. Sysco Calgary supports many different local farmers an d suppliers and already distri butes a wide variety of quality products that are grown, manufactured and processed wi thin western Canada. You are invited to experience the go od things that come from Sysc o through our Go Local, local food program.

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To grill the Spring Creek beef tenderloin, you’ll need 1 lb. tenderloin, lightly salted – not peppered, says chef Penttinen. Grill it on your barbecue over medium-high heat, turning regularly, until it’s cooked to your liking.

The chef cooks it rare or medium rare.

To serve: sear the spätzle a bit in a large sauté pan in a bit of butter to give it a touch of colour. Add the tomato chutney and gently toss with the noodles. Portion among 6 plates, fan slices of tenderloin alongside the spätzle and drizzle the balsamic reduction over all.

The wine that provided the best imaginative pairing with both dishes was the Lustau Papirusa Manzanilla sherry from Spain. ✤

golocalwithsysco.com

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

29

“Wino-a-Wino”

by Geoff Last

When wine becomes blood sport

These days, wine is rated, judged and auctioned like a prize heifer. A legion of “experts” makes its living praising or panning the efforts of wine makers the world over. A winery can opt out of competitions or refrain from sending samples to the wine press for review, but it does so at its own peril – a positive review goes a long way in terms of sales in such a massively crowded market. Wine assessment, it seems, has become a sport, and if the winery comes up short, the blood of the grape is on its hands.

Perhaps it’s simply the competitive nature of the male psyche – the wine industry is still predominantly run by males, despite a prominent female contingent – that forces us to turn everything into a contest. Wine competitions have become commonplace and occur regularly around the world, although North Americans seem to take them more seriously than Europeans do.

Wine awards are like the Oscars – few admit to coveting one but the winners invariably break down, sob and praise the heavens.

The results of wine competitions may not always influence the wine-buying public, but there was one that caused the wine world to sit up and take note – the now-legendary Judgment of Paris. In 1975 a British wine merchant – Steven Spurrier (who owned a wine shop in Paris at the time) – decided to host a tasting, pitting some of the top French wines against their U.S. counterparts. The tasting would be judged by a panel consisting of France’s leading wine experts and would be held in a “semi-blind” format. The experts would know they were drinking chardonnay, for example, but they had to determine where it came from and its overall quality. Spurrier had not yet determined which wines would be chosen to represent California, but his business partner, Patricia Gallagher, was about to visit her sister in Los Angeles and was charged with exploring the Napa Valley to assess the quality of its wines. She visited a handful of notable producers that included Château Montelena, Heitz, and Stag’s Leap, and returned to Paris excited by California’s potential. Spurrier visited California later that year and was equally impressed. He set the date for the tasting for May 24, 1976, at the InterContinental Hotel just off the Champs-Élysées.

George M. Taber, a journalist for Time magazine, who was then stationed in Paris, covered the event. (Taber chronicled the results of the tasting along with the evolution of California’s wine industry in his book, Judgment of Paris.) No other media were present, nor were there any representatives from the wineries whose wines had been selected. The French panel of wine experts took a near farcical approach to the event, fully expecting France to lay waste to the “upstart” American selections. About halfway through the competition, Spurrier became aware that the panel had chosen some California wines over French wines, assuming that they were favouring French examples. When all was said and done, the number one chardonnay was the 1973 Château Montelena, from the Napa Valley, and the top red was 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ cabernet sauvignon, also from Napa. California ended up grabbing five of the top 10 white selections and six of the top 10 reds, leaving the French delegation shocked and humbled by the experience. The California wine makers were equally shocked when they got the news, but the message was loud and clear: California was a wine force to be reckoned with.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Fast forward 35 years to October 22, 2011, at one of Calgary Co-op Wines & Spirits’ tasting centres where Co-op Wines & Spirits attempted to recreate the event. I say “attempted” because not all the same wines are still being made or were available, so there were some substitutes from both countries. But more than half the wines were from the original participants in the ’76 tasting. In the white flight, Ridge’s 2008 Santa Cruz Chardonnay (which was not in the original tasting) took first place, and Ridge again took first in the red lineup with its 2007 Monte Bello (which placed 5th in 1976 in Paris). I was not entirely surprised by the results – Ridge is one of California’s finest producers and 2007 was a banner year for California. Among the red selections from France were Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Haut Brion (two first-growth wines from Bordeaux, both of which cost much more than Monte Bello), but the vintages were from weak years, which gave the Ridge a distinct advantage.

So what, if any, conclusions should the wine consumer draw from an event such as this, or any wine competition (or rating) for that matter? For a start, it’s important to understand that there is no such thing as a truly definitive rating or quality assessment when it comes to wine, including Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator ratings. When we taste wine or food, our taste buds relay the information they gather to our brain. Our nasal cavity alone contains more than 2,000 receptors that recognize and analyze aromas, which our brain deciphers to determine whether those aromas are pleasant or not. Interestingly, research indicates that the experience of taste and smell, especially in a “blind” scenario, is rarely, if ever, the same, even when the subject matter is virtually identical in both scenarios. In other words, one day a taster might rate a wine at 91 and the next day, 88, and the difference could simply be the result of what he or she had for breakfast or lunch on those particular days. What’s more, most wine tastes different (and usually better) when paired with food, yet this is rarely mentioned in wine reviews. This strikes me as odd when you consider that wine was created – and continues to be enjoyed – primarily as an accompaniment to a meal.

Robert Parker – the world’s most influential wine critic – states that wine is no different from any other consumer product and is, therefore, subject to the same scrutiny. But is this true? I see wine as a subjective pleasure, not unlike art. So, while you may enjoy Picasso’s Guernica, I may take equal pleasure from a velour rendition of dogs playing poker. Take from this what you will. I read wine publications and I am influenced by them just like everyone else, but I make my final assessment when I get the bottle home and share it with friends and family around the dinner table, because this is where a wine delivers its true worth. Cheers! continued on page 32

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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“Wino-a-Wino”

continued from page 30

JUDGEMENT CHEZ VOUS Forcing two wines to fight it out for ultimate supremacy does not have to be done in the ballroom of a grand hotel in Paris – you can be judge, jury and executioner in the comfort of your own home. If you’re going to compare wines from two regions as diverse as Napa Valley and Bordeaux, however, you should not be looking for similarities (although you may find some) but, rather, the overall quality of the two wines and the expression of their terroir. The vintages should be of comparable quality as should the prices. Keep in mind that at a certain point, you cross the line of diminishing return. A $1,000 bottle of Mouton Rothschild, for example, will rarely, if ever, taste five times better than a $200 bottle of any other great wine.

You are simply paying for rarity and cachet at that point.

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Round 1 Château Montelena 2008 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($58) – In this corner is the wine that stole the show in 1976, although the winery is now best known for its estate cabernet sauvignon. The story of Montelena’s victory was the subject of the movie Bottle Shock. Though it was a dumb film, Allan Richman’s turn as Steven Spurrier almost makes it watchable.

The wine displays a fair amount of new oak, but it also offers a nice fruit profile along with some minerality – a classic Napa chardonnay.

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Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey 2008 Saint-Aubin La Chatenière Premier Cru ($60) – Burgundy’s Saint-Aubin

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appellation delivers great value ($60 is good value for a highquality premier cru burgundy). The name of this estate comes from the marriage of two prominent Burgundian names, resulting in the ownership of prime vineyards in both SaintAubin and Chassagne-Montrachet. This is a pure expression of Burgundian chardonnay, with steely minerality, white fruits and floral undertones.

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Round 2 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($35) – Clos du Val was one of the wines present at the 1976 tasting (and, again, at the Co-op tasting). This moderately priced Napa wine still holds its own against some much more expensive wines, be they from Napa or Bordeaux. This is classic Napa cab, ripe and juicy with well-rounded tannins.

vs

Le Bailly de Camensac Haut-Médoc 2005 ($33) – This is the second label from Château Camensac, a respectable 5th-growth producer from Bordeaux’s left bank. It offers black/red fruits and some graphite and minerals with firm but ripe tannins. This one should be decanted for a couple of hours prior to drinking.

Round 3 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 2008 ($50) – If you were hoping to get some of Ridge’s 2008 Monte Bello (the winner in the Co-op tasting) you are out of luck, even at $165 a bottle, the small amount that came into Alberta sold out instantly. For about one third of the price, however, you can console yourself with a bottle of the excellent Santa Cruz, a cabernet/merlot blend that is produced on the same property as Monte Bello. It offers vibrant acidity, red berry fruit and a touch of wet earth.

vs

Château Carbonnieux 2006 ($60) – This Graves estate – situated in the Pessac-Léognan area on Bordeaux’s left bank – is better known for its exceptional white wine, but the red offering is delicious as well, offering notes of black cherry, tobacco and leather, with firm, ripe tannins. ✤ Geoff Last is manager of Bin 905 Distinctive Wines & Spirits.

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FOOD WORTH SHARING. FOOD WORTH SHARING.

M e e t

y o u r

l oc a l

c h e e s e

m a k e r s

Part 1 – The New Breed

By Karen Anderson

Big and industrial vs. small and family run – these are the Goliath and David of agriculture. Just as David used creativity to survive, so do the new breed of family farmers. Cheese making, for one, has become a model of ingenuity that some Alberta family farms are turning to in hopes of sustaining their small farm way of life.

Canadians eat 12.66 kg of cheese per capita annually and that intake has been on a steady incline for 20 years. We travel and acquire tastes for foreign delicacies, but want to buy local because supporting local business is a good thing. Alberta farmers have either emigrated with artisan cheese-making skills or have traveled in search of those farmstead skills.

We’ll take a look at some of the compelling stories behind what it takes to turn cheese-making dreams into reality.

Old West Ranch Mountain View (established 2010) 403-653-2331, oldwestranch.ca Cheese maker: James Meservy

Cheese: Buffalo mozzarella from Alberta’s first and only Water Buffalo herd Available at: Janice Beaton Fine Cheese James Meservy, raised on a ranch in Peace River Country, was pursuing a career in molecular genetics research in Texas when his in-laws retired from ranching near Waterton. Meservy and his wife Debra took over the ranch in 2000. They thought that if they could produce a specialty food on the ranch, they might make the farm sustainable for their own children. Enter the idea of raising water buffalo and using their milk for highly desired mozzarella.

Meservy taught at the University of Lethbridge, worked the ranch and researched herds in British Columbia, Vermont, Michigan and Quebec before finally finding a willing seller in California in 2009. In March 2010, the first imported, pregnant female gave birth, which presented the first opportunity to milk and make cheese.

Ten years had elapsed from inspiration to making Alberta’s first home-grown batch of buffalo mozzarella – when he tasted it, Meservy smiled. His cheese received glowing reviews and orders began to flow in, but he still had to find a bull to continue the impregnation and subsequent milk production of his cows. At the same time, he lost access to the milk processing facility he had been using.

Undaunted, Meservy took another year to secure a permanent processing facility and to build his herd. On New Year’s Eve, 2011, the first water buffalo conceived in Alberta was born at Old West Ranch and was aptly named Eve. Meservy is now milking, processing in a Nobleford facility and happily delivering cheese to Calgary.

White Gold Cheese Factory 1319 - 45 Ave NE, Calgary (established 2011), 403-402-2031 Cheese makers: Paul Campanella and Frank Fiorini

Cheeses: Fior de latte (flower of milk) cow’s mozzarella in six sizes, provolone, ricotta, scamorza, caciocavallo Available at: Fresh Delicious, Bite Groceteria, Mercato and Mercato West, Bridgeland Market, and Say Cheese Fromagerie These new kids on the cheese-making block are an example of recent immigrants bringing valuable skills and business acumen to Alberta. Take one homesick Italian craving mozzarella, add in his cheese-making cousin fresh from a career in an Italian mozzarella factory, and you get a collaboration that has elderly Italians lined up outside their door. Frank Fiorini and Paul Campanella have already gone from using 4,000 to 6,000 litres of Alberta whole milk in their cheese making, delivered weekly, in their first five months. While this might sound like overnight success, the cousins spent two years developing their business plan and negotiating with Alberta Dairy to access quota. They are on a strict timeline to establish a sustainable quota that will supply them with the milk they need for years to come. They buy the whole milk each week, and pray all goes perfectly during cheese production, because if they lose a batch of cheese, they’re not only out their “milk money” that week but all the sales of the product it would have been made into.

This can happen if they don’t achieve the pH of 5.1 to 5.2 needed to “stretch” the mozzarella. Still, Fiorini and Campanella love what they do, and if you visit the factory store you might get cheese that is a few hours “fresh.” It will keep for two weeks in your fridge, getting softer and more delicious every day.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

continued on page 36

casually elegant. uniquely vintage. distinctly canadian.

Sunday Prime Rib Three-Course Dinner $34.95 Prix Fixe Menu Tuesday – Thursday Evenings $39.95 1900 Heritage Dr SW Calgary • Reservations 403.268.8607 • www.HeritagePark.ca

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Visit Brian’s place for:

FRESH FISH & SEAFOOD Chef-prepared meals to finish at home, including: fish pie sCallop pie loBster thermidor stuffed salmon CraB Cakes salmon Burgers shepherd’s pie

staples for home cooking:

Looking for the best food out of the blue? Visit Brian Plunkett at Blu SEAFOOD & MARkEt. And with two blu locations, Brian’s getting even easier to find!

ORIgInAl lOcAtIOn:

meat and poultry ValBella sausage and pâté sylVan star Cheese BrassiCa mustard Blue kettle dressings, sauCes and dips oils, Vinegars & speCialty salts

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510 - 77 avenue se | 403.775.7055

continued from page 34

The Cheesiry Kitscoty, ab. (established 2010) 780-522-8784, osolmeatos.com Cheese maker: Rhonda Zuk Headon

Cheeses: fresh and aged sheep’s milk pecorino Available at: Janice Beaton Fine Cheese, Blush Lane Organics, The Cookbook Co. Cooks, Bite Groceteria Rhonda Zuk Headon is a former agronomist who studied the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fibre at university but wound up analyzing fields for fertilizer applications. At age 30, she took time off to tour Italy. Zuk Headon fell in love with pecorino sheep’s cheese at an organic farm in Pienza and came home to make a little cash so she could return as a WWOOFer (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) volunteer for a two-month apprenticeship in cheese making.

Shortly after her return to Alberta, Zuk Headon married into a cattle farming family and received a sheep as a wedding present from one of the farm’s New Zealandborn workers. Soon, she had to get a second sheep, much to her husband’s chagrin, to prevent the first one from continuously straying. She dreamed of being a cheese maker and convinced her husband to buy 100 East Friesen milking sheep in the spring of 2010. Since they lived in isolated Kitscoty, Zuk Headon and her husband had to build their own processing facility using personal and family finances.

The herd has now grown to 140 and Zuk Headon has lots of fresh milk from March to October. She makes her beloved pecorino every other day during that time. Zuk Headon can supply the Alberta market year-round because, like all great cheeses, pecorino just gets better with age.

Fresk-O Cheeses

SEAFOOD & MARKET

Leduc (established 2010) 403-667-7951, fresk-o.com Cheese maker: Raphael Chavez

Cheeses: queso fresco, queso paisa and queso dura

www.bluesea.ca

Available at: Sunterra Market, Janice Beaton Fine Cheese, Uni Market, Planet Organic, Eclair de Lune, El Mercadito Latino, The Americas Bakery, Co-op, Sobey’s Raphael Chavez was a farmer who made cheese from his dairy cow’s milk in his native Venezuela. He moved to Alberta a few years ago and took his dream of making Latin American cheeses to Alberta’s Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc. He was accepted into the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator program. Chavez lives and works in Calgary, but five times a month travels to Leduc to process his cheeses. The cheeses are popular because of their high melting point and ability to be fried or grilled in many Latin American dishes. Check the web site for some tasty traditional Venezuelan recipes for the cheeses. Chavez is proud that, in just a few years of living in Alberta, his cheeses are now available in more than 100 stores across the province.

Noble Meadows

Nobleford (established 2010) 403-824-3228 Cheese maker: Carolyn Van Driesten

Cheeses: chèvre, feta, queso fresco and halloumi, goat cheddar and gouda Available at: Noble Meadows’ booth at Kingsland Farmers’ Market, Tazza Deli, A Ladybug Café and Espresso Bar, Casel Marché (Market 17), The Artisan Market in Cochrane Carolyn Van Driesten has always enjoyed working with milk, making yogurt and even trying cheese making in her own kitchen. In 2005, Van Driesten, husband Harvey and their five children started milking goats and shipping the milk to a nearby cheese plant. When prices for cheese fell in 2009, the Van Driestens made the decision to make their own cheese, hoping the “value added” operation would help support them. They spent a year getting licenses, equipment and studying cheese making by taking courses and reading everything they could get their hands on.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Two years later, Van Driesten loves working with her own family, turning milk from their goats into a finished product for people to enjoy. She says that controlling the quality of the product – what the animals are fed, cleanliness, never using hormones or antibiotics – and having customers say how much they love her cheeses, makes all the hard work worthwhile. Noble Meadows makes 100 kilograms per week of cheese, in addition to milk and yogurt, and has plans to expand. Look for a goat’s blue cheese coming soon. ✤ In the July August issue, Part 2 profiles five established cheese makers and examines the investment a maturing cheese enterprise requires.

Karen Anderson is owner of Calgary Food Tours Inc.

We’re

20!

It’s our 20th Birthday, and you’re invited to the Celebrations! te Celebra ur ho t i w y l r ea tival s e F e n Wi Fri. May $40

25

Space is limited for the Festivals – please call ahead to register.

Mark your calendar for our Birthday Sale!

Sat. May 26

Keep the party going: Single Malt Whisky Festiv al!

In-store specials & Birthday Cake!

Thurs. June 14 $60

1257 Kensington Road NW | 403.283.8000 | kensingtonwinemarket.com

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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a cloudburst and a flash flood. Little did I know that this was just the beginning. I spent the rest of 2011 and early 2012 at label launches, winery openings, zipping up and down Highway 97 doing my best to cover the Okanagan’s hot, hot, hot new winery scene. I know, I know.

Cue the violins. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Fresh off the Press from the Okanagan Valley Lots of new winery activity in one of Canada’s hottest wine regions.

by Jennifer Cockrall-King photos by Jennifer Cockrall-King except where noted

Last July, my husband, Mike, and I left our home in the Okanagan for a weekend in the Kootenays.

Between leaving on a Friday afternoon and returning home on Sunday night, two new wineries, 3 Mile Winery and Misconduct, had opened on the 17-kilometre Naramata Bench stretch between the towns of Penticton and Naramata.

This was shocking to us for two reasons. First, in small-town settings like Naramata and Penticton, there are few, if any, surprises. Second, the Okanagan Valley has a well-deserved reputation for its relaxed pace of life, especially in Naramata, a bona fide Cittaslow, or Slow Town. The fact that very little happens, and that even less happens quickly, is the reason we live there. It’s part of the Okanagan’s charm.

Besides which, Serendipity Winery in Naramata had just swung open its new cellar doors a month or so before, after years in the making.

Two new unexpected wineries popping up over a weekend was like

Summerland, on the west side of Okanagan Lake, is bubbling with new wineries, and it’s worth noting that the prices on the bottles are approachable. This is not always the case in the Okanagan. The recent flurry of new labels coming out of Summerland is, in no small part, due to the effect of Okanagan Crush Pad, a custom crush facility and winery. It allows small start-ups and virtual wineries (labels that don’t own land but instead buy grapes from other growers) to make and bottle small lots of wine and get help with branding and distribution.

Haywire was the first wine label in 2010 that Okanagan Crush Pad had a hand in producing. More recently, Okanagan superstar wine maker Michael Bartier and wine consultant David Scholefield have partnered in a winery venture they’re calling Bartier Scholefield, or BS for short. This label is interested in capturing the essence of what Okanagan wines should be, which they describe as “light, clean, juicy and refreshing.” They’re calling their inaugural white ($22) and their inaugural rosé ($20) “table wines” and are pricing them accordingly.

Michael Bartier launched another Okanagan Crush Pad label last summer, this time in cahoots with his brother, Don. Bartier Bros. is an irreverent take on good wine made in very small amounts. The inaugural vintage of its white, called The Cowboy ($23), was a 255-case production of a schonberger-sauvignon blanc. The brothers made only 50 cases of The Goal ($30), a red blend of merlot, cabernet franc, syrah and cabernet sauvignon.

Best of all, they launched the wines at a local hipster burger joint, called Burger 55, in Penticton. Tastings of Haywire, Bartier Scholefield and Bartier Bros. can be arranged by appointment at Okanagan Crush Pad. Still in Summerland, but outside the orbit of Okanagan Crush Pad, Harry McWatters has added excitement to the scene recently. McWatters is an icon in the Okanagan, having started Sumac Ridge back in the 1980s. The McWatters Collection currently consists of a meritage blend ($25), and a chardonnay released in 2012 ($25). Based out of Summerland – though his Sundial vineyard on the Black Sage Bench is in the South Okanagan – the best places to taste the McWatters Collection wines are at Local Lounge and Grille or Local Liquour store in Summerland, part of the family business.

Photo by Voth Photography

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continued on page 40

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Fresh off the Press from the Okanagan Valley continued from page 38

Adega on 45th, in Osoyoos, is so new that it hasn’t yet opened.

Watch for a summer 2012 opening of this family-run winery with a Portuguese flair near the Nk’Mip Winery.

While they aren’t new wineries, per se, a few rebrandings are also emerging. Parallel 49 in Oliver will reappear this summer as Intersection Winery. Twisted Tree Winery has just relaunched as Moon Curser Vineyards with a Tim Burtonesque label design. And Golden Beaver Winery is now Castoro de Oro Winery, beaver-in-top-hat on the label and all.

In my own neck of the woods, along the Naramata Bench, four new winery ventures have risen from the ashes of the HolmanLang wine group’s receivership. Holman-Lang had been on an unbridled buying spree along the Naramata Bench until cash flow issues crashed into the economic recession. By 2010, everything was up for auction.

Gavin Miller, the much-medalled former wine maker at Painted Rock, and Shana Miller, former cheese maker at Poplar Grove, picked up Stonehill Winery on Upper Bench Road. After much renovation it will reopen under a new name. The Millers’ business partners, Wayne and Margareta Nystrom, are orchardists and Upper Bench Estate Winery opens this spring with the perfect Okanagan triumvirate of wine, cheese and fruit at one stop.

Two more new wineries in Summerland that have tasting rooms are Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery, which opened in late August last summer, and SummerGate Winery, a new organic outfit that opened in spring 2011.

Northwards, Kelowna saw a flurry of notable openings in 2010, such as Tantalus, Vibrant Vines, The View, SpierHead, Volcanic Hills, Ex Nihilo and Ancient Hill Estate Winery. Since then, it’s been quiet. Given the 25 wineries within a few minutes’ drive from Kelowna, however, the city smartly launched five Kelowna Wine Trails to make vino-touring easy. There’s even a free Kelowna Wine Trails app for your mobile devices.

If you leapfrog south to Oliver and Osoyoos, the South Okanagan has now rebranded itself as the Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country, and there is a handful of justopened wineries attracting attention.

Just north of Stonehill Winery is the new home of Paradise Ranch, a rebrand and total overhaul of the Soaring Eagle winery that was also part of the receivership debacle. With grape juice in the tanks at the time of auction, a transitional wine label was created, cheekily named Intermission Series. Paradise Ranch brought in Michael Bartier (Bartier Bros.) to make wine and keep the cash flowing while the rebranding takes place. Just next door, the poorly named Zero Balance winery has now become Moraine Estate Winery, and will reopen this spring.

Closest to home – literally – the winery at the end of my block, is Lang Winery.

As one of the first wineries to open in 1990 in Naramata, it’s a beautiful property with mature vines and an eagle’s eye view of Okanagan Lake. The trouble was that the wines were mediocre. Some were even downright awful, like the maple syrup-infused wines that were apparently popular among international visitors. At auction, this flagship winery didn’t go to a local buyer, but instead to Chinese businessman, Yong Wang, of Bravo Enterprises. Some in the valley balked at foreign ownership. I, on the other hand, was thrilled at the news that Richard Kanazawa, former wine maker at Blasted Church, was hired, and that his new hands-off boss had given him the budget and leeway to revamp the winery’s equipment and turn the place around so that it can produce great wine. This spring, the winery relaunches and I’ll be first in line to taste Kanazawa’s new take on an old label.

Aside from the Holman-Lang shuffle, there’s a hotly anticipated new winery on the Naramata Bench generating buzz, whether it wants to or not. Senka and Bob Tennant, formerly of the wildly successful Black Hills and Nota Bene wineries of South Okanagan fame, have created TerraVista Vineyards. After selling Black Hills and Nota Bene, the Tennants spent time in Spain and fell in love with a couple of quirky Spanish white varietals, albariño and verdejo. As a result, Naramata is now home to what’s likely Canada’s only planting of these two Spanish grapes.

The Tennants’ four-acre TerraVista Vineyards has no plans for a tasting room at this point. Since it will produce only 2,000 cases this year, your best bet is to call and purchase a case online or arrange to pick it up at the winery.

Photo by Hidden Chapel WInery

Hidden Chapel Winery is a brand new 3.5-acre boutique outfit focusing on “big reds.” River Stone Estate Winery, northeast of Oliver, also launched less than a year ago with three wines – a pinot gris, a rosé and a cabernet franc.

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The Okanagan’s established wineries are just as worthy of a visit and tasting as its new ones. But if, like me, you love the thrill of the chase, discovering a new winery before your friends do is worth the extra effort. Besides, new wineries often offer great wines at approachable prices, just to gain market share.

Inevitably, as word gets around, the price per bottle goes up. But by that time, we’ll all have a few bottles, or even cases, tucked away. Right? continued on page 42

Patio P lo nk

Summer is upon us and we’re having a patio / veranda / front steps, sippin’ wine party.

We’re serving friendly, delicious casual summer wines—something for everyone; fizz, rosé, white and reds that are full of personality and quality. There will be sumptuous snacks (sorry, no jellied salads) and a classic array of diverse Metrovino wines.

Join us at Metrovino on Saturday June 9

6:30pm

$45

RSVP - 403.205.3356 or purchase your ticket online at Metrovino.com/registrations

722 11th Ave SW, Calgary, AB, T2R 0E4 • 403.205.3356 wine@metrovino.com • www.metrovino.com

Please join us for our special

Mother’s Day Brunch May 13, 2012 Seatings at: 10:30 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm & 1:00 pm

55

$

00 per person

Includes Complimentary Valet Parking, Red Carpet Treatment, Gift for Mom and a Kid's Buffet Seniors $49.95 - Children 7 to 12 yrs old $27.50 - 6 and under free.

All parties 8 or more are subject to a 15% gratuity

Reservations are recommended. Call 403-205-5433 Serving you is our pleasure. To serve you again is our passion.

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Fresh off the Press from the Okanagan Valley continued from page 40

New Okanagan Wineries:

Crowfoot Wine & Spirits is growing to serve you. Our staff can help you find that spectacular wine for dinner, the rare bottle of whiskey to show off to your friends, or the perfect beer for that warm spring day. With eleven locations, we are here for you.

Tantalus 1670 Dehart Road tantalus.ca

3 Mile Estate Winery 1465 Naramata Road, Penticton 3milewinery.com

Vibrant Vines Vineyard 3240 Pooley Road tastevibrantvines.com

Misconduct Wine Co. 375 Upper Bench North, Penticton misconductwineco.com

The View #1-2287 Ward Road theviewwinery.com

Serendipity Estate Winery 990 Debeck Road, Naramata 250-496-5299

SpierHead Winery 3950 Spiers Road spierheadwinery.com

Upper Bench Estate Winery 170 Upper Bench Road South, Penticton (open in early May, upperbench.ca)

Ex Nihilio 1525 Camp Road, Lake Country exnihilovineyards.com

Crowfoot Wine & Spirits Scotch Boutique

Penticton-Naramata

Volcanic Hills Estate Winery 2845 Boucherie Road volcanichillswinery.com

C

Wine Boutique Vintage Boutique

Kelowna

Beer Boutique

Ancient Hill Estate Winery 4918 Anderson Road ancienthillwinery.com Event Centre

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

We make it fresh. .

You get it fast

Summerland Okanagan Crush Pad 16576 Fosbery Road okanagancrushpad.com Bartier Scholefield Okanagan Crush Pad okanagancrushpad.com/bartier-scholefield Bartier Bros.

Okanagan Crush Pad bartierbros.com Haywire Okanagan Crush Pad haywirewinery.com McWatters Collection harrymcwatters.com Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery 8001 Happy Valley Road 250-809-7099 SummerGate Winery 1612 Morrow Avenue summergate.ca

Paradise Ranch 1751 Naramata Road, Penticton soaringeaglewines.com Moraine Estate Winery 1865 Naramata Road, Penticton morainewinery.com Lang Winery 2493 Gammon Road, Naramata 250-496-5987 TerraVista Vineyards 1853 Sutherland Road, Penticton terravistavineyards.com

Oliver / Osoyoos Hidden Chapel Winery 9756 Pinehill Road, Oliver hiddenchapelwinery.com River Stone Estate Winery 7148 378th Avenue, Oliver riverstoneestatewinery.ca Adega on 45th 45th Street, Osoyoos 250-495-2985 Intersection Winery Oliver xwine.ca Moon Curser Vineyards 3628 Highway 3 East, Osoyoos mooncurser.com Castoro de Oro 29690 Highway 97, Oliver castorodeoro.com

Combos $8.95 v

Enjoy our fresh panini, salads and soups in any combination.

Note on Okanagan Winery touring: Always call ahead if you plan to visit. Small start-ups, especially, are often low on staff and sometimes they’re closed for the day without much notice. The bonus is that you’ll generally get to have a private tasting, often with the winery owner or wine maker.

There are also many tour companies that will do the driving for you. It’s money well spent, especially if you want to concentrate on getting in as many winery tastings as possible. BC has strict drinking and driving laws in effect. ✤

www.goodearthcafes.com

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

Jennifer Cockrall-King is an Edmontonian-Naramatian. She’s the author of Food and the City, and the wine-country enthusiast behind the Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop, June 12-15, 2012.

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Okanagan Offbeat Cool food in the hot valley

by Holly Quan, photos by Vireo Creative Communications

The Okanagan used to bug me. It seemed overrun with go-kart tracks, burger joints, cheesy tourist traps, and cabin-style motels. I thought it was trashy.

But the food won me over. Fruit stands burst with produce from May through October. The growth and quality of the region’s wine industry has raised awareness of the valley’s tremendous bounty. And because the Okanagan is practically in our back yard, savvy food seekers from Calgary forage in the Okanagan. All of this has combined to improve the food scene up and down the valley. Now you can find award-winning chefs creating amazing food starring local ingredients. You can dine upscale at restaurants such as the Naramata Inn, RawDZ in Kelowna, or at exceptional winery restaurants, like those at Tinhorn Creek, Burrowing Owl or Quail’s Gate.

Illichmann’s Meats, Sausages & Gourmet Foods, Kelowna illichmanns.com 1937 Gordon Dr.,

Sound familiar? The same family that started the Calgary Illichmann’s (in Forest Lawn) also launched this Okanagan location. There is no business connection now, but you will find the same commitment to quality – baked goods, cheese, sausage, and smoked meats. Another great picnic food option.

Thai Fusion Restaurant, Westbank 501 - 3041 Louie Dr., thaifusionrestaurant.ca

Thai food isn’t exotic to us any more, so a Thai resto has to be good to survive. You could easily miss this place, located in one of the ubiquitous strip malls along the valley’s main drag, Highway 97. But check it out. It’s new (opened in 2011), fresh and lively. The service is attentive, the food is downright fine. A blogger on Urbanspoon commented, “Had no idea a tiny restaurant in a strip mall could be so incredibly good. If you’re in Kelowna and like Thai food, go here.” This is Thai done right.

The valley is also home to an exciting variety of lesser-known establishments.

From quality to quaint to quirky, here’s a handful of our current faves.

Junction Café, Armstrong

2410 Pleasant Valley Blvd. No website; get directions via Google Maps (you’ll need directions).

Hard to find but worth the effort, especially in summer when the large courtyard – complete with waterfall and pool, plus century-old maple trees for shade – is a terrific place to relax over a meal or coffee. The straight-up fare is not fancy but it’s good and fresh, and the staff welcomes you like long-lost family.

Bliss Bakery/Bistro, Peachland

4200 Beach Ave., blissbakery.ca (you’ll need directions).

Le Plateau Bistro, Kelowna  3045 Tutt St., leplateaubistro.ca

Tucked into a back corner of a tiny strip mall is this sparkling gem of a bistro. There’s seating for about 20, and the kitchen is barely big enough to crack an egg in. Never mind. This place turns out terrific food made with skill and passion. We’ve enjoyed exceptional soups, succulent braised lamb shanks, crêpes loaded with wild mushrooms and melty cheese, plus beautifully composed and dressed salads. The wine list focuses on Okanagan offerings along with French and other fine wines. Desserts include a plate of chocolate-chip cookies, crisp and hot from the oven. Order these – you’ll be in cookie heaven.

Codfathers Seafood Market and Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads, Kelowna

2355 Gordon Dr. The grocery has a new bakery/coffee shop at: 115 - 1979 Windsor Rd.

Codfathers: codfathers.ca Okanagan Grocery: okanagangrocery.com How handy is this: a terrific gourmet grocery/bakery next to an excellent fishmonger. Codfathers’ selection of fresh fish is impressive, and can include locally caught Kokanee salmon or steelhead trout, ice-fished Manitoba pickerel or Winnipeg smoked goldeye. There’s a small café attached to the fish market.

Zip next door to pick up a hand-crafted loaf, like rosemary or olive-and-artichoke focaccia, baguettes, or potato-and-scallion sourdough. There’s also a selection of Okanagan and other cheeses, and fancy items from jams to pickles to pastries.

Browse the shelves for yummy things, et voila – le picnic.

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How could you not love this place? The big bright dining area has long tables that facilitate conversation, and Okanagan Lake is just a glance away. Everything is made from scratch. Daily fresh bread – more than 30 varieties, though not all are available on any given day – and pastries, from cookies and muffins to incredible lemon tarts with mile-high meringue top hats. The bistro offers huge sandwiches, daily soups and salads.

Walla Authentic Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Foods, Penticton wallafoods.com 114, 1475 - Fairview Rd.,

This is the quirkiest food find in town. “The Cannery” mall is a retired cannery that now houses small businesses, arts groups, and Walla Foods. During the week this modest bakery offers gorgeous, chewy breads made lovingly on location. Saturday mornings, owner/baker Ben Manea (from Marseilles) sets out tables in the hallway, puts on the coffee and cranks up the opera, then he’s open for brunch. His brioche French toast is a delight, or try the mushroom ragout sandwich that includes tangy bleu cheese. Manea also makes croissants, focaccia, and chocolates. He’s expanding in 2012 to offer daily soups and sandwiches featuring house-smoked meats. One thing to know before you go: you can’t be in a hurry.

Bring the morning paper and enjoy your coffee; it’s worth the wait.

Bogner’s Restaurant, Penticton 302 Eckhardt Ave. W, bogners.ca

In a dining scene that’s really come of age, Bogner’s is a standout. This is fieldto-table cuisine at its best – and the “field” can be right outside your restaurant window. Chef Darin Paterson loves local produce and grows his own herbs in old wine barrels surrounding the vintage home that houses his restaurant. He’s a Slow Food dude who also offers cooking courses and occasional prix-fixe menus. The fare changes constantly to take full advantage of whatever is fresh and local. ✤ Holly Quan frequents the Okanagan to buy grand wine, eat grand food, and see her new grand-son. And she has never in her life rented a go-kart.

Cooks, Chefs, Dishwashers, Bussers, Servers, Hosts/Hostesses, Bartenders, Managers Chef-Driven Food Crazy Inexpensive Festive Italian Scene Cool Restored Building Serious Kitchen

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1235 - 26 Avenue SE • 403-291-5208 www.crossroadsmarket.ca

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Tootling Mexico... Baja

Style

by Kathy Richardier, photos by Doug Proctor

My friend Doug’s birthday is May 1. Last year, we decided we’d celebrate at Hotel California in Todos Santos on the Pacific side of the south end of the Baja peninsula, formally known as Baja California Sur. We also had in mind spending time with one of Calgary’s finest-ever chefs, Dany Lamote, who’s been running the hotel’s restaurant, La Coronela, for about 10 years.

Dany has also opened – at the opposite end of the hotel – his Santo Vino Bistro & Wine Bar, where he showcases the food and small wine producers of the Baja. You might know who Dany is, since he almost single-handedly kicked Calgary into the world of contemporary food back in the late ‘80s as chef of, and partner in, Cilantro and, later, Mescalero.

Dany and his family moved to Todos Santos to help put the Hotel California’s restaurant together, and they love living there. Todos Santos is a town of about 4,000 Mexicans and 800 ex-pats, mostly Canadians and Americans, but some Europeans as well. In fact, one of Dany’s ex-pat friends is an Italian who owns Ristorante Tre Galline, a tasty place up the street from the hotel. Hotel California – originally opened in 1950 – is a beautifully restored building, elegantly rustic, given its new lease on life by Calgarians John and Debbie Stewart.

I could get a job there cleaning rooms or washing dishes in the restaurant just so I could live on-board, it’s that charming.

We left Calgary at the end of April, in a big dump of snow, on a non-stop Westjet flight to San José del Cabo, home of the international airport that serves the south end of the Baja peninsula. Four hours later, we stepped off the plane into summer warmth and sunshine. Ahhhhhh. The airport also serves those who are headed to the better-known tourist town of Cabo San Lucas, home of wall-to-wall resorts and non-stop partying. Nothing wrong with that.

But we were interested in the quainter, quieter San José del Cabo, so we picked up our rental car and headed to the Ceilito Lindo hotel in the arty old part of the town. Our hotel was brightly coloured and bare bones, but comfortable. It cost about $50 U.S. a night. An overhead fan whirled madly, keeping the room at a reasonably comfortable temperature.

That evening we wandered around the corner from our hotel to the Baja Brewing Co., which is both a brewery and a congenial bar and restaurant where ex-pats hang out. Baja makes good brews – Doug enjoyed the Escorpion Negro, a black lager with lots of malt, and chicken wings that “bite,” he said, “but don’t sting.”

The margaritas were excellent, so I consumed a few of those. We discovered over the course of our week-long stay in the Baja that, though margaritas are ubiquitous, they are by no means uniformly good.

Then we wandered around the galleries of the old town and into the main plaza, Plaza Mijares, filled with street-food vendors, shops, and lots of locals and tourists out for an evening stroll. Every Thursday between 5 and 9 p.m. is “artwalk,” where colourful galleries entice you with wine and tequila. We ended up at El Armano coffee patio, just down the street from our hotel, where we could drink good coffee and people watch. Doug also practiced his Spanish with the chicks behind the bar, while they practiced their English.

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continued on page 48

city palate’s SeCOND ANNuAL

pig & pinot festival

JOIN uS FOR

Wednesday, June 20th 119 - 12th AveNue SW 7-10 PM A fuNdRAISING eVeNT IN SuppORT Of

Guests will enjoy a stand-up stroll with delicious plates of piggy pleasure from 10 chef teams who will compete for the honour of winning our first annual “divine Swine” trophy using pastureraised and naturally fed Spragg’s Free Range Pork Products.

No trot to this trough would be complete without perfect porcine and pinot wine pairings and the city’s most talented sommeliers will help guests sip, swish, and savour a global selection of both red and white pinot. pluS...

   

A summer solstice themed Silent Auction A ticket raffle to win $2000 worth of fine wines Music by Simply Sinatra Cocktails by Wade Sirois of Crowbar

Chef teams include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Paul Rogalski and Michael Dekker of Rouge and SAIT Andrew Winfield and Andy Bujak of River Café and Boxwood Duncan Ly and Craig Boje of Hotel Arts and Chef’s Table Nicole Kammerer of Nicole Gourmet Catering Claire Cameron and Diana Nacita of Vin Room Cam Dobranski and Xavier Lacaze of Muse Restaurant, Wine Bar Kensington and Brasserie Kensington Alain Chabot and Matthew Altizer of The Cookbook Co. Cooks Michael Allemeier and Dave Thurgar of SAIT and Mugnani Ovens Darnell Japp and Kirk Shaw of Avec Bistro Justin Leboe of Model Milk

Wine stores include: THE THE FINER FINER THINGS THINGS IN IN LIFE LIFE ARE ARE CALLING. CALLING.

Tickets are $100, available at The Cookbook Co. Cooks 403-265-6066, ext. 1 e - pigandpinot@gmail.com T - @pigandpinot fB - City palate

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

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Tootling Mexico... Baja continued from page 46

Style La Paz is the capital of Baja Sur. It’s a city of about 250,000 people that’s defined by the 5 km. sea wall malecón (walk), a beach, sidewalk and stretch of park that attracts locals and tourists alike for day and evening strolls. Our 7 Crown Hotel was just across the street from the malecón, and we spent the better part of two days exploring those 5 km., where we ate one of the best meals of our tootle, and one of the worst.

While strolling the malecón one afternoon, we spied a not-very-interesting-looking restaurant called El Bismark-Cito (named, for some curious reason, after the German battleship), but Doug dragged me into it, saying, “You look like you need a margarita.” Our margaritas were so boozy, it took the juice from at least a half pound of key limes to tame mine. Doug’s reminded him of why he can remember only bits of his university days. (Key limes are the only limes you’ll find in Baja Sur.) Needing to soak up the boozy margs, we ordered a “snack” that turned out to be some of the best food of our week, defining for us what is so appealing about Mexican cooking: a plate of plump grilled prawns with side salad and tortillas, plus guacamole, pico de gallo and salsa verde. We could wrap and roll every which way and enjoyed every morsel of the fresh, flavourful salsas – three of them. That’s the way it was in our corner of Mexico – lots of salsa, always fresh, always flavourful, always at least three.

The next day, we stopped into Papas & Beer, a bar and restaurant on the beach at the north end of the malecón, and drank excellent, well-balanced margaritas – the “key” bowl of limes on the side – watching lots of kids playing in the water.

That night, at the much-lauded Rancho Viejo restaurant – populated mostly by gringos, it seemed – we had one of our worst meals. We were sucked in by the odor of ribs grilling on the streetside barbecue, but our barbecued ribs smelled way better than they tasted, drowned in a bland sauce. A huge chile relleno was too large and heavily coated to fry well, so it was way too greasy. Ugh! We probably ordered the “wrong” dishes. We’d have given it another go, but we left town the next day for Todos Santos.

The easy drive from La Paz, on the placid Sea of Cortez, to Todos Santos on the wild Pacific took about one hour – no curvas peligrosas. All the peligrosas are in the wave action along the Pacific shoreline. Muy peligroso, we were warned.

But a bit of a drive south of Todos Santos on highway 19, near the hamlet of El Pescatore, is Playa Cerritos, a safe swimming and surfing beach where, after paddling around in the water, we perched ourselves at the Cerritos beach bar and ate grilled shrimp tacos (again) with the by-now expected array of fresh salsas and guacamole.

When it was time for a meal, we repaired to Salsitas, a rustic, saucy restaurant and bar near the plaza. We sat at a table by the window – more people-watching opportunities. We drank semillon from a Mexican winery, Casa Madero, the oldest winery in the Americas, founded in 1597, and ate fish tacos and a scallop chile relleno. We wrapped our tacos first in jicama tortillas then in corn tortillas, then dolloped them with three fresh salsas and guacamole.

The bright flavours and contrasting textures made this food just burst in our mouths.

We returned to Salsitas several times for its palate-perking food, cocktails and charming people. (Salsita’s washrooms were differentiated by colourful genderbalanced dolls hanging on the doors, large breasts and genitals fully displayed.)

The next morning, Ceilito Lindo fed us a filling Mexican breakfast on the back patio in the sun – strong coffee, scrambled eggs, chilaquiles, beans and pancakes.

Chilaquiles are strips of cornmeal tortillas fried until crisp and served with tomato sauce, garnishes of grated cheese, onions, chiles and cream. Lots of the flavour and texture we love in Mexican food. Then we hit the road, highway Numero Uno, across the Sierrra De La Laguna mountains, with seriously scary curvas peligrosas – dangerous curves – to La Paz, on the Sea of Cortez.

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The bohemianTodos Santos gathers artists and artisans to its bosom. Dany’s wife Frieda owns the Galeria Indigo, up the street from Hotel California, that’s filled with the work of Mexican artists. An ex-pat artist, Jill Logan, displays her work across the street from the hotel at Galeria Logan. There’s lots of good stuff in this little town, including its restaurant food. We ate very well, as you would expect, at Dany’s places – dishes like scallop ceviche chopped fine and served in a shot glass, duck enchiladas, a chile relleno made with sweet potato and three cheeses, and sorbet made with Baja Brewing Co.’s black beer. And Hotel California’s barkeeps made great margaritas. We drank lots of them on the dining room patio by the fountain in the warmth and sunshine.

We found tacos everywhere – shrimp, fish, chicken – served with endless varieties of salsas. That was why we ate so much of this food – each taco was a happy taste surprise, depending on its dollop of salsa. Café Todos Santos served no tacos, but it had lots of good bread, pastries and coffee in a pretty, cozy setting.

Having delayed our departure from our Hotel California “home,” we hit the road on Day 6 back to San José del Cabo. When we arrived at Cabo San Lucas, we tootled around this most touristy of tourist towns – resort hotel central of the Baja Sur – and found ourselves on the beach near the marina checking out the hordes – two mob-engorged, monster cruise ships were anchored in the harbour – while devouring chips and salsa on a “2 for 1 beer and margarita” afternoon at the Tabasco beach bar. Life was sweet.

Back to the Ceilito Lindo in San José for the night, another round of beer and margaritas with the other gringos at Baja Brewing, then a last feed of shrimp tacos with hibiscus margaritas at Salsitas by the plaza.

On your next trip to Baja Sur, tootle up the Pacific to Todos Santos, stay awhile at Hotel California. Say hello to ex-Calgarian Debbie Stewart, and dine on Dany Lamote’s good food. You’ll discover how much more there is to the “other” Mexico than Cabo San Lucas. ✤

Join us for a delicious

city palate

foodie tootle! city palat e to otle

Our 14th Year of taking City Folk to meet Farm Folk!

Join us for two opportunities to visit, at the source, some of Southern Alberta’s finest food artisans and producers. Karen Anderson and Tilly Sanchez from Calgary Food Tours and Matthew Altizer from The Cookbook Co. Cooks host these day-long bus tours in comfort and style. Guests enjoy a ploughman’s lunch, snacks, tastings, shopping opportunities and site tours before the finale – a fabulous home-cooked dinner prepared with fresh ingredients gathered throughout the day.

A Midsummer’s Dream Tootle Sunday, July 29th

We keep The Rockies in view all day as we venture to three communities nestled along their foothills. First stop is Cremona and the home of The Salt Cellar. Chef/owner Virginia Marion will prepare an al fresco picnic of local delights enhanced by the taste profiles of salts that she imports from around the globe. We’ll be joined by neighbouring Fallen Timber Meadery for a tasting of their honey wine that will make the local bees buzz with envy. Next we’ll drift to Bergen to visit Sandy Easterbrook and Bob Griebel at Kettle Crossing Farm and taste Sweetmeadow Farmstead Cheese made from the milk of their Jersey cows and East Friesen sheep. We’ll also have a chance to meet members of The Bergen Farmer’s Market and stave off mid-afternoon hunger pangs with fresh baked goodness from the farm’s outdoor wood oven. Sunset will find us on the west-facing slopes of Didsbury’s The Blooming Fields. Owners Pim and Mary-Ann Van Oeveren will take us through their extensive organic vegetable and fruit gardens and treat us to a casual summer feast to toast our beautiful midsummer’s day together.

The Autumn Turkey Tootle (with a twist) Sunday, September 30th

We’re adding a few twists to our traditional turkey tootle this year. We’ll still feature the wonderful flavours of Winter’s Turkeys in our turkey-inspired snack as we make our departure, but like pilgrims before us it will be all new turf as we search for our other Thanksgiving staples. First stop is Innisfail’s Beck Farms to pluck some sweet Nantes carrots, beets and parsnips from Shelley and Rod Bradshaw’s rich black soil.

On to Bowden where we’ll meet John Mills at Eagle Creek Farms and peel into the many varieties of potatoes this young farmer is building his reputation on. We’ll finish in Condor at Crows Landing Tea House where owners Daena and Doug Seland will moo-ve us through their Simply Organic Dairy and grass-fed beef operation before we celebrate our explorations with an early Thanksgiving feast.

Refreshment Sponsors: Wild Rose Brewery The Organic Wine Connection Book your seats at: The Cookbook Co. Cooks, 403-265-6066, ext 1.

Ticket price: $125 per person, per tootle. Pre-registration is mandatory.

Departing from: The Cookbook Co. Cooks, 722 - 11 Ave SW at 10AM SHARP. The bus is available for boarding at 9:30AM, rain or shine.

Transportation: Sahalla Coach Lines (air-conditioned and bathroom-equipped bus) Shop Local: Bring cash for making on-farm purchases, coolers, hats, sunscreen, water bottle, farm-appropriate footwear and layered clothing to ensure your personal comfort throughout the day.

Book early as our Foodie Tootles always sell out quickly!

Let’s celebrate Alberta’s farms and food artisans.

Contemporary FrenCh Bistro #105, 550–11th ave. sW sunday-thursday 11:30-2:30, 5-10 Friday-saturday 11:30-2:30, 5-11

y a M n i g n i n ope

587.352.0964

aveCBistro.Com

aveC Bistro

@aveCBistro

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Sexy Minty Lamb Racks for Two This dish delivers one of the purest meat experiences – a perfect combination of sweet, tangy and herbal flavours does exactly what’s necessary to deliver the goods. It’s great with summery salads like couscous or grilled eggplant.

by Ron Shewchuk

Eating meat is so important to my diet that, when I’m traveling on business, I pack an emergency can of Spam.

There are times when, rushing to get to a meeting in my rental car, I crack open a can, shape a makeshift spoon/fork/knife out of the lid, and shovel the pink, salty, unctuous processed pork into my mouth with one hand while gripping the steering wheel with the other.

By the time half the can’s contents are down my gullet, I can feel the meat’s healing powers as it nourishes my body, sharpens my brain and calms my soul. For me, a day that starts with meat is going to be a good day.

I don’t know why meat and I get along so well. I know there’s a popular theory that says people have different dietary needs based on their blood type. Some are natural omnivores, others are wired to thrive on pure animal protein, and some, the poor sods, are genetically predisposed to eat nothing but vegetables. I’m not sure of my blood type, but I know that meat is good for me, and I’m glad, because I love it so.

I’m not alone. Most humans love meat. Our cravings are inexorably tied to memories of past meals: the sound of a steak hitting a hot skillet; the aroma of a plump, glistening turkey as an oven door is pulled open; the dark, shiny, bubbling surface of a pot full of braised lamb shanks; the multisensory explosion of a smoky, fat, juicy pork shoulder, fresh from the smoker at the magic moment that it’s first pulled apart. Each new meat-eating experience conjures up and connects us with a rich stew of Proustian remembrances of meats past, each bite building on the last and adding to the richness of the current meat moment.

As someone who has seared, fried, boiled, baked and barbecued and eaten enough meat to feed several armies, I’ve developed some strong preferences for certain types of meat and cooking techniques, but it’s impossible to narrow them down to one favourite.

How can one choose between a bite of tender, succulent pork rib with its salty crust and sweet, tangy coating of sauce, and the first glistening slice of chicken breast that’s been carved from the bird, its golden skin hiding under a pool of velvety gravy?

How can anyone claim that a bright pink, bone-thick slab of pepper-crusted prime rib roast, with its quivering eye of silken fat, is better than a pan-seared duck breast, its baconcrisp skin competing for attention with the silky smooth rare meat that accompanies every forkful?

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And is it really fair to compare the dark richness of fork-tender beef short ribs that have been braised for hours in red wine and veal stock with a rack of lamb coated with sea salt and herbs and grilled for a few minutes over a charcoal fire?

No. There are so many meats, and so many ways to make them taste great, one just can’t pick a winner.

But perfect meat that’s perfectly done has some shared traits. It must be juicy, of course. There’s nothing worse than white, overcooked pork, or dry, mealy chicken breast, or grey, crumbly beef brisket. Texture is so important. Whether it’s braised for hours and served shredded, or cooked so little that it scares away the squeamish, great meat has a smooth texture that caresses the taster’s tongue.

Ideally, that smoothness is contrasted with a charred, crunchy, salty crust. And then there’s the fat. Whether it’s contained in the cracklings or marbled into the meat itself, fat must be present, for without it, the meat cannot fully satisfy.

I’ve eaten so much meat that I’m kind of jaded, and I’m always on the lookout for new trends and exotic meat-eating experiences. One of the best things that’s happened over the last few years is a resurgence of fatty meat. In the 1980s the cholesterol fascists took over the food chain, and most of the fat and flavour were bred out of our beef and pork.

Today, well-marbled meat is gaining in popularity and breeds like Berkshire pork and Wagyu beef are available to home cooks. One of the best meat experiences I’ve ever had was a special cut of Wagyu beef called spinalis, or rib-eye cap. It must have had about a 50 percent fat content; when it came off the grill, it jiggled like Jell-O. Man, oh man, was it good.

Beyond the super-exotic cuts of standard meats, there’s a growing interest among North American restaurateurs and meat aficionados in game, ranging from delicious farmed venison and bison grown here in Canada to crazy stuff like Australian farmed ostrich and wild kangaroo, which both taste like leaner, slightly more complex versions of the best beef tenderloin one could imagine. I recently got a chance to barbecue a wild camel shoulder, also from Australia. It was a bit chewier and less fatty than domesticated beef or pork, but made up for those shortfalls with a wonderful gamey flavour.

The most exotic meat I’ve ever tasted was seal, which is also one of the most contentious meats. Ill-informed European activist campaigns continue to threaten Canada’s sealing industry. There are lots of seals – so many, in fact, that their overpopulation continues to impede the recovery of our East Coast cod stocks. They’re humanely killed, the harvest is sustainable, and I’m pleased to report that seal meat is delicious.

All the fat on a seal is on the outside of the animal, so the meat itself is extremely lean – it’s so rich in iron that it’s deep purple, verging on black. Raw seal meat is the texture of the finest tuna sashimi and tastes like a cross between beef tenderloin and sea urchin roe. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but if you’re a true meat lover, it’s worth adding to your bucket list.

1/2 c. fresh mint, finely chopped 1/2 c. dark brown sugar 1 T. white wine vinegar 2 racks of lamb, Frenched by your butcher

Combine the mint, sugar, and vinegar, and mix them together until you have a thick, wet paste, adding a splash more of the vinegar if it seems too thick.

Prepare your grill for medium direct heat. Coat the lamb racks generously with the paste and grill them for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for rare or 140°F for medium rare, using an instant-read thermometer. Turn the lamb every couple of minutes to These allow the brown sugar on both sides recipes of the rack to gently caramelize and are on our the flavour of the mint to intensify. website

The Perfect Meat Experience: Pan-Fried Steak Although I’m known as an avid outdoor cook, when it comes to steak, it’s hard to beat a good old frying pan to give the meat a perfect crust. Save this recipe for a rainy day. I love to serve steak on a bed of fresh bitter greens, like baby arugula, and finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of good olive oil. Or serve it with a big salad full of fresh tomatoes and avocado.

1 2-inch-thick well-marbled rib steak or T-bone 1 garlic clove 1 t. kosher salt 2 T. coarsely ground or cracked black peppercorns 3 Tb. butter, at room temperature 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 4-inch sprig of rosemary 1/2 c. red wine

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Take the steak out of the fridge and let it rest half an hour to bring it to room temperature. Peel and slice the garlic into paper-thin slices. Generously season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper. Put 2 T. of the butter and the olive oil into a cold cast iron skillet. Place the skillet on the burner and turn the heat to high.

Just as the butter is barely melted and starting to sizzle, lay the rosemary sprig and the garlic slices in the pan and place the seasoned steak on top.

Keeping the heat on high, cook the steak for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, until it has a nice brown crust, then turn it and cook it for another 2 to 3 minutes, just long enough to create a crust on the other side of the steak. Place the skillet in the oven and bake the steak for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the centre is 120°F for rare or 140°F for medium rare, using an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest on a plate for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, deglaze the pan with the red wine over high heat, reducing it by about half. Add the remaining 1 T. of butter just at the end, swirling it into the pan sauce.

Remove the charred garlic pieces and the rosemary sprig, pour the sauce over the steak, and enjoy.

When you’re finished eating the steak, go chop a cord of wood. continued on page 52

Jump! in your car and come for a visit...

Limited production, vineyard inspired wines. for directions and map visit

okanagancrushpad.com Open June 15 – October 15 Thursday to Sunday, 11:30am – 5:30pm or by appointment 250.494.4445

in Summerland

Is it time for something different?

Shop at J.Webb.

We’ve got different covered.

J.Webb Wine Merchant Glenmore Landing: 90th Ave. and 14th St. SW Casel Marché: 24th St. and 17th Ave. SW

(45 minute free underground parking)

w w w. j w e b b . n e t

Uncorking delicious since 1985.

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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continued from page 50

To make great meat, you must start with an excellent product, but ultimately what makes the difference between disappointing and delectable is you, the cook. Here are some tips on how to treat your meat.

Choose the right cut.

The Real Italian Experience Full Specialty Grocery Line In-store Bakery

Leaner, more tender cuts like tenderloin are best for shorter, hotter techniques like grilling or pan frying and are most delicious when served rare to medium rare. Chewier cuts like shoulder, shank and brisket do best with long, slow cooking methods like smoking or braising, which break down the tough connective tissue and turn it into toothsome goodness.

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)

403.276.2030

www.boccavino.com

Season it well, with good salt and fresh spices.

The best use of standard iodized table salt is to mix it with hot water and gargle with it next time you have a sore throat. Please don’t put it on meat. Instead, use Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt, French sea salt, English Maldon salt, Australian Murray River salt, or pink Himalayan salt to add flavour and texture to meat dishes. Also, always go with freshly ground pepper; it’s ten times better than the packaged, pre-ground stuff, which adds a dusty taste to meat. Feel free to use dried herbs and spices, but make sure they haven’t been sitting in your pantry for six years.

Start out on high, then turn the heat down.

This principle applies whether you’re grilling a steak or braising veal shanks. Use high heat to quickly seal in juices and add complexity to the meat’s flavour, then turn it down to achieve maximum tenderness. In the oven, start roasts at 500°F and reduce the heat to 350°F after the first 10 minutes. On the grill, start out super-hot and then go with a medium setting after you’ve got char-marks on your meat. To braise the toughest cuts, season the meat and toss it around over high heat with some oil or fat until it’s nicely seared, then add liquid, cover it, and cook it for a long time over low heat.

Treat it simply.

Don’t smother meat with sauce or spice it so much that you can’t taste anything but sauce and spices.

Let it rest before you eat.

After any meat is off the heat, let it rest, loosely tented in foil, to give the fibres a chance to relax for a much juicier, silkier texture. For steaks and other single-serving portions, five minutes or so of resting is good. For something like a whole roast chicken or a prime rib of beef or pork loin roast, half an hour or even an hour of resting time can make a big difference. ✤

Barbecue evangelist Rockin' Ronnie Shewchuk is the author of the bestselling cookbook, Barbecue Secrets DELUXE! He leads corporate team building workshops with a barbecue theme, and is the Ronnie behind Ronnie & Denzel's Natural Champions BBQ sauces.

Find out more at ronshewchuk.com.

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one ingredient Asparagus continued from page 19

Pickled Asparagus I purposefully left measurements out of this recipe since this formula works no matter how much asparagus you have to pickle. If you want to put up a shelf-load of pickled asparagus, go for it; but there’s no reason you can’t just make a single jar.

These recipes are on our website

Ginger Shrimp & Asparagus Potstickers These light, delicate potstickers are stuffed with fresh shrimp and asparagus spiked with ginger and soy. Simmer the dumplings in stock to make soup, or cook them in a hot, heavy skillet to make crunchy-bottomed potstickers. If you like, make a dipping sauce of equal amounts soy sauce and rice vinegar, with a pinch of brown sugar and a squirt of Sriracha chile sauce.

Filling: 1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2-1 lb. peeled, deveined raw shrimp 2-3 green onions, finely chopped 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro 1 T. soy sauce

Honey!

Macaroni and cheese... It’s delicious!

Macaroni and cheese again? I don’t want macaroni and cheese.

fresh asparagus, bottoms trimmed if necessary thin lemon slices garlic cloves, peeled pickling spice rice vinegar

Trim the asparagus so it’s slightly shorter than the height of your jars. In a large pot of salted water, blanch the asparagus for a minute, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon.

Time to try that Latino food market!

Fill your jar(s) with asparagus, slide a lemon slice down the side and add a garlic clove and a teaspoon or two of pickling spice. In a small saucepan, bring equal amounts of water and rice vinegar to a boil and pour over the asparagus, leaving 1/4- to 1/2-inch headroom at the top of each jar. Seal the jar(s) while still hot, gently turn once or twice without shaking, and let cool completely. Refrigerate the asparagus for a day or three to pickle before opening.

Store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Makes as much as you like.

2 t. grated fresh ginger 1 t. sesame oil 1 pkg. wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen canola oil, for cooking

Put all of the filling ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until all the ingredients are well combined but still slightly chunky.

To fill the wontons, place a small spoonful of filling in the middle of each wrapper; moisten the edges with water (just use your finger) and fold over and press the edges together, pressing them tightly to seal them, and pushing out any air bubbles. Place the wontons seam side up on a cookie sheet, pressing on them lightly to flatten their bottoms so that they stay sitting with their points upright. Cover with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out. (The potstickers can be prepared up to this point, covered with plastic wrap and frozen or refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

When you’re ready to cook the potstickers, heat a generous drizzle of canola oil in a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Fill the skillet with potstickers, sitting them upright like they were on the cookie sheet, and cook them for a minute or two, until deep golden brown on the bottom. That bottom crust is what will keep them from sticking.

Pour about 1/4 c. stock or water into the pan.

Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potstickers for about 5 minutes – this will allow them to steam, cooking them through.

Serve immediately. Makes 2 to 3 dozen potstickers.

Elna Edgar’s Marinated Asparagus with SesameGinger Vinaigrette I served this asparagus to William Shatner and other sci-fi celebs at the Comic Expo last year – it was a huge hit. It’s a perfect way to prep asparagus ahead of time, since it’s served chilled.

1 lb. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed if necessary 2 T. canola or olive oil 2 T. rice vinegar 2 T. orange juice 2 t. soy sauce 1 t. sesame oil 1 T. sesame seeds, toasted 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 t. grated fresh ginger pinch red chile flakes

Bring a few inches of lightly salted water to boil in a medium saucepan; add the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain well and immerse the asparagus in cold water to stop it from cooking. Pat dry and arrange on a platter.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the remaining ingredients, reserving half of the sesame seeds.

Whisk or shake the vinaigrette, remove the garlic, and pour it over the asparagus. Sprinkle the asparagus with the reserved sesame seeds and serve, or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Serves 4.

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stockpot Stirrings around Calgary

restaurant ramblings n On May 26, noon to 4 p.m., don’t miss the 6th Annual Celebrity Burger CookOff at The Main Dish, corner of 1st Ave. and 8A St. NE. It’s great fun. Local sports and media celebs team up with Main Dish chefs to sell their burger creations to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta. Be there. Eat burgers. n There’s a tasty new sushi restaurant – Shigatsu – on 4th St. NW across from the Queen’s Park Cemetery. It’s very pretty inside, done up in black and red, with sparkly chandeliers – that brings a serious touch of class to the ‘hood!

Good food, too, beautifully presented and well priced. Check it out at 3106B 4th St. NW (403-800-0567).

Spring is in the air, a little giddy’s how I feel.

THE

If the weather gets warm enough, my clothes I’ll have to peel.

856 16 Ave SW (Mount Royal Village) Calgary, AB 403.228.4320

calgarywineshop.ca

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

n Check into Ox & Angela for all the best flavours of Spain at lunch time in its simple, savoury tapas dishes, lighter choices, a regular menu and lunch features every week. Though we don’t normally devote several hours to our lunches, as do the Spanish, we can enjoy la comida – lunch – favourites like boccadillos (traditional Spanish sandwiches), paella, salads, fish and tortilla Espanola. oxandangela.com. n If you’re in Vancouver on June 5th, you’ll be interested in joining one of our fave Okanagan wineries, JoieFarm, at Salt Tasting Room for an evening of JoieFarm wines, cheeses and charcuterie. Tickets are $60, available online at salttastingroom.com n Check in with the Deanne Matley trio performing live between 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. on the last Sunday of every month at NOtaBLE’s live jazz brunch.

Reservations are guaranteed for this by mentioning “jazz brunch.” Don’t forget to reserve for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, 403-288-4372 or visit notabletherestaurant.ca n On Mother’s Day, take mom to brunch at Vin Room. Each guest receives a complimentary gift bag, courtesy of Sante Spa and The Bay. A great pre-Father’s Day gift for dad is Vin Room’s annual Scotch tasting Dinner, June 14, featuring Glenmorangie and a five-course tasting menu, 6:30 p.m.

Tickets at info@vinroom.com or phone 403-457-5522. n Join Il Sogno the first Friday of every month as it launches its new feature wine/cocktail and appetizer menu.

Feature wine and cocktails from $5, share plates from $5. ilsogno.org (24, 4th St. NE, 403-232-8901) n The Market Bistro and the Market Wine & Spirits, 75 Dyrgas Gate in East Canmore – Chef Anthony’s weekend specials are popular! Call ahead for

details about music nights too, at 3sistersmarket.com. Saturday tastings at Market Wine & Spirits. n Craft Beer Market has launched a Pacific features menu. Look for west coast street tacos – Korean beef, chipotle pulled pork and togarashi prawns – miso-marinated cod and peppercrusted tuna. In conjunction with Celiac Awareness Month, there’s a gluten-free Brewmasters’ Dinner, May 15, with Care Bakery. Visit craftbeermarket.ca for details and tickets. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day brunches are coming up – don’t miss them! n Brix & Morsel, a new addition to the historic Beltline district’s expanding list of culinary hot spots, is coming soon to 1213 - 1st St. SW. Brix & Morsel owners have combined their experience in some of the finest kitchens around the world to create good food for sharing. Visit BrixAndMorsel.ca. Cube, underneath Brix & Morsel, is a unique tasting bar featuring hors d’oeuvres and trademark craft cocktails. Boasting an array of rare ingredients crafted in-house, cocktail is king at Cube. n Inspired by the simple street foods found at markets around the world, 80th & Ivy Modern Kitchen, opening in June, brings globally inspired tapas to 11th St. and 17th Ave. SW. The menu pays homage to traditional Mediterranean cooking techniques, like clay-pot cooking, and features a wood burning rotisserie.

Look for old world charm in a relaxed, friendly environment. Lunch, dinner, weekend brunch. n Check out the Commonwealth Bar & Stage Cafeteria, 731 – 10th Ave. SW, where the casual street-food-ish menu was created in part by chef Steve Smee, UNA Pizza & Wine and Ox & Angela owner. That tells you a lot about the quality of Cafeteria. Open early evening to very early morning. n Upcoming food and wine events at Cravings Market Restaurant, 7207 Fairmount Dr. SE: May 29, Sabor de Mexico; June 26, Full Moon Festival: Taste of Thailand. Reservations 403-2522083. Fun evenings – check the details at cravingsmarketrestaurant.com. n Look for a May opening of Avec Bistro, located at 550 - 11th Ave. SW, a contemporary French bistro focused on original, seasonal fare in a bustling, casual space, accompanied by French and French-inspired wines from around the world. Darnell Japp, most recently the exec sous chef at Rouge, will be in charge of the kitchen. Owners Jackie Cooke and Kirk Shaw were the original owners of Petite. (587-352-0964) avecbistro.com.

wine wanderings n Kensington Wine Market celebrates its 20th birthday on Saturday, May 26!

Wow! Time passes..... In-store specials and birthday cake – don’t miss it. Don’t miss the wine festival on May 25 or the single malt whisky festival on June 14. Space is limited for the festivals, so phone early to register – 403-283-8000. n Concerts at Tinhorn Creek Winery: The Boom Booms, May 26th with “Latin-soul-funk-rock-reggae” music.

On June 23rd, pop-rock quartet, Acres of Lions, showcases lyrically-driven sound, while July 28th, Redeye Empire, entertain with “reggae, ska, rock and hip-hop.” Said the Whale entertains August 25th with its brand of west coast indie pop, bubblegum folk, hard rock and ukelele ballads. Details at tinhorn.com, “events listing.” n Highlander Wines & Spirits locations: in partnership with ONE HOPE Wines from California. ONE HOPE combines wine drinking with raising funds for local charities. Half the profits on every bottle go to the specific charity associated with that wine. Look for these ONE HOPE wines and the charities they support: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Calgary Chapter – Chardonnay; Fight Against Autism – Cabernet Sauvignon; Fight Against Aids – Merlot; Calgary Children’s Hospital – Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir.

n Tastings at J. Webb Wine Merchant: 17th Ave. Casel Marché location – May 23, Wines to Make You Go “Mmmmmmmm”; May 30, What the Heck are Bocadillos, and What Wine do I Drink? (wines of Spain); June 6, Summer Booze Cruise; June 13, Rose Coloured Glasses, a journey through rosé wines; tickets at 403-685-5218. Glenmore Landing location – May 10, Bootsauce, Amarone versus Barolo, Super Tuscan versus Aglianico; May 17, Spanish Train; June 1, Summer Scotch. Tickets at 403253-9463. Details at jwebb.net. n Taste and Dine at Janice Beaton Fine Cheese includes a tasting followed by dinner at FARM, $75, May 2, Better with Bubbles; June 13, Alluring Argentina; July 11, Wine for Wrangling; Sip and Savour, wine and cheese tastings, $50, May 15, Reds, Lighter but Luscious; June 19 BBQ Sippers. (403-229-0900) n Look for these new elegant and balanced Reserve releases from Mission Hill Family Estate Winery at your fave wine store: 2009 Shiraz with a full-bodied palate of cherries, blackberries, bacon and exotic spice; 2009 Merlot that’s lush and rich with purple fruit, tobacco, sage and earth; 2010 Viognier with round, ripe fruit complemented with mineral, citrus, spice and good acidity; 2010 Riesling, characteristically mineral with green apple and lime to balance honey and stone fruit; 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, tasting of citrus fruit and oak spice.

n Crowfoot Wine & Spirits: May 5, Cinco de Mayo with tequila and a mariachi band; May 9, Tour de France; May 25, Sip ‘n’ Surf, white wines and seafood; May 29, Weird & Wild Wines; May 31, Ales and Tales, international beers; June 6, Rosé Round-up; June 12, American Whiskey Tasting; June 20, A Night with Don Julio, a fine tequila; June 22, Beer & BBQ; June 28, Summer Sippers; July 19, Ultimate Summer Cocktails; August 11, End of Summer Wine-Fest with live jazz. crowfootliquor.com. n Check out the new Vine Arts Wine and Spirits, 1310 - 1st St. SW, where you’ll find the wine organized by style rather than country or region. Smooth and sexy, spicy, earthy, funky – whatever your mood, you’ll easily find a bottle. Visit vinearts.ca for all the details.

cooking classes n Cuisine et Château presents a cooking worshop on The Art of Hors d’Oeuvres, May 15, presentation room at Alliance Française, 206 - 7th Ave. SW. Space is limited and the class is conducted in both French and English. For details and to register, go to afcalgary.ca. n The Compleat Cook: Welcoming Springtime, Flavours of India, Sea on the Prairies, Cooking 101, Springtime Soups, Perfect Picnic, Cooking for your Woman!, Knife Skills, Raw Food, Thai Noodles & Salads, Street Food, Audacious Tailgating,

International Waters, Fiesta Mexicana and Stampede. Call 403-253-4831 or visit compleatcook.ca. n At The Cookbook Co. Cooks: A Night Out, Couples Cooking Classes, Thai Noodles and Salads, Pie and Pastry Making Workshop, Gems of GlutenFree Baking, Off the Menu of Cibo, All-Day Preserving Workshop, Rosé and Tapas Party, Girls’ Night Out, Cocktails and Hors d’Oeuvres, Rockin’ Ronnie’s Tropical Adventure, and more. Go to cookbookcooks.com for a complete calendar.

general stirrings n The denizens of the westernmost part of Calgary – in the West Springs Village/ Aspen Woods area – now have their own Mercato store, deli and restaurant, the twin to our fave Mercato in Mission on 4th St. SW. It’s in the location of the former Sweetgrass Market. The Caracciolo family – Victor and Cathy – is at it again, by way of daughter Franca Bellusci and husband Peter, owners of Merlo Vinoteca, plus son Dominic. This family of Italian food since 1974 put Mercato West together. The restaurant serves the same popular menu as Mercato Mission, and if the business the Mission Mercato does is any indication – Mercato West is all set to become an equally hot dining spot.

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stockpot continued from page 55 n Watch for Jelly Modern Doughnuts to air on the Food Network…”You Gotta Eat Here,” May 18! On May 11, take a taste of Wine and Jelly Modern Doughnuts with Co-op Wines & Spirits at the Co-op Oakridge tasting Centre.

Doughnuts paired with wine? Wine not? n Get your fish and chips at Red Tree Kitchen on Sundays while shopping in Marda Loop. Five bucks will get you a mini newspaper cone of crisp, hot, delicious fish and chips to nibble on while wandering or shopping. That’s at 2129 33rd Ave. SW. n Don’t miss the annual Celiac Market, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Quality Hotel Airport and Conference Centre, 4804 Edmonton Tr. NE. This great market allows people to purchase glutenfree food from a wide variety of vendors.

The set-up is similar to a farmers’ market.

n Stay in touch with Gluten Free MarketPlace at glutenfreemarketplace.ca or on Facebook for information on weekly sales, customer appreciation days, new products, samplings, Stampede breakfast and the August BBQ. Located at Country Hills Landing NW, on the corner of Harvest Hills Blvd. and Country Hills Rd. n This deliciously moist, liquory Alberta Whisky Cake uses whisky from Highwood Distillery, flour from Ellison Mills in Lethbridge, canola oil and maple syrup – very Canadian – and all whole foods, like fresh eggs, milk, butter. You can get it in two tasty flavours – The Whisky Runner (chocolate) and The Malted Maple (maple). Find it at the Millarville Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, June through October, and online at albertawhiskycake.com or phone orders at 403-256-1888. n Don’t miss the Calgary International Beerfest, May 4 and 5, BMO Centre, Stampede Park, that features beer

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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from more than 46 countries, cooking with beer seminars and a beer geek VIP hour. The Autism & Asperger’s Friendship Society benefits. Details at calgarybeerfest.com. n Calgary Co-op has appointed John Humphreys to the new position of executive chef, responsible for the development and execution of a new Home Meal Replacement program – also known as “grab and go” prepared foods – for 23 Co-op stores in Calgary, Airdrie and Strathmore, and, soon, High River.

Humphreys is an award-winning Red Seal chef whose culinary experience spans 25 years in Canada and abroad. n Look for this authentic small factory production tequila – El Amo and Don Chinito – at your favourite liquor store, including J. Webb Wine Merchant, Highlander Wines & Spirits, MetroVino, Kensington Wine Market, Zyn.ca, Spirits of Kensington, Spirits of Edgemont and Royal Liquor Merchants. n SAIT will expand its culinary education menu with a satellite campus at 230 - 8th Ave. SW, a living classroom that allows more students to enroll in the Baking and Pastry Arts and Professional Cooking programs.

Students can also work directly with the downtown customer base vital to the industry. Like SAIT’s main campus, students will be able to sell their products in a small market attached to the kitchens. SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism has been recognized by Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) for its moves towards reducing the environmental impact of its food service programming. n Don’t miss Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta’s Illuminate Gala, May 4, 7 p.m., at the new Telus Spark, 220 St. Georges Dr. NE, presented

by PennWest Exploration. Celebrity guests, such as Dennis Hull and Cassie Campbell, music from Carolyn Dawn Johnson, a delicious menu created by NOtaBLE, the restaurant. Tickets at rmhsouthernalberta.org, click on “events.” n From February 1 - 29, Calgary coffee shops, restaurants and hotels competed for your vote creating Calgary’s Best Hot Chocolate to benefit Calgary Meals on Wheels. The results show that Calgary’s Best Hot Chocolate came from Choklat: Drink the Movie. Calgary’s best Adult Hot Chocolate was made by Sheraton Cavalier Hotel - Midnight Snowstorm – and the most dollars raised for Meals on Wheels came from International Hotel, which donated $2100 from the sales of Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut Chocolate Caliente. n Lectures at Amaranth Whole Foods Market – northwest, “Going Gluten Free Naturally,” May 16, with Marie Claude Beaulieu, RHN. Dr. Klassen at the southeast location on “Road Bumps to Weight Loss,” May 7. Details and registration at amaranthfoods.ca, click on “Spring to Health” for NW or “Words on Wellness” for SE.

n Bow Valley College offers the Tea Sommelier Certification, in partnership with the Tea Association of Canada, Mondays in May and Saturdays in September. Designed to expand and enhance your love of tea, you’ll practice new skills and expand your knowledge, and palate, for tea. This course is designed for the novice tea enthusiast, whether complementing a career in the hospitality industry or simply enhancing the enjoyment of tea. Go to liveabetterlife.ca for more details. n Cuisine et Château offers teambuilding activities with a culinary theme and in-home cooking classes.

Professional French chef Thierry Meret and pastry chef Marnie Fudge provide hands-on food experiences. They’ll also take you to France on a luxury culinary tour that combines cooking classes, visits to local producers and wineries, cycling and great food while you stay in a 17th century château. Details at cuisineandchateau.com or 403-764-2665. n If you want to be part of the Crowbar scene – a pop-up cocktail party where you’ll enjoy hand-crafted cocktails and small plates of good food – you’ll have to go to Twitter @ CrowbarCalgary and find out if you can be invited. When spots become available on the invite list, it’s announced with a “tweet.” Crowbar also offers cocktail classes – follow @ CrowbarCalgary on Twitter to find these.

Tequila, May 2; Rum cocktails, May 30. n If you need garden space this summer, the Green Committee at the West Hillhurst Community Association will operate 29 vegetable garden beds.

For more information on how you can particpate – you have to buy a membership at the West Hillhurst Community Centre – visit westhillhurst.com and click on the “garden build” link or contact Chris Koper at c.koper@telus.net. Check the web site for the garden plan layout, activities and fund raisers for building the gardens. The Green Committee is also looking for recipes for the summer produce harvest. n Millarville Farmers’ Market gears up June 16 to October 6, Saturdays, 9 a.m.

– 2 p.m. Check in front of the grandstand or at the info booth for what’s happening each week. You can also Twitter @ MillarvilleFM or Facebook - Millarville Racetrack and Farmers’ Market. Each Saturday morning there will be a new tweet and post with the activity for the day, and what new vegetables and fruits are in season – 30 years of knowing your farmer, baker and candlestick maker! n Heritage Park officially opens on the May long weekend, May 19 - 21, celebrating 100 Years of History. The first 500 guests through the gates between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 21, will enjoy a complementary pancake breakfast with paid admission.

Tea is served in the Wainwright Hotel on Victoria Day, tickets purchased in advance. Visit heritagepark.ca for details.

continued on page 59

City Palate’s first Culinary Travel Grant recipient reveals the “real” France...

NINE things I learned in France...

by Charity Mann

Need to get a photo from Charity in France.

A u Pi ed de C oc ho n , Pa ri s – di n in g on bo n e m ar ro w !

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City Palate supports local up-andcoming great chefs. Each spring, we call for back-of-the-house restaurant cooks to apply for our Culinary Travel Grant that will help them further their culinary passion through travel.

Last year’s winner, Charity Mann, chose France as her destination, and came back both inspired and enlightened – read about her adventures.

Charity has been grilling up a storm at Bonterra and will be moving to Cibo when it opens, working with chef Glen Manzer. We wish her the best.

This year, our winner is Peter Swarbrick, chef de cuisine at Ox & Angela. We look forward to hearing all about his culinary travel adventures as he cooks and eats his way through Spain.

If you’re a back-of-the-house restaurant cook, watch for our next Culinary Travel Grant call in our Jan/Feb 2013 issue.

6.

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Not all croissants are created equal. I’m obsessed with croissants, so I decided I needed to eat as many as possible while in France. The first one I sampled was transcendent, with a crispy, golden exterior that gave way to tender, buttery layers that almost melted in my mouth. The second I sampled was nearly as good as the first. What followed was a bit of a shock. Over the ten weeks of my trip, for every two good croissants I ate, there was one that was downright nasty – greasy, soggy messes that tasted of margarine and undercooked in the middle, barely brown on top. Oh well, c’est la vie.

It can be difficult to find organic food in France. For me, finding organic food was a bit of a priority, since French farmers use more pesticides that anywhere else in Europe, and actually rank third in the world for pesticide use. There are organic markets everywhere, but, like here, it’s much more economical to purchase processed, conventional foods from regular grocery stores. Outdoor markets offer a larger selection of organic produce than regular grocery stores, but the markets are made up of a mixture of conventional products and organic, so you have to make sure you are purchasing from a producer displaying the logo for agriculture biologique.

The best chocolate ice cream in the world is the dark chocolate ice cream from Berthalon, on Île St-Louis in Paris. This is only my opinion, but seriously, it’s like eating frozen ganache. What’s not to love?

The French are very serious about picking mushrooms. There are rules. First, only mushrooms of a certain size/maturity can be picked. Second, you must use a knife to cut the foot of the mushroom. Other tools are forbidden. Third, the mushrooms must be carried in a wicker basket so that the spores can fall out. You can take wild mushrooms to pharmacies for identification, but this is falling out of practice – there are liability problems when toxic mushrooms are mistakenly identified as edible. That said, pretty much everyone can identify field mushrooms, cèpes, chanterelles, and trumpet mushrooms.

The “formule” is always the most economical choice on a menu, no matter where you are eating. It’s the prix-fixe menu. For lunch, it’s usually two courses with a glass of wine, beer or mineral water. This is how I managed to eat a minimum of two courses with wine for less than 15 Euros almost every time I went out for lunch or supper at brasseries. And I’m guessing this is why the French shut down shop for at least two hours every afternoon.

Spicy food is basically non-existent in France. I met a couple of French WWOOFers – WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms – who were totally against eating chiles. I thought it was just personal preference, and then I tried to track down something spicy to make my home-made meals more interesting. Thai and Indian specialty foods were hard to find and exceedingly mild. Other ethnic spicy foods were practically non-existent. My neighborhood pizza joint gave me strange looks when I asked for spicy sauce. It seems to be a national aversion.

I hate working with quince. Sure, I love the smell of it, and I adore eating quince paste and quince jelly. But those suckers are some of the hardest items I’ve ever put a knife to. They kill the knife’s edge like nothing else. It took me almost an hour with some water stones to reverse the damage.

Foie gras isn’t going anywhere, at least in France. It seemed like everywhere I went I was bombarded with signs advertising foie gras (fattened goose or duck liver). Nearly every menu I read had at least two foie gras options. I have eaten enough foie gras to feed an army, and have probably made my own foie fairly gras in the process.

It’s impossible to pick one favourite French dish. I thought I had found it when I ate a traditional buckwheat crêpe filled with ham, cheese, egg, and onion jam, but then I ate a bowl of mussels in white wine, shallots, and butter. That favourite was replaced with tarte tatin topped with crème fraîche, which was replaced with choucroute garnie. And then I ate the crêpe again... Le sigh!

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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6 quick ways with Toast

Imagine a world without toast. When you were growing up, where would your boiled egg have been without soldiers? Where would your parents have slathered their jars upon jars of marmalade and jam? Where would peanut butter and Nutella nestle? And foie gras would be absolutely lost without crisp-edged brioche, and an Italian meal loves a good bruschetta to get it off to a lusty start.

Toast is a culinary vehicle – but what an important vehicle it is. It carries so many of our most beloved foods to our mouths, and provides its own textural... crunch!... for interest. There’s no end to what you can do with toast. Here are some of our fave ways with toast. Keep in mind that “toast” covers a host of shapes and sizes – it’s not just a square piece of bread popped into the toaster at breakfast. It can be anything you want, any time of the day or night.

1. Garlic, Mozza and Tomato Toasts

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This works best on toasts made from a baguette, because all the elements are mostly the same size and shape. But, you can always cut tomato and mozza to fit the size and configuration of your toasts. Rub your toasts with a garlic clove, then drizzle with a rich, fruity olive oil. Slice ripe tomatoes – the best you can find at your fave grocery – as thick as you want. Get some succulent buffalo mozzarella from your fave Italian grocery and slice it thick or thin. First, lay the mozza on the toast, top with the tomato, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay a fresh basil leaf on the tomato. Mmmm...... spring!

2. Rich and Richer Be sure to eat these toasts with a clean green salad made with Belgian endive, cucumber, arugula, crisp sweet apple and toasted walnuts. Get a large, flat Turkish-style bread or pizza round and toast the bottom side under the broiler until golden. Turn it over and top the untoasted side with thin slices of ripe avocado. Top the avocado with lots of crumbled gorgonzola or roquefort or other creamy bleu cheese. Toast under the broiler until the cheese melts and runs all over the avocado. Remove and slice into wedges.

Serve while still warm and nicely ooooozy. And don’t forget the salad!

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3. Potted Pecan Shrimp

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

This just sounded great, from The Rest of the Best and More from The Best of Bridge Cookbooks. Spread it thickly on your toasts. In a medium bowl, combine 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened, 1/4 c. finely chopped celery, 1/4 c. beer, 4 t. grated onion, 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 t. dry mustard. Blend well. Stir in 1-1/2 c. chopped cooked fresh shrimp and 1/2 c. toasted, chopped pecans. Pack the mixture into a crock or other serving container, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour for the flavours to marry, then slather generously on your toasts.

4. Asparagus Mascarpone Toasts Blanch slim asparagus for 2 minutes, drain thoroughly and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Smear your toasts with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and grated parmesan. Lay the asparagus however it best fits overtop the mascarpone. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with a fruity olive oil and bake about 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with more parmesan.

5. Caramelized Onion and Mozzarella Mmmmmm, creamy soft cheese, sweet/sour onion and crunchy toast – how sexy is that! For adults only. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, and sauté a whack of thinly sliced red onion until soft. Sprinkle with sugar and balsamic vinegar, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are darkly caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool a bit. Make your toasts and brush one side of each with a halved garlic clove. Top the toasts with torn bits of buffalo mozzarella, that you got from your fave Italian store, and about 1 T. of the onion mixture – you want more mozza than onion. Sprinkle with a little Maldon salt and baby arugula. Eat while the onion is still warm.

WHOLESOME NATURAL

6. Welsh Rabbit You can’t talk about toasts without mentioning Welsh Rarebit, or Rabbit, as everybody called it as kids. This is an adult version. Melt 2 T. butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, then add 2 T. flour and cook, whisking, about 1 minute until the flour is a bit golden. Slowly add 1/2 c. of your fave ale or porter, plus 3/4 c. half and half, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1 t. dry mustard, 1 t. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 t. salt, a good grind of pepper and 6 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded. Simmer over moderate heat while whisking until the “rabbit” is smooth, about 5 minutes. Whisk in a dash of hot sauce, if you like. Remove from the heat and pour over your toasts. Eat at midnight while watching the mysterious Dean Caine movie Lost. Serves 4.

stockpot continued from page 56 n Cathedral Mountain Lodge

Mountain lodges define the western Canadian experience for travellers from all over the world. Places of rest and relaxation, outdoor activities and lots of good food. And lodges can be quite different, one from the other. Many are remotely located – their focus is on outdoor activities generated by the lodge staff.

Others, like Cathedral Mountain Lodge, are not too far off the main drag – the TransCanada highway, in this case – and provide a beautiful, rustic “home base” for tootling the area in search of what nearby Field, Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore, and the likes of 380-metre Takakkaw Falls, Moraine Lake and the spiral railroad tunnels have to offer. You can also book activities through the lodge.

Situated on the madly rushing Kicking Horse River and surrounded by tall mountain peaks, Cathedral Mountain – open from the May long weekend, weather permitting, to the end of September – offers a collection of authentically decorated, charming log cabins – mostly of the bed/sit/bath variety – scattered amongst trees in which you’ll comfortably reside for the length of your visit. No televisions, no phones, no internet to disturb your temporary retreat from “life.”

One of the special treats that Cathedral Mountain offers is an executive chef – James Holmes – who is not only charming and talented, but who regards his food with a slightly quirky imagination and lots of adventurous spirit, drawing from local and regional ingredients, much of it from the Okanagan Valley.

WHOLESOME

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One evening, much to our delight, we started dinner with apple frites – flashfried apple “fries” topped with pulled pork and micro-greens garnish! Add squeaky cheese curds, and you have the world’s first apple frites poutine! Yum, yum. Frites were followed with a burger that set the standard for all burgers – Spring Creek beef, thickly formed, pink in the middle and as juicy as you wish all burgers would be, on a toothsome pretzel bun with house-made ketchup.

We also had thick sourdough bread, toasted and sliced to make a pocket, and stuffed with crab, oh-my-God. Served with heirloom tomato, haricots verts and potato salad on Okanagan peach purée and topped with bacon shreds. We had such a feast we had to take a long walk along the Kicking Horse before returning to our cabin.

The next evening, there were scallops in a maple whisky sauce with an apple slaw, a niçoise salad with succulent smoked tuna, home-made handkerchief pasta with wild mushrooms, garnish of haricots verts, purple carrots and kale, and Okanagan peach cobbler with cherry white chocolate gelato. Cathedral Mountain’s cuisine is some of the most WOW! food we’ve had in a long time.

Check cathedralmountain.com for all the tasty details. While you’re there, stop into Field to look at trains, then repair to The Truffle Pig’s bar for a Shaft – they make an awfully good one:

1 oz. each of vodka, Kahlua and Bailey’s (or Cabot Trail Maple Cream Liquor) 2 oz. cold espresso a whisper of cream (about 1/4 oz.)

Pour everything as listed over cracked ice in a stubby glass, admire all the lovely layers, then stir, drink, and get shafted.

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35 Years of great fashion, food, gifts and so much more!

Willow Park Village is Celebrating 35 Years as a Calgary Shopping Destination!

Join us on Saturday June 9, 2012 from 11am - 4 pm. Visit www.wpv.ca for all the details. There’ll be entertainment, specials, prizes, samples and more!

MEET & GREET: Special guest, Carolyn Darbyshire, member of Team Bernard, Team Canada’s 2010 Silver Olympic Women’s Curling Team

macleod trail & wil ow park drive se CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

59

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Zoo admission included before noon.

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Purchase your tickets at calgaryzoo.com

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

city palate readership survey

Don’t turn the page yet!

We’re giving away 3 prizes, drawn from submitted surveys – cooking classES for 2 – at The Cookbook Co. Cooks!

Mail your completed survey before July 1st to: City Palate 722 - 11th Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0E4 This survey is also posted on our web site – just go to citypalate.ca and fill it out online!

19. Do you have a Facebook page?

8. About Your Interests…

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Never

Yes  No  20. How often do you check your Facebook page?

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Do you attend cooking/wine education classes?

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A lot  Sometimes  Hardly ever  Never 

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22. Do you use other social media?

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Several times a day  Once a day  Once a week  21. Do you tweet?

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Yes  No  If yes, what? __________________________________________

Recipes and Cooking Habits 23. How do you get recipes? Do you most often use: Web search  Cookbooks  Magazines  Cooking classes  Other _________________________________________________

NAME:______________________________________________

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1. How do you usually get a copy of City Palate?

How often do you attend performance art (dance, theatre, concerts)?

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I don't usually use City Palate recipes 

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25. I cook…

Globe and Mail  Subscription  Library  Theatre  Restaurant/coffee shop  Specialty food or wine store 

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For the following questions, check all that apply:

9. What kind of restaurants do you usually visit?

2. Is it easy to find a copy of City Palate?

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3 - 5 people  2 people  1 person 

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Articles are too short  Articles are too long  Articles are just right 

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6. Indicate your level of interest in reading the following topics. check all that apply:

Feature articles

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About our Readers For the following questions, check ONE ANSWER only:

1. Are you a food industry professional/past professional?

Restaurant owner/manager  Chef  Sous chef or line cook  Waiter  Consultant/Caterer  Retailer  Other _________________________________________________ 2. Gender Male  Female  3. Age Over 50  41-50  31-40  25-30  under 25  4. Combined gross family income $100,000+ $50,000-99,999  $25,000-49,999  under $25,000  5. Education (highest obtained)

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Recipes 

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Menus 

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Seasonal foods

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Wines and spirits

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Humour 

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Cook’s Illustrated  Food and Wine  Martha Stewart 

Ethnic shopping/ingredients

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Saveur  Donna Hay Magazine  Jamie Oliver Magazine 

Where to find food

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Food and Travel  Wines and Spirits  Wine Spectator 

How to prepare foods

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Other _________________________________________________

Other _________________________________________________

Travel articles/stories

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Profiles of local food people

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15. Please check the food TV shows you watch:

7. Housing

What’s happening on the Calgary food scene

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Pitchin’ In  Restaurant: Impossible  Top Chef  Chopped 

Yes  No  If so, what? ___________________________________________

Information Sources 14. Please check the culinary magazines you read:

Iron Chef  Eat Street  Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives  Dinner Party Wars 

7. Indicate your level of interest in these City Palate departments.

Please check ONE ANSWER only for each department:

Most Average Least

Other _________________________________________________ 16. What foodie web sites do you frequent most? epicurious.com  foodnetwork.com  cooksillustrated.com 

Word of Mouth

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Eat This

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Drink This

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Get This

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One Ingredient

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Feeding People

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Well Matched

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Stockpot

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18. If so, what are you interested in?

Quick Ways With...

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Recipes  Current Events  Reading City Palate online 

Back Burner

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Other _________________________________________________

saveur.com  food magazine web sites, like jamieoliver.com 

Graduate degree  University degree  College degree/diploma  Technical school diploma  High school diploma  Other ________________________________________________ 6. Occupation Professional/managerial  Technical  Clerical/admin support  Retail/service/restaurant  Self-employed  Homemaker  Retired/semi-employed 

Rent  Own  Other___________________________________ What area of the city do you live in?

Southwest  Southeast  Northwest  Northeast  Or do you you live outside Calgary?  We'd love to know what you think of City Palate, and how we could make our magazine better...

food blog sites, like dinnerwithjulie.com 

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Other _________________________________________________

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17. Do you visit the City Palate web site, citypalate.ca?

Always  Sometimes  Never 

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Thank-you for your input!

CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

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Allan Shewchuk

Shewchuk on simmer

Home-made whine

There are a lot of traps out there once you decide to have a social life.

Choosing what to wear to a party when the invitation says something like “Casual Hip” can be a nightmare if you choose poorly and end up looking like a doofus in your sequined jeans and disco shirt in a roomful of true hipsters.

Deciding what to serve for dinner when you invite a mix of vegans, celiacs, carnivores and pescetarians can cause you to break into hives as you search for recipes that sound yummy and seem universally edible. The stakes are high – one boo-boo and somebody ends up not eating (or in the emergency ward).

But the one social situation that should never cause stress – though it seems to in a staggering number of people – is deciding what to take as a hostess gift. This is not rocket science, folks. You’ll never go wrong with flowers or chocolates – never. Yet I often see people eschewing these fail-safe gifts and showing up on the doorstep with everything from Chia pets to scented candles that smell like insect repellant. Or they may tote along with them the most dreaded hostess gift of all: a bottle (or bottles – yikes!) of their own home-made wine.

What are these people thinking? It isn’t fair to inflict this stuff on your hosts when you can still buy drinkable vineyard wine for under $10. Has drinking their own product caused the home wine makers to go mad?

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not necessarily bad to take a home-made gift. For example, at my last dinner party, one of my guests brought me honey she had made. It was cool, because she had put a beehive in her backyard and had tended to the bees all summer, which had positive effects on the environment, and especially on the flora in her ’hood. She harvested the honey, bought a centrifuge to separate out the wax, and then dumped the wax back into her yard, where the bees recycled it before winter arrived. The honey was delicious, unique and all her hard work was commendable. So presenting it as a gift was pretty much the opposite of going to a home-made wine shop, buying a plastic bag of concentrate, adding water, and letting it sit in a carboy in your basement until it doesn’t smell like stinky feet and raw yeast any more. Bees don’t buy “honey kits.”

I might see a gift of home-made wine in a different light if I’d ever had a good bottle of the stuff. I admit that I’ve recently tasted a few home-made white vinos that are passable. But “passable” should not be the litmus test when giving a gift to someone who is opening his or her home to you. I think you should at least set the bar at “good.” And speaking of not meeting the “passable” test, I’ve never had a home-made red that exceeded the level of “excruciating.” In fact, whenever I quaff home-made red wine, there are so many musty fungi, tannins and histamines floating around that the next morning I always wake up feeling like someone has shoved cotton batting up my sinuses. Which is coincidental, because when I’m in the process of drinking this home-made red plonk, I’m usually wishing that someone was shoving something up my nose to block the stench.

The other conundrum created by a hostess gift of home-made wine is that etiquette dictates that upon receiving such a gift, the hosts offer the gift bottle to the person who brought it for consumption. It’s up to the guest to choose his own wine or leave it for the hosts to drink at their leisure. Home wine makers are usually so proud of their product that they immediately want everyone to try their new vintage (even if the vintage is only 12 hours old). So inevitably, all the guests have to try the home-made wine and feign a smile when what they really want is a stiff martini or a glass of real wine.

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CITYPALATE.ca MAY JUNE 2012

I recognize that many home wine makers enjoy their labours, and benefit from always having lots of inexpensive wine around the house. But I urge all of them to consider the benefits of bee keeping as a hobby and to remember that you get more flies (and friends) with honey than with vinegar.

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

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