city palate T H E
F L AV O U R
O F C A L G A R Y ’ S S I N C E 1 9 9 3
F O O D
S C E N E
the harvest issue CITYPALATE.CA
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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contents
CITY PALATE SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
FEATURES
30 n
You’ll love these vegetable-based recipes from some of our fave food people
34 n
Lunchtime gourmet to go.
Gourmet Takeaway LOVINGLY CRAFTED FOOD THAT MAKES YOUR TASTE BUDS SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE
Shelley Boettcher
40 n
Guilty PLEASURES
What some of our fave chefs eat... behind the fridge door at 3 a.m.
Karen Durrie
42 n E AT I N G S U S TA I N A B L E S E A F O O D – W H Y A N D W H AT
Julie Van Rosendaal
44 n
Still Life with Shocked Chicken Texas chef Michael Sohocki goes totally ‘old-school’ Kate Zimmerman
Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.
Cover artist: Emily Healy is an art student at Algonquin College, who won a competition to be on our cover.
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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TUESDAY-SATURDAY OCT. 11-15 CRAWLSPACE (A STAGED READING) KAREN HINES Motel Theatre, Arts Commons, 205 8th Avenue SE, Calgary 7pm, $25 Special Event, Limited Seating Award-winning writer and performer Karen Hines explores the darker side of property ownership in Crawlspace (a Staged Reading). Inspired by Hines’ true story of buying a fully detached ‘condo alternative’ in a hip downtown neighbourhood in the heated market of 2006... Crawlspace tells how it all went horribly, nightmarishly wrong.
WEDNESDAY OCT. 12 BIONIC WOMEN E.K. JOHNSTON, TEVA HARRISON, ZOE WHITTALL & ANDI ZEISLER Big Secret Theatre, Arts Commons, 205 8th Avenue SE, Calgary 7pm, $20 Adults, $17 Seniors & Students Taking cues from The Bionic Woman, the popular 1970s television series in which the female star takes on high-risk missions with superhuman, bionic powers, Wordfest presents a provocative panel of women writers whose protagonists are just as fearless. Together they tackle everything from breast cancer and sexual assault, to pop culture and the future of the feminist movement itself.
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 contributors Matthew Altizer Karen Anderson Shelley Boettcher Karen Durrie Flora Gillespie Chris Halpin Regan Johnson Ellen Kelly Pierre Lamielle Geoff Last Karen Ralph Allan Shewchuk Julie Van Rosendaal Kate Zimmerman contributing photographers Karen Anderson Shelley Boettcher Regan Johnson for advertising enquiries, please contact advertising@citypalate.ca
THURSDAY-SATURDAY OCT. 13-15 WORDY TRIVIA, NAUGHTY BITS READ-A-THON & ADULT SPELLING BEE Big Secret Theatre, Arts Commons, 205 8th Avenue SE, Calgary 9pm, $15 Adults, $12.75 Seniors & Students This is not your grandmother’s idea of a reading series. Back by popular demand, Sherwin Tjia returns to the Festival to host an evening of Naughty Bits Read-a-Thon, an epic trivia night and the 2nd edition of Wordfest’s most talked about event, the Adult Spelling Bee. Attend all three shows for the most LOLs and OMGs coming from some of your favourite artists at home and abroad. See wordfest.com for full details and lineup.
account executives Liz Tompkins (liz@citypalate.ca) Janet Henderson (janet@citypalate.ca) Ellen Kelly (ellen@citypalate.ca) prepress/printing CentralWeb distribution Gallant Distribution Systems Inc. website management Jane Pratico (jane@citypalate.ca) City Palate is published 6 times per year: January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October and November-December by City Palate Inc., 722 - 11 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2R 0E4 Subscriptions are available for $48 per year within Canada and $68 per year outside Canada.
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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contents
CITY PALATE SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
DEPARTMENTS
11 n word of mouth
Notable culinary happenings around town
13 n eat this
What to eat in September and October Ellen Kelly
14 n drink this
Natural wine Shelley Boettcher
16 n get this
Must-have kitchen stuff Karen Anderson
18 n great finds
Starbelly and Ollia Macarons & Tea Regan Johnson
20 n one ingredient
Sourdough starter Julie Van Rosendaal
24 n feeding people
I won’t have what she’s having! Karen Ralph
26 n the sunday project
Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste) with Matthew Altizer
46 n stockpot
Stirrings around Calgary
48 n kids can cook
Let's get ready to Apple Crumble Pierre Lamielle
50 n well matched
Made-in-heaven food and wine pairings recipes by Flora Gillespie, wine pairings by Geoff Last
52 n 6 quick ways with...
Tomatoes Chris Halpin
54 n back burner... shewchuk on simmer
Grab that tray! Allan Shewchuk
R E A D U S O N L I N E AT C I T Y PA L AT E . C A
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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The Chef & The Farmer dinner series by City Palate
presents
October 4, 2016
2016 GRAND TASTING HALL Friday Evening 5 - 10 pm Saturday Afternoon 12 - 4 pm Saturday Evening 6 - 10 pm
Indulge ...
DINNER
TICKETS
beer at 6:00
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6:30
$70
ALBERTA’S LARGEST SELECTION OF FINE WINE, PREMIUM SPIRITS, QUALITY BEER & GOURMET FOOD
CALGARY Oct. 14 - 15 Stampede Park BMO Centre Proudly supporting the Calgary and Wood Buffalo Food Banks and the SAIT culinary school. Please enjoy your beverages responsibly. Minors are not permitted.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY! rockymountainwine.com
Join us at Trolley 5 for another delicious event in our curated dinner series. Sample the amazing selection of beers on tap at 17th Avenue’s latest restaurant & brewery and enjoy a meal designed to pair with your beer, by chef Myles Learning.
TROLLEY 5 • 728 17 AVENUE SW CALGARY
For fall inspired stew recipes, visit CalgaryCoop.com/fall
10
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CC-0096-16 Publication City Palate Size (WxH) 9.5” x 5.75” All For Fall Campaign - Print Ad - Just Stew It Insertion Date Sept/Oct Issue Colour 4C This artwork has been prepared by C&B Advertising | 403 770 0925 | CandBadvertising.com | The brand behind a brand.™
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
Proof # Date
1 July 26, 2016
word of mouth
NOTABLE CULINARY HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN IN OU R OPIN ION
eat and drink with us
‘tis the harvest fair season
Calgary chefs get sexy again for 2017
City Palate’s The Chef & The Farmer dinner series invites you to drink good beer and eat good food prepared by Chef Myles Learning at one of Calgary’s fun new restaurants and breweries, Trolley 5, October 4. Tickets at eventbrite.ca
The Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers’ Market presents Harvest Fair on September 21, 3-7 pm. A celebration of urban agriculture, the fair has gardeners and crafters from around the city competing for the red ribbon and local bragging rights. Based on the classic rural horticultural fair, the Harvest Fair is a community-based, friendly contest with categories ranging from the Largest Pumpkin and Most Unusually Shaped Vegetable to Best Pie. Visit farmersmarket.hsca.ca for details on categories and how to enter. Harvest Fair will take place at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association in conjunction with the Farmers' Market.
The Offcuts 2016 calendar of our local stripped-down food dudes – like SAIT’s Michael Allemeier – is making another appearance as Offcuts 2017 with a stellar line-up of our favourite nude food dudes! Last year the calendar raised $33,000 for Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids and the new calendar will also support BB4CK. It’s a good thing, you’ll want the new calendar, available at the end of October.
roy oh, anju, scoops the divine swine City Palate hosted another fun Pig & Pinot Festival at Hotel Arts in June. Delish piggy dishes created by our talented chef teams out of perfect pork from Spragg’s Meat Shop, accompanied by delish pinot wines poured by our wine store friends. The Divine Swine is awarded for the judges’ choice of tastiest pork dish, and this year Anju restaurant’s owner and chef Roy Oh scooped the gold piggie. Pig & Pinot raises funds for Meals on Wheels and this year raised more than $20,000. Yay!
Photos by Jeremy Fokkens
new fun wine bar
read these
Frenchie Wine Bar is the new addition to UNA Pizza and Takeaway, a modern French wine bar situated behind UNA Takeaway. Open daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. for charcuterie, cheese and wine. The owners certainly know how to do it right – what with UNA, Ox & Angela, Native Tongues Taqueria and now UNA Takeaway and Frenchie! Covering off all manner of good, interesting food and drink! Well done, Jayme and Kelly.
‘Tis the season to put things by, and this new book about all the ways to do it is super. Batch, by Joel MacCharles & Dana Harrison (Appetite books by Random House, $35, hard cover) colourfully, interestingly and thoroughly covers off “7 methods for preserving,” including water bath canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, cellaring (cold room, fridge, deep freeze), salted and smoked, infusing. And excellent recipes, too, like Blueberry Maple Jam, Peach-Bourbon BBQ Sauce and Penne à la Chili-Infused Vodka… oh yes!
lina’s market dinners once again a winning barista! Ben Put, co-founder of Calgary’s Monogram Coffee, placed 3rd at the World Barista Championships, that marks the second consecutive 3rd place finish for Put and Canada at the World Barista Championships. This is the third year in a row that Put has represented Canada. His performance was a reflection of Monogram’s approach to coffee – experiential and creative, yet approachable for everyone.
luscious kisses from rocky mtn soap co. A new hydrating lip quench has hit the lips, safe for you, safe for the environment. Made with all-natural antioxidants, vitamins and omega-3s sourced from organic avocado, coconut and beeswax, in biodegradable paper pots, coloured in hibiscus and plum. #kissesfromrocky, rockymountainsoap.com
a beautiful thing Olive wood cutting boards from Italy are made from trees no longer producing fruit or are damaged and need to be removed. Find them at The Italian Supermarket, $38.99. They are a beautiful thing and just the right size.
Chef Keith Luce cooks up delicious Italian food for Lina’s Market Dinners, served up family style in the café area, so they’re a little “campy” – mismatched cutlery and butcher paper placemats – which is what we love about them. Totally comfortable and convivial, lots of good chats with tablemates, and good wine to drink. Tickets are a very affordable $49 with tax and gratuity included along with a welcoming beverage. Details and tickets on eventbrite.com
The Wurst of Lucky Peach, A treasury of encased meat by Chris Ying and the editors of Lucky Peach (Clarkson Potter, $34, hard cover) is filled with photos, illustrations, stories of sausage the world around. Part scrapbook, part catalogue, the book is interspersed with essays in Lucky Peach magazine’s style - like the passionate condemnation of homemade ketchup. Tucked in the back are recipes for a variety of spiced meat mixtures, perfect for home encasing.
foodies R us Two-and-a-half Calgarians took home Western Living’s Foodies of the Year awards at an event in Vancouver, after WL judges pared a list of 40 finalists from across western Canada down to 10. Cookbook author and winner Noorbanu Nimji had just released her fourth self-published book, written with City Palate contributor Karen Anderson, for which the pair also tied for silver in Chicago at the Independent Publisher Book Awards. This is an award that’s clearly been a long time coming – Nimji’s 1986 debut has sold more than 250,000 copies, according to WL’s list of finalists, “and is still considered the bible of Ismaili cooking.” Whitehall Restaurant’s chef/owner Neil McCue (left) looked dapper as he accepted the prize awarded to all the winners, a gorgeous Japanese knife from Knifewear. WL’s list of finalists described McCue’s restaurant as “London refinement meets Calgary’s local bounty in one of Calgary’s new bright lights.” Edmonton’s Teresa Spinelli, who co-owns both the Edmonton and Calgary Italian Centre Shops – we’ll call her an honourary half-Calgarian – was also a winner. The list of finalists featured many Calgarians: Fiasco Gelato owner James Boettcher, Canmore restaurateurs Blake and Norman Flan (Blake, PD3), impresario Garth Brown of Test Kitchen, bartender/owner Nathan Head (Milk Tiger, Proof), craft brewers Graham Sherman and Jeff Orr (Tool Shed Brewery), sake sommelier Adam Snelling (Sake Somm, Ki) and restaurant designer Sarah Ward (Sarah Ward Interiors – The Nash, Proof, Corbeaux Bakehouse). Congratulations to the winners and the finalists, all of whom keep Calgary well fed and nicely liquored up in stylish and welcoming surroundings. (Submitted by Kate Zimmerman who attended the awards.)
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
11
RAISE YOUR BAR AT THESE
PREMIUM EVENTS! AROUND THE WORLD IN 8 GLASSES
Get a taste of what’s going on in the world of wine today.
$35 per person Shawnessy - Sept 16 Oakridge - Sept 23 Beddington - Oct 14
JUNK AND JUICE
12
SONOMA VS NAPA
Come and taste wines from both regions and discover which style you prefer.
$45 per person Midtown - Oct 14 Crowfoot - Oct 22
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY
You can pair wine with your favourite snack foods and cast away the pretentions associated with wine.
In this mid-week event, we will lead you through a flight of wines that over-deliver and don’t break the bank.
$25 per person Beddington - Sept 17 Midtown - Sept 22 Crowfoot - Oct 15 Shawnessy - Oct 15 Oakridge - Nov 4
$15 per person Beddington - Sept 28 Shawnessy - Sept 28 Crowfoot - Oct 19 Midtown - Oct 26 Oakridge - Nov 2
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
eat this
Ellen Kelly
WHAT TO EAT IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
It’s sometimes hard to accept the ending of our all-too-short summer, but September and October can be just as welcome, albeit a little bittersweet, as any summer month. This is the time to start digging up the root vegetables, making soups and stews and figuring out what to do with all those apples! Let’s turn the oven on, put things in jars and get cooking in earnest. There is hardly a more iconic fruit than the APPLE. It evokes everything from the Garden of Eden to vying for teacher’s pet. We all know an apple a day keeps the doctor away and apparently nothing is as American as apple pie. It’s good for you, tastes great and is incredibly versatile. There are innumerable sweet ways to use this beloved fruit, but apples are stellar in a savoury role as well. This quick marmalade works as well with roast duck and goose as with roast pork. Peel and slice 3 medium onions and sauté in a little butter and olive oil until soft and golden. Add 1/2 c. verjuice and 3/4 c. dry white wine. Season with salt and then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Peel, core and slice 3 medium-large apples and add to the onions with 1 c. apple cider. Cook over medium-low heat for another 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. The onions and apples should be soft and melting together. Stir in 1 T. calvados (apple brandy), 2 T. butter and 2 T. honey. You can make this ahead and reheat gently before serving with roast pork, duck or goose.
A classic EGGPLANT preparation is ratatouille, of course, but another is a simple gratin, alone or with tomatoes. You’ll need about 2 lbs. eggplant (use the large dark purple ones) and the same of tomatoes. Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds, salt and let sit in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Slice the tomatoes the same way and thinly slice 1 medium onion. Blot the moisture off the eggplants slices and blanch for about 2 minutes in acidulated (lemon juice) boiling water, then drain on paper towels. Generously oil a large shallow baking dish. Alternate slices of eggplant and tomato with onion slices here and there and then season with salt and pepper. Dilute 1 c. good tomato sauce with a little wine and pour over the top. Sprinkle with about 3-4 oz. grated gruyère mixed with some grated parmesan and chopped basil. Bake at 350°F. for about an hour until the cheese is golden and sides are bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.
The CARROT, an easily overlooked vegetable, comes, however, from the very distinguished umbellifer family. Celery, parsnips, parsley and angelica are some of the cousins, along with an impressive collection of familiar herbs like cilantro, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill and fennel. The name doesn’t make sense until you see any of these plants go to seed. They form a lacy spoked dome of flowers that closely resemble – you guessed it – an umbrella. A simple, but delicious, fall soup harmoniously combines three of these family members – carrots, parsnips and chervil. Scrub 3-4 medium carrots and as many parsnips, then trim and coarsely chop. Chop a medium onion. Sauté the vegetables in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat with a little butter and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper, then deglaze with about 1 c. dry white wine once the onions are softened, but not coloured. Cook until the wine is absorbed. Add about 6 c. good chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the carrots and parsnips are very tender. Using a hand-held blender, purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning and reheat, adding a little more stock if necessary. Serve with lots of fresh chervil and a dollop of crème fraîche.
Illustrations by Pierre Lamielle
BUY: Early varieties don’t tend to keep as long as the later varieties. All apples continue to ripen after harvest – some are even better after a few weeks of storage. They are best kept refrigerated in plastic bags. Kept at room temperature, apples ripen too quickly. TIPS: Whole fruits, as opposed to the juice, are so much better for us. 80% of the nutrition of an apple is lost during processing. We’re left with mostly sugar. Ask a dentist. DID YOU KNOW? There are approximately 7,000 apple varieties known to exist. Of these, about 100 are grown more-or-less commercially, and 90 percent of those – about 15 varieties – are all that we ever see in our supermarkets and farmers’ markets, unless we’re lucky. Our quest for perfect-looking fruit, hardiness and uniformity to facilitate shipping and long storage capacity has led to a paucity of delicious fruit and left us with too many insipid cardboard apples instead. Check out saltspringapplefestival.org for a glimpse of what could be.
BUY: Choose eggplants that have shiny tight skins and are heavy in the hand. Avoid any that are wrinkled, soft or bruised. TIPS: Eggplants do not keep well. Buy the freshest and use them up quickly. Wrapped well, they will keep for a day or two refrigerated. DID YOU KNOW? As part of the nightshade family, eggplants are also related to tomatillos and potatoes, as well as belladonna, known as deadly nightshade. Eggplants come in a variety of shapes and colours; they can be small and round, long and slender, oval and egg-shaped, big and pear-shaped and be green, white, mauve, purple, black or striped. There’s very little difference in taste, given the variety, so choose according to the needs of your recipe.
BUY: Look for firm, smooth carrots without any blemishes or cracks. If the greens are intact, avoid any that are yellow or wilted. Remove the tops as soon as you get home and before storing. If they’re left attached, they will draw moisture from the carrot, causing it to wilt prematurely. TIPS: If the attached greens are nice and fresh, use them sparingly as a garnish. They are perfectly edible and provide a slightly bitter contrast to the sweetness of the carrots. DID YOU KNOW? The first cultivated carrot was likely purple and originated in Persia before the 900s. The common orange carrot wasn’t developed until the 1600s. Discover “rainbow” carrots in most markets; purple, red, white and yellow with intriguing names like Atomic Red, Purple Haze, White Satin and Yellow Sun.
Ellen Kelly is a chef and regular contributor to City Palate.
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
13
drink this
Shelley Boettcher
NATURAL WINE
If you’re interested in wine in a big way, you may have heard some noise about natural wines. One of the wine world’s major trends, natural wine is a hot topic amongst critics, sommeliers and winemakers in regions across the planet – Italy, France, California, even Canada. Some love the idea. Others hate it. But no one is ignoring it. Natural wine bars and wine lists are popping up everywhere, including Calgary’s Pigeonhole, Montreal’s Vin Papillon and, a little further afield, Terroirs Wine Bar in London, England. Import agencies are dedicating their entire lists to the subject. Blogs talk of it, and books are being written on it. There are even international festivals – The Artisan Wine Fair, The Real Wine Fair, La Dive Bouteille, to name just three – dedicated to spreading the love. But what are natural wines, exactly? The term literally refers to wines made with grapes, but with minimal intervention – no chemicals in the vineyard and little, if any, added sulfites during the vinification process.
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Natural wines may be red, white, rosé, sparkling or still, and typically they’re made by small producers who grow their own grapes. A natural wine may be organic, but may not be certified by a third-party organization. (If it’s labeled organic, though, it must be certified.) It may be biodynamic, but again, it may not be certified. It may be made with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, you name it. Or it may be made with lesser-known grapes such as ribolla gialla, garganega or furmint. Whatever grape these wines are made from, one thing is certain: according to their fans, they represent true terroir, and an ancient, traditional way of making wine. The owner of Elite Brands Wine Distribution in Calgary, Jerzy Maslanka, focuses entirely on natural wines, mostly from Italy and Slovenia. From his perspective, the wines he represents – which range from bold reds to light, bright sparkling wines – are important because they both taste good and reflect the ancient and impressive history of winemaking, not something stirred up in a lab. “People have been making wines this way for 6,000 years, and now western hemisphere sommeliers call them a new trend,” says Maslanka. “As my friend (natural wine producer) Fulvio Bressan often says, ‘When you forget your history, you forget yourself.’” Christine Coletta, co-owner of Okanagan Crush Pad, may not have the same ancient ties to a vineyard, but she certainly sees the value of making healthy wines that reflect the place they are grown. “There is nothing natural about wine made from grapes grown with chemicals or artificial fertilizer,” says Coletta, whose Haywire Winery makes three natural wines. “The wine is a snapshot of the growing conditions of the vintage, the vineyard/terroir and the art of the winemaker.” Despite such broad definitions, the natural wine movement is not without its critics. Renowned French winemaker Michel Chapoutier makes many organic and biodynamic wines, but that is where he draws the line, saying natural wines are “rubbish” made by “hippies from another world,” he told Decanter magazine in 2012.
#BRAGGCREEKWINE
But, say fans of natural wine, any wine can be faulted if it isn’t made well. Natural wines are simply different, precisely reflecting the terroir around them, everything from the natural yeasts found in the air to the soil where the grapes are grown. “Natural wines are the true essence of winemaking,” says Maxim Atanassov, owner of Vino Al Vino, a Calgary-based natural wine importer. “I’m very much about eating local, organic and raw, with as little interference as possible. I want my wines like that, too.” For Andrew Stewart, wine director at Pigeonhole and Model Milk, natural wines are about finding authenticity in a world where massive players dominate the scene. “It’s about the conversation: what goes into a wine, and the difference between a micro producer and a mass producer of wine,” says Stewart, who has also worked at Bin 905 and Metrovino. “It’s our responsibility as sommeliers to introduce people to the full spectrum of wines in the world, not just the mainstream.”
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
With that in mind, ask for a natural wine next time you’re in a wine shop or eating out, he suggests. “It’s going to be different, but it’s not freaky,” says Stewart. “It works. Trust us.”
What’s the difference?
Interested in drinking natural wine?
1. Organic wine – Wine made without the use of chemical fertilizers or artificial pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. To be labeled organic, it must have third-party certification. An organic wine may be a natural wine.
Check out these bottles:
2. Biodynamic wine – Wine that is made organically, but goes one step further, following the principals of biodynamic farming. Developed by Austrian educator Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamic farming includes the use of fermented manure, minerals and herbs. To be labeled biodynamic, a wine must have third-party certification. A biodynamic wine may be a natural wine. 3. Natural wine – There is no legal definition for labeling. Wines may or may not be certified organic, but are always made with minimal intervention. That means they’re made with wild yeasts but no added sugars or acids, and no use of reverse osmosis. No chemicals are used in the vineyard or in the production of the wine. In some cases, a small dose of sulfites may be added, so that a wine is stable enough for shipping internationally. Natural wines are typically unfiltered.
Want to taste?
Lapierre 2014 Morgon (Morgon, Beaujolais, France) From a family-owned winery that’s been organic since the early 1980s, this bright and expressive gamay has pretty notes of cherry and herbs. Made with indigenous yeasts from organic grapes, it’s unfiltered and utterly delicious. About $44.
Marie Courtin 2013 Resonance Brut (Champagne, France) A gorgeous example of “grower champagne” (champagne made by a winemaker from grapes he or she has grown). In this case, Resonance is made by Dominique Moreau, who named her winery in honour of her grandmother, Marie. All of Moreau’s wines are organic, biodynamic and as natural as possible. Resonance is made of old-vine estate pinot noir, with indigenous yeasts. It’s haunting, with delicate notes of wet rocks, fresh bread and flowers. About $65.
The wine list at Pigeonhole focuses entirely on natural, biodynamic and organic wines from small producers. You’ll also find a fine selection at Divino, and at various independent wine shops around the city, including Metrovino and Vine Arts.
Looking for a Canadian natural wine? Three wineries to check out: 1. Daydreamer Wines (daydreamerwines.ca, Okanagan Valley, BC.) 2. Lock and Worth (lockandworth.com, Okanagan Valley, B.C.) 3. Free Form Red, Free Form White and Wild Ferment wines from Haywire Winery, Okanagan Crush Pad (haywirewinery.com, Okanagan Valley, B.C.)
Giovanni Menti 2014 Roncaie sui Lieviti Garganega Frizzante (Veneto, Italy) A very unusual, slightly fizzy wine. Made from garganega grapes, it has notes of lemon and melon, and a pleasantly bitter dry herbal note on the finish. Don’t be shocked if it looks really cloudy; it’s unfiltered and bottled without sulfites, and resembles homemade lemonade in appearance more than a typical white wine. It’s wacky but worth checking out. About $26.
4. Summerhill Pyramid Winery (summerhill.bc.ca, Okanagan Valley, B.C.)
Importers specializing in natural wines: 1. Elite Brands Wine Distribution (elitebrandwine.com), Calgary. 2. Sedimentary Wines (sedimentarywines.com), Vancouver. 3. Vino Al Vino (vinoalvino.ca), Calgary.
Monteversa 2011 Versacinto Rosso (Veneto, Italy) This small family winery has been growing grapes for eons, but only started making its own wines in 2006. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, this earthy red has notes of dried sour cherries, raspberries and herbs on the palate, firm tannins and a lengthy finish. Decant and drink now. About $38.
Want to know more? Check out these books: 1. Authentic Wine: Toward Natural and Sustainable Winemaking by Jamie Goode ($56) 2. Naked Wine: Letting Grapes Do What Comes Naturally by Alice Feiring ($28) 3. Natural Wine: An introduction to organic and biodynamic wines made naturally by Isabelle Legeron ($37)
Burja Estate 2014 Petite Burja (Vipava Valley, Slovenia) I’m crazy about every wine I’ve tried from Primoz Lavrencic, and I’m not alone. His wines have been featured on some of the world’s best wine lists, including that of Noma restaurant in Copenhagen. All are made naturally, with amazing fruit and minimal intervention, including this crisp white, made from malvasia grapes. I love its complex layers of flowers, wet rocks and fruit, with just a hint of salinity. And I love the way it changes in my glass as it becomes exposed to the air. About $35.
Shelley Boettcher is a local food and wine writer whose work has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. Find her on Twitter @shelley_wine.
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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ber 5, 201 m e v 6 o N
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get this octo-beer-fest
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Join us for a
Alberta is slated to have 30 craft brewers by the end of this year. Calgarians can sip suds from pioneers like Big Rock and Wild Rose. We can “malt away” the hours with standards like Village Brewery or Brewster’s Beer Revolution. And now we can “hop” around to explore newcomers like Last Best, Tool Shed, Banded Peak, Common Crown, Trolley Five, Boiling Oar, Goat Locker, Cold Garden, The Well Brewing Company and The Dandy Brewing Company. I perched over a pint with Brauerei Fahr’s founder Jochen Fahr recently to learn more about the industry. Fahr expects that with the Brewmaster and Brewery Management program at Olds College and the love of all things local, the industry will likely see 60 microbreweries in the province in the next few years. That’s definitely a reason to buy your own beer stein (as if you needed one). Edelweiss Village imports these limited edition beauties by Zöller and Born. The company is 60 years old and located in the Westerwald district of Germany that is famous for both its clay and skilled potters. Every charming vessel is handcrafted and hand painted. Cheers to that. Zöller and Born Beer Steins, $74.95 and up, Edelweiss Village
spectacular evening that features a gourmet dinner and a dazzling array of whiskies from around the world.
a cultured life “You can do this” is the message on all Cultures for Health products. The company provides starter cultures for sourdough, yogurt, kefir, cheeses, kombucha and even soap, and it backs up its starter kits with a fabulous website loaded with recipes, e-books and step-by-step videos featuring founder Julie Fieckhart. You’ll find its full line at Crop – Food Growing Revolution in Parkdale. Crop is owned by mother/daughter duo Leigh and Dani Smythe. Leigh owned a garden centre for 35 years and is a great mentor for next-gen green thumbs that need a bit of guidance. The store offers hands-on fermenting, composting and gardening workshops and has all the tools you need to grow food successfully in small spaces. Cultures for Health - Greek Yogurt Starter Kit, $19.99, Crop – Food Growing Revolution
PALOMINO ROOM, BMO CENTRE, STAMPEDE PARK NOVEMBER 5, 2016 General Admission
VIP Admission
$125 6-9 pm
$175 5-9 pm Includes a guided tasting with experts, and exclusive products to sample
For tickets, please call: 403-219-6025 ext. 6290, email: wsevents@calgarycoop.com or online: http://guestli.st/416460 To avoid disappointment, buy your tickets early.
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playful paella September and October are when we start to say goodbye to summer’s bright greens and vine-ripened tomatoes and begin to transition our palates back to root vegetables and stews. Paella is a dish that marries the transition between seasons well. Originating from farmers’ fields in Catalan Spain, it’s a quintessential huntingmeets-gathering meal. Rabbits fresh from the hunt were cooked in a pan over an open fire to make a broth for the local bomba rice and whatever vegetables were dug from the fields. Fresh herbs were foraged to garnish. Le Creuset’s bright cherry red paella pan will help cure the end of summer blues and inspire you to cozy up to fall’s colder evenings. Treat yourself to a vibrant Spanish wine and be playful with what you add to your own paella creation. Cherry Paella pan, 34 cm, $250, Le Creuset
Karen Anderson
MUST-HAVE KITCHEN STUFF
Everybody wants to be Italian. Even Alberta’s stalwart pork producer and grocer, Sunterra Markets. President Ray Price met the Simonini family of Modena, Italy, at a trade show in Japan. The Italians loved Price’s Alberta Pork and Price loved the prosciuttos and salamis cured by the Italians. A new plant to produce a joint product celebrating the Alberta product and the Italian know-how is in the works just North of Calgary, but you can enjoy the first prosciutto and salami without the huge import prices now at your local Sunterra. Just look for the new Soleterra D’Italia brand. Soleterra D’Italia Salami and Prosciutto, $5.49/100g and up, Sunterra Market
tuck into a little tucker Laura Incognito started her Little Tucker company in June 2015 to make it easy for active Calgarians to include whole ingredients and “super foods” in their sweet treats. Incognito hails from Perth, Australia, and though she loves the similarities in active lifestyles between Calgary and Perth, she observed less of a connection with healthy lifestyle food choices available here. Energy or protein bars touted as healthy always included “nasty” additives and hidden sugars. In Perth she enjoyed access to an array of nutrition-packed ingredients like acai berries, goji berries, lucuma (a caramel-tasting fruit native to Peru), maca (an Andean root vegetable), spirulina (high- iron algae powder), matcha (finely ground green tea), bee pollen and chia seeds. Incognito uses these as well as wholesome beets, dates, buckwheat, cacao powder and pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds) to create recipes for treats for those times you crave a “little tucker,” tucker being the Aussie term for sustenance. You can find the full array of her sweets, including individual energy balls, chia puddings, cheesecakes and chewy fruit bars at Wild and Raw Superfood Juice Bar in Kensington. Little Tucker energy balls, $3 each, Wild and Raw Superfood Juice Bar
deanehouse.com
promising prosciutto
8 0 6 - 9 t h Av e n u e S E
True Büch Kombucha, $19.95 /growler at The Naked Leaf
now o p e n in ingl e wo o d
Conrad and Louisa Ferrel brought their love of kombucha (a bubbly fermented tea elixir) back from a trip to Asia and soon left behind careers in accounting to start up this zero-waste company. By supplying vendors with their unique kombucha keg refrigerators with draft tap dispensers, they promote recycling and reuse of refillable glass bottles. Waste from the brewing process is composted. True Büch Kombucha is made with organic teas sourced from The Naked Leaf in Kensington. The Ferrels combine the teas with sugar and ferment the mix with Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) over 10 to 14 days. The result is a carbonated drink, rich with amino acids and gut-friendly probiotics. Ginger is a popular flavour but the Ferrels have also made Berry Berry, Vanilla Chai, Cherry, Mojito Mint and Blueberry Rooibos.
I n s ta g r a m / t w i t t e r : @ d e a n e h o u s e y y c
keep kom and bucha on
Karen Anderson is the owner of Calgary Food Tours.
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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Six Degrees Music & Sound, together with Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi of Nur Films, and local musician Chris Vail in collaboration with some very special guests, present a fantastic evening featuring food, film, and music.
JOIN US FOR Start with local masters of food and drink, add an award-winning filmmaker and a healthy dash of live, original music, and you have an event to devour! Starring: Ching Li from The Cookbook Co. Cooks, Eric Giesbrecht and Josh Stoddart from Meta4 Foods and Full Circle Pizza, Phil Robertson from Phil & Sebastian, Cody Willis and Kelly Black from Native Tongues and Ox & Angela, Duncan Ly from Foreign Concept, Karen Anderson from Calgary Food Tours, John Jackson and Connie DeSousa from Charcut Roast House, Angelo Contrada from Sugo, Roy Oh from Anju, Eliese Watson and Jason Barton Browne from ABC Bees and Hayloft Restaurant, Jamie Harling and Matthias Fong from Deane House and River Café.
great finds
STARBELLY
Way down in the south of Calgary, a new community is growing that includes a whimsical place called Starbelly Open Kitchen + Lounge at its heart. The community of Seton aspires to be a new urban centre for southern Calgarians and those in and around the 44-acre South Health Campus. To this end, Starbelly is right at home with its fashionable design, nestled directly behind the gigantic ‘SETON’ sign at the community’s entrance. Starbelly’s doors opened in 2014, but the restaurant has since changed hands and rebranded to feature the open kitchen design, which is kind of like dinner theatre and cooking class rolled into one. Chef Jonathan Sobol says he’s been happy to explain techniques like sous-vide to interested onlookers, though working in the open does come with challenges. As in any kitchen, sometimes tensions get high, and, as Sobol says with a laugh: “Well, as a chef, you have to be able to assert yourself.” Sobol is an Edmonton-born alumnus of SAIT whose career counts stints at Banff’s Rimrock Resort Hotel, a month-long stage at the UK’s Michelin-starred The Fat Duck, and, most recently, Calgary’s late FARM. His menu at Starbelly is full of highend ingredients fashioned into approachable Canadian cuisine. Meals start with oysters, cheese and housemade charcuterie and transition into hearty, regional mains, like the fire-roasted Broek Acres pork chop with duck fat fingerling potatoes, or the Driview Farms leg of lamb with seasonal vegetables and cassis jus.
Thursday, November 3rd at Commonwealth Bar & Stage 731 10th Avenue S.W. Doors at 7 pm. Show at 8 pm. Tickets are $20 at cheflyscreenshots2.eventbrite.ca SPONSORED BY THE COOKBOOK CO. COOKS AND city
palate
On the subject of the not-so-humble hamburger, Sobol has strong opinions. “What makes the perfect hamburger?” he asks, rhetorically. It’s a question that really interests him, and he cites the variety of answers as a sort of map of North American food culture. “It’s the same way Italians argue over the best cheese to put on pasta,” Sobol says. At Starbelly, Sobol’s perfect ‘burger is Angus beef on a hand-crafted milk bun, with maple bacon and house pickles, and something called “fancy sauce,” which is a little mysterious, in an intriguing way. Starbelly’s dining room is striking. The concept, created by Holland Design House, is characterized by high ceilings and windows, and the space feels airy and intimate at once. The pendant lights suspended above the room’s centre are like an art installation, and the décor errs towards whimsy. The design effortlessly plays backdrop to date nights and family dinners alike, and the central island of the open kitchen and bar allows solo diners to pull up a stool and watch the magic happen. Sobol has recently moved to Auburn Bay, and when he’s not at work, he’s either at the gym or hanging out with his 5-year-old corgi, Ancho. As for why anyone should make the trip to visit Starbelly, Sobol says it’s part hometown tourism and part just a really solid menu. The locals are what Sobol calls Starbelly’s bread and butter, but he’s never really surprised to hear that guests have come out of their way for a culinary day-trip, all within city limits.
Premiering on Shaw TV Sept 12th An Exploration & Celebration of Calgary's Communities, Culture & Culinary Experiences www.homesandlifestyles.ca
Starbelly, 220 - 19489 Seton Cr. SE, 403-570-0133
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Regan Johnson
OLLIA MACARONS & TEA
In his youth in France, David Rousseau says he remembers having a different idea of “local” food. “It was ‘go outside and get the raspberries,’” he says, laughing. Now, he and his Canadian wife Lindsay serve up local ingredients and French charm from their downtown storefront, Ollia Macarons & Tea. Part patisserie and part tea house, Ollia serves macarons by the number and tea by the cup, and its central location makes it easy to swing by for a quick confection or an Earl Grey iced latte. The walls are hung with local artwork for sale, and shelves of Ollia’s merchandise – elegant bags of the tea blends and premixed almond flour and icing sugar in the perfect ratio for make-at-home macarons. It’s both chic and quaint, a perfect backdrop for the rainbow of macarons in the display case.
ON THE DL UNTIL FALL 2O16
Ollia’s design is a collaborative effort of designer Bethany van Hecke and Lindsay, herself, whose artistic input appears in details like the petite, pastel-coloured macaron takeaway boxes, emblazoned with a botanical graphic on the sides that is, appropriately, the foliage of an almond tree.
FOREIGNCONCEPT.CA
@EATFOREIGN
/EATFOREIGN
For his part, David prefers to keep to the kitchen, where he and his team produce anywhere from 800 to 2,000 macarons a day in every colour and flavour. On the current roster of 29 flavours, there is something for everyone, from the sprinkleadorned blue and pink Cotton Candy macaron to the more mature Orange Blossom & Apricot. And for the brave? Perhaps the Blue Cheese Pear Pecan, or perhaps the Black Truffle & Parmesan. David says he was drawn to macarons in the first place for their versatility, and that he relishes that he’s able to explore new flavour profiles and push his customers to explore their own palates. Inspiration for new flavours comes from all over – including memories of his travels throughout Europe and South America. With macarons, he says, it’s impossible to become bored. Ollia’s house blends of organic tea, sourced from Calgary supplier Tea Monde, explore equally interesting flavour combinations. Pink peppercorn, linden berry, fennel and mango all feature, not in the same blend, but paired with other ingredients that harmonize. In warm weather, Ollia serves its tea on ice, along with truly thirst-quenching lavender and mint lemonades in cute glass bottles. The Madame Grey tea blend comes straight-up or in a latte (hot or iced), and appears in the Earl Grey macaron as well. Ollia offers macaron baking classes and tea-blending workshops in its production kitchen, hands-on experiences that are meant to be as fun as they are educational. “In French, we call it ‘the salt’ – the excitement, the passion,” David says. “Seeing people in the classes, I’m reminded constantly about the excitement of doing things by hand.” Macaron-making shouldn’t be intimidating, but if you’re unconvinced, Ollia is happy to do the piping, baking, blending and brewing instead.
ISLAND FOOD & RUM BAR
Ollia Macarons and Tea, 810C - 16th Ave. SW, (403) 457-9775 Regan Johnson works at The Cookbook Co. Cooks
1530 5 STREET SW • OPEN TUESDAY–SUNDAY, 4–LATE RICARDOSYYC • RICARDOSHIDEAWAY.CA
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM...
A Luxurious Home in the South of France In the heart of the Languedoc, the world’s largest wine-growing region, Jardin de Charlotte is now ready for occupancy
• Three luxury units for purchase, holiday or long term rental • Situated in the bustling town of Olonzac, an area surrounded by vineyards and olive groves; unsurpassed natural beauty for walking, biking and relaxing • Half hour drive to the Mediterranean sea, Narbonne and historic Carcassonne, two minutes to the beautiful Canal du Midi • Development includes large pool, gardens, courtyards in secure, gated environment • Canadian development company with decades of experience Visit us at: jardindecharlotte.com Contact us: david.furneaux@gmail.com (Calgarian, English speaking)
one ingredient
Julie Van Rosendaal
SOURDOUGH STARTER
Before the invention of commercial yeast, bakers made things rise with a gooey, bubbly “glue” of flour and water left to its own devices to collect and develop the yeast that’s already present everywhere – including in the air and on the grains that have been ground into flour. In a warm, wet environment, the yeast chows down on the natural sugars in the flour, creating carbon dioxide bubbles, which make it expand, and lactic acid, which gives it its characteristic tang. Over time, as the starter is fed and continues to grow, it develops a deeper, more complex flavour. Once you bring your paste of flour and water to life with time, warmth and regular feedings, you may find yourself surprisingly devoted to it and the resulting loaves. Bakers I know text photos of their starters to each other like proud parents, coddling them with warm towels and extra feedings. Most starters have a name – Herman was common in the ‘70s and ‘80s – and some are even brought along on vacation. Due to this dedicated caregiving, some starters last for generations; there are stories of starters that have lived for more than a hundred years. Because sourdough starters are so inherently personal, the bakers who created them can be as opinionated as the parents of actual children about the right (or wrong) way to raise one. Bakers describe their starters as moody or hungry or needy or tired, characteristics that come across in their finished loaves. Advice is often contradictory, so how you tend to your starter should, like parenting, depend on what works best for you, your starter and the loaves you bake with it. Although you can get a head start by ordering fresh or freeze-dried starters or coaxing a friend to share a jar with a little history, it’s simple to start from scratch. And, if your first batch of goo doesn’t bubble, or starts to develop a questionable fuzz, your investment is only a cup of flour and the minute or two it took to add water. Some formulas for new starters call for organic rye flour or mashed grapes, the theory being that fruit skins are yeasts’ natural habitat. Some are kick-started with a pinch of commercial yeast, but start with some good organic flour and bottled or distilled water to keep your canvas as pure as possible, and you’ll make a clean start. Here’s what you do: stir together about a cup minus 2 T. flour and 1/2 c. water – in an immaculately clean bowl. It should have the texture of thick batter. Cover it loosely with a lid or plastic wrap and leave it on the countertop for 24 - 48 hours. You may see bubbles starting to form on the surface – if not, don’t panic; the temperature of the room and the flour itself may be slowing it down.
STOVETOP & OVEN SAFE Made in France
Willow Park Village 10816 Macleod Trail South | 403.278.1220
www.compleatcook.ca
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Once your starter shows signs of life, you’ll need to feed it. But to prevent creating a “starterzilla,” remove half to bake bread with – see the recipe below. If bread (or waffles, doughnuts, pizza dough, cinnamon buns, coffee cake or dumplings) aren’t in your plans, share the scooped-out half with a friend, or tuck it away in the freezer as insurance in case you neglect your starter and need to begin again. Then, feed it with a scant 1/2 c. of flour and 1/4 c. water. Stir it vigorously, cover it again and leave it for another 24 hours. By then it may be giving off a clean sour/ citrusy aroma. Once again, scoop out half, and feed it with the same measures of flour and water. Cover and leave on the countertop for 24 hours. Repeat. By this time, you should have a nice, bubbly, pleasant-smelling starter. If it develops a dried-out crust on top, simply peel it off and throw it away. If it becomes foul smelling or starts growing mold, start over. Once you get it going, keep feeding it about three times a week for a few weeks to help it gain its strength. At that point, it’s ready to use. Go ahead and name it now. The warmer your starter is, the more actively it will feed – the danger here is that if it’s too warm, it may chow through its food and become listless. At normal room temperature, you’ll need to feed it once a day; the refrigerator will slow it down, but keep it healthy, and you can get away with feeding it once a week.
Chicken with Sourdough Dumplings Sourdough starter makes a plump, fluffy, tangy dumpling that’s divine atop chicken stew – or try it on simmering fruit for a sourdough slump. 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs salt and pepper canola or olive oil, for cooking butter, for cooking (optional) 1 large onion, finely chopped 2-4 T. sherry (optional)
Located in historic Inglewood 1331 - 9th Ave SE 403.532.8222
3 T. all-purpose flour 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth 1 t. fresh thyme leaves (or a few sprigs) 1 c. frozen green peas 1/4 c. half & half or heavy cream
Dumplings: 1 c. all-purpose flour
Savour the Season! savourfinefoods.com
2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. baking soda 1/4 t. salt
Sourdough Bread
1 c. sourdough starter
This is a classic, chewy loaf you can tweak to make it work for you – experiment with whole grain flours, or roll the unbaked loaf in seeds, as they often do at Sidewalk Citizen Bakery. Because starters made with wild yeasts aren’t fast acting, they need more rising time, which also allows a more complex flavour to develop in the finished loaves. Baking them in a cast iron pot traps moisture, giving them a crisp, crackling crust.
2 T. canola or olive oil
5 c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1-1/2 c. lukewarm water 1 c. sourdough starter 2 t. salt
In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter and water, stirring to break up the starter. Add 3 cups of the flour and beat by hand for a minute. You are trying to get the consistency of thick pancake batter; you may need to add a little less flour or more water to achieve this. Cover with a tea towel and let rest on the countertop for 4 hours, then refrigerate overnight. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 c. at a time, and the salt. Add only enough of the flour to keep the dough manageable while you knead. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 2-6 hours, until doubled in bulk. Divide in half, then gently pull and fold each into a rough oval. Place each on a well-floured tea towel, cover with the sides of the towel and let rest for another couple of hours, until it has risen again – don’t worry if it starts to spread out too much, it will rise more in the oven.
1 large egg
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chicken until golden on both sides, working in batches so that you don’t crowd the pan. Transfer the chicken to a plate, add a bit more oil (and a bit of butter, if you like) and sauté the onion until soft. Add the sherry and cook for a minute, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan (alternatively, you could use a bit of the broth to do this), then add the flour and stir to coat the onions. Add the broth and thyme, then return the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer; cover and cook over low heat for about an hour. Meanwhile, stir together the dumpling ingredients. Take the lid off the pot (if you like, remove the bones and shred the chicken), add the peas and cream and bring back to a simmer. Drop walnutto golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, leaving some space for them to expand. Cover and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 4 to 6.
About a half hour before you’re ready to start baking, put a heavy cast-iron pot (like Le Creuset) into the oven and preheat it to 450°F. Turn one piece of dough into the hot pot, cut a slash in the top, cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes, or until deep golden and hollow sounding when tapped. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Or bake both at once, if you have two pots.) Cool to warm before slicing. Makes two loaves.
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one ingredient
SOURDOUGH STARTER
continued from page 21
Meet Jenny Kang, Executive Chef of Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant
Sourdough Waffles
Sourdough Pizza Dough
Start sourdough waffle batter the night before and breakfast is almost ready. These cook up crisp and light, with a tang that pairs well with berries and maple syrup. Adapted from King Arthur Flour.
Sometimes recipes call for sourdough starter as well as some commercial yeast to give it a boost – the starter adds flavour, and both do their thing to give pizza dough its requisite chew.
Overnight sponge:
1/2 c. warm water
1 c. sourdough starter
2 T. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 c. buttermilk 2 T. sugar 2 c. all-purpose flour
Batter: 2 large eggs 1/4 c. canola oil or melted butter 1 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt
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In a large bowl, stir together the starter, buttermilk and sugar, then add the flour and combine well. Cover and let rest on the countertop overnight.
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Reservations & Tickets 403.47 .1310 September 15 | 2nd Annual Harvest Dinner 21 | Cork & Cuisine: Chef’s Favourites
1 c. sourdough starter
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 t. salt 1/4 t. instant yeast
In a large bowl, stir together the starter, water and olive oil and stir to break up the starter, then add the flour, salt and yeast and stir until the dough comes together. Knead for 7-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, drizzle with a little oil and turn to coat. Cover and let rise for 2-3 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Punch it down, divide in half and use to make two of your favourite pizzas.
In the morning, whisk together the eggs and oil, then add to the sponge along with the baking soda and salt, stirring well to combine. Cook in a preheated waffle iron until crisp and golden. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 large, Belgian-style waffles.
Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com
it sounds insane… Blending your morning coffee with chunks of butter and a spoonful of coconut oil. But so-called “bulletproof coffee” is fast becoming the go-to power breakfast, and it works like a damn, keeps you going for hours. Basic Bulletproof requires just three ingredients and a blender, or, do as we do and just melt the butter in a cup of hot coffee with the coconut oil. Easy peasy.
Basic Bulletproof:
October 19 | Cork & Cuisine 27 | 3rd Annual Murder Mystery Dinner
RancheYYC
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
2 T. unsalted butter, preferably from grass-fed cows (nutritionally better) 1 t. coconut oil 1 c. hot coffee made with delish coffee from one of our local roasters, like Paradise Mountain, Fratello, Phil & Sebastian, Co-op, Rosso, The Roasterie, Big Mountain
Combine the butter and oil with coffee in a blender (or your hot cup of coffee). You can find "bulletproof" products at Wild & Raw, 1119 Kensington Rd. NW, and Eric Giesbrecht's Meta4 Foods/Oystertribe, 903B 48 Ave. SE
back s i l o o h c S it: d n a n o i s in ses s
AWARD WINNING
deliciou
A . t a stes ld cla ss B. is wor hed dis t ing uis y b d e id lit y C . is gu d hospit a che f s a n nals professio h e a b ove D. all of t
Dine differently with a night out at The Highwood, SAIT’s live classroom restaurant. To make a reservation, visit sait.ca/highwood or call 403.284.8615. Walk-ins welcome. O P E N I N G F O R T H E F A L L S E M E S T E R S E P T. 8
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feeding people
Karen Ralph
I WON’T HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING!
After a morning spent viewing gory historical dioramas in Minerve, a medieval French village that withstood crusades, the Black Death, famine and all attempts to romanticize its violent past, we were ready for lunch. We had been to this village before and looked forward to sitting on the stone patio of what had become one of our favourite restaurants. Built on overhanging rock above a deep gorge that had failed to protect the village from rampaging, catapult-proficient crusaders, it was strategically located with an excellent view and had probably been part of a larger castle courtyard. We were surprised to learn that the ancient waiter, who had been there forever, was gone, replaced by a no-nonsense woman (maybe his daughter) who led us to a table. The menu hadn’t changed in years, offering a selection of thin-crust pizza along with regional classics like duck, sausages and cassoulet. Despite the cold wind tipping over water bottles and whipping napkins off tables, the patio was full of fellow sightseers. We ordered a carafe of the dry local rosé, three salads, and settled in. This was slow food thanks to slow service, but that was part of the experience. When our lunch finally arrived, the first two salads looked fantastic. The Salade Périgourdine was ringed with three large rounds of seared foie gras on toast and the perfect ratio of tender gizzards and smoked duck breast to lightly dressed baby lettuces. Lightly toasted crostini on the Salade au Chèvre Chaud supported a thick layer of fresh, slightly melted goat cheese garnished with tiny violets. Care and attention to detail had gone into their creation – but that’s where the royal treatment ended. My Salade Niçoise looked like it had been made under siege conditions. Wet green beans, either overcooked or canned, flopped brokenly over puckered, canned olives, cottony tuna shrapnel and wilted, rotting lettuce. There were no potatoes, anchovies or eggs, but if ever there was a time when less was more, this was it. We couldn’t believe that the three salads had been made in the same kitchen. Even the resident cats who were sharking around the patio for scraps avoided my side of the table. Eight centuries earlier we would have been grateful for maggoty gruel, but I had no desire to experience authentic medieval cuisine. I was reluctant to complain because my poor French language skills might have made the situation worse and, for all we knew, our formidable server might have made the salad. Besides, we’d planned to come back the following week and didn’t want to be remembered as the English whingers. This village embodied suffering and stoicism. Unless you were royalty or wealthy, the cuisine of medieval France was rough, tough and scarce. The rich might have toasted the good times by dining on swans and peacocks, but the average hovel-dweller had little to eat and less to celebrate. As my unsympathetic friends amused themselves by saying things like “Canned beans? Luxury!” I took one for the team. I was hungry and ate my salad. Seven days later, we were back as planned. We had taken over a large table on the patio, ordered almost every pizza on the menu and everyone except me had received their food. Just when we thought mine had been forgotten, our server approached us with a pizza so redolent of garlic that heads turned to see who would be on the receiving end. Sure enough, it was mine. There had been no mention of raw garlic as pizza topping on the menu, but maybe it was added especially for me because I’d eaten last week’s compost salad like a natural-born peasant. Oily rivulets had deposited large clumps of greenish garlic around the tomato, herbs, anchovies and cheese. I suppressed the urge to throw it off the patio and, instead, offered everyone a piece and ate one myself. It was a long, stinky ride home.
Maybe I was being paranoid, but the disparate quality of our food seemed to harken back to the days when diet was decreed by social hierarchy, and it was starting to feel personal. My bad luck food streak continued with our visit to another beautiful walled city under siege by tourists with sugar-high, over-stimulated children decked out with plastic medieval swords and helmets. Our group stopped for lunch at a busy café. My friends ordered the daily specials, but soup appealed to me. I asked for their opinions and it was generally agreed that you couldn’t go wrong ordering French onion soup in France. As they ate tender, perfectly cooked steaks, sausages and sandwiches, I was served a gelatinous concoction vaguely reminiscent of hot and sour soup. Tiny dehydrated onion flakes were suspended in salty, brown, cornstarch-thickened liquid and topped with broken, boxed, garlic powder-dusted
24
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
croutons and short shards of stale grated cheese. This was an insult to onions and soup, but it probably wouldn’t kill me. Parts of Monty Python’s “The Holy Grail” had been filmed here and I could imagine John Cleese’s “Taunting Frenchman” leaning over the ramparts, threatening to fart in my general direction. As long as I was at the table, everyone else in our group seemed to be protected from the curse of terrible cooking. When we stopped for a late afternoon lunch at the only open bistro in a small town, I was happy to see that they had omelettes on the menu. My friend started describing the perfect French baveuse omelette as barely cooked, pale, tender, and almost runny on the inside, and, conjuring up the ideal version in her imagination, she talked herself into it. I almost ordered one but instead chose the duck gizzard and lardon salad, which should have ensured her safety. No one could believe it when I was brought a plate of perfectly rare duck breast rimmed with crispy, salty slivers of skin, an abundance of gizzards, lardons and delicate mache. While I was mining for lardons, her omelette arrived. It was as far from baveuse as you could get – burned dark brown on the outside, raw on the inside, smelling like pancakes, it tasted like raw dough and was probably made from an instant Quiche Lorraine mix. To top it off, we were sitting under a tree and a bird dropping landed on the edge of her wine glass. It’s a lot funnier when it happens to someone else. I’ve always held French cuisine to a higher standard, so I blamed my poor French language skills for missing cues. A server saying, “We don’t sell a lot of that…” or “Interesting…” followed by silence is a form of natural selection for restaurant dishes and I’d missed or ignored the warnings at my own peril. In France, believing that if it’s on the menu, it should be edible has led me to overcooked gamey
sausages, roughly hacked off the coil, their ends like exploding cigars; dry favabean-paste-covered fish pucks in a red mystery sauce; chicken with large clumps of attached feathers; raw, gristly steaks; grease-soaked squid rings; hunks of deep-fried food looking very much like burlap; mussels in a sauce of pure Pernod; fatty legs of mutton dressed as lamb; cod ceviche roughly hacked into unappetizing strips covered in shriveled onion slices and doused with malt vinegar, and a memorably massive and disturbing order of steak tartare. I didn’t expect bad food in France – this famous shrine to gastronomy – but it sometimes happened and it’s good to take your idols off their pedestals occasionally. Mind you, my particular curse knows no geographical boundaries. Recently while out with friends, I ordered a salad instead of the rib pizza I wanted, which everyone at the table predicted would be gross. When the salad arrived, it was unusual in that the vegetables were arranged in neat rows, and a creamy dressing, smeared on the plate like grout, kept everything in place. This might have made sense if the vegetables were so special that the flavours and textures had to be appreciated individually, but these items seemed to be burger garnishes doing double-duty. Maybe that was my fault for ordering by committee, but my skill at picking the worst thing on any menu anywhere shows no sign of abating. My friends should recognize a good thing when they see it: as long as I’m at the table, chances are, their order is safe. Karen Ralph works at Metrovino.
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25
the sunday project
with Matthew Altizer
DULCE DE MEMBRILLO (QUINCE PASTE)
Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste) 5 lbs. quinces sugar and honey juice of 1 lemon grapeseed oil
First, rub the fuzz off the quinces with a tea towel. Cut the stems and little hairy bottoms off the quinces and then quarter them. It’s important to keep the seeds and skin of the quinces because they contain a lot of pectin, which helps the quince paste thicken and set.
SHARE YOUR FOOD
The recipe for quince paste is an ancient one; it first appeared in the Roman cookbook Apicius that’s thought to have been compiled in the late 4th century AD. Over the ages, this delicious sweet paste has gained popularity all over Europe. It is traditionally from Spain, Italy and Portugal, where it’s called marmelada – where the English word marmalade originated. I’ve been buying quince paste for years and serving it with manchego cheese, a traditional Spanish pairing, but I thought about making it at home, and what else I could do with it. After tasting some homemade quince paste, I made it and it’s really easy to make, but you’ll need to set aside a swath of time. This recipe makes a rather large batch, but since it calls for an equal amount of quince goo and sugar, you can make as much or as little as you like. Find quinces at the farmers’ markets, Italian stores, grocery stores.
Place the quartered quinces in a large heavybottomed pot and just cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook the quinces, stirring occasionally, until they’re very soft, almost falling apart, about an hour or two. Use a potato masher or a hand blender to purée the quince, then force it through a fine-meshed sieve into a measuring cup. Measure the quince purée and measure an equal amount of sugar or honey or both. If I get 6 cups of quince purée I’ll add 4 cups of sugar and 2 cups of honey, but you can portion them however you like. Wash the pot and add the quince, sugar, honey and lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. It will take 2 to 3 hours to reduce the quince down enough for it to set. You will know the paste is ready when the colour changes to a deep rose and a clear path is left on the bottom of the pan when you stir it. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with grapeseed oil. Pour the quince paste onto the baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Leave the pan on the counter overnight to set and then cut into rectangles. Wrap each rectangle with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
Here are tasty uses for quince paste. But you can just eat it with cheese, too, of course!
Beet Greens with Quince and Mustard My chef friend JP doesn’t like beet greens, not even a little bit, but he was always given the task of cooking them when there were extra greens that needed to be used up. He came up with the combination of sweet onions and quince, a bit of sharp Dijon mustard and a splash of heavy cream. People went crazy for this side dish, me included.
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
Quince Aioli This aioli is lighter and fruiter than traditional ones, it goes great with almost any pork dish and is beautiful as a dip for crispy calamari. Crush a garlic clove with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a food processor and add 1/2 cup of quince paste. Blend the garlic and quince paste together and then slowly drizzle 1/3 cup each of extra-virgin olive oil and grapeseed oil into the mixture, making sure that it doesn’t separate. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
recipe photos by Regan Johnson
HAPPY HOUR . DINNER
Chop an onion up as finely as you can and sauté it in butter until super tender, about 30 minutes, then turn the heat up and let the onion caramelize. Meanwhile, tear the stems from the beet greens and blanch the greens in a large pot of salted water until tender. Strain and squeeze out any extra moisture, chop them up and squeeze them once more, making sure there isn’t any extra liquid remaining. Stir the beet greens into the onions along with a spoonful of quince paste, some Dijon mustard and a splash of heavy cream. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes to reduce the cream slightly, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve as a side to almost any roasted or grilled protein.
1. Ingredients
3. Quinces in pot
4. Quinces cooked
5. All mashed up
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2. Cutting quince
Proof # Date 2 July 12, 2016
6. Straining
8. Adding sugar
7. More straining
9. Adding honey
10. Mixed up
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You’ll love these vegetable-based recipes from some of our fave food people 30 CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
Charred Napa Cabbage with Avocado, Crunchy Seeds, Citrus and Mint Jessica Pelland, executive chef, charbar restaurant This salad is incredibly fulfilling and it’s completely vegan. The smokiness from the charred cabbage mixed with the crunch of the raw cabbage is what makes this salad unique. We round out this dish with a little nuttiness from the toasted seeds and puffed wild rice, a touch of citrus, bright mint, and the rich mouthfeel of the avocado. This salad is great on its own as a meal, or as a satisfying side dish. 1 large Napa cabbage to make 2 c. raw Napa cabbage and 2 c. charred Napa cabbage 1 avocado, chopped 2 oranges, segmented 1 T. sherry vinegar 4 T. olive oil 1 t. salt, or to taste
Creamy Corn with Pancetta Connie DeSousa and John Jackson, co-chefs, CHARCUT Roast House This creamy corn is so delicious you might want to double the recipe to be sure you have enough for seconds. It’s a perfect balance of sweetness from the summer corn and saltiness from the cured pancetta. 5 cobs of corn 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2-1/2 c. 35% cream 2-1/2 c. 2% milk 1 medium shallot, sliced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 1 T. olive oil salt and pepper to taste 8 thin slices of pancetta
Pickled Ramp Gremolata: 2 T. pickled ramps (wild onions), minced, or substitute pickled onions (find ramps in specialty markets, like Bite
Groceteria or the Italian markets.) 1 T. capers, minced 2 T. minced Italian parsley 2 T. lemon juice 1/4 c. olive oil salt to taste
Cut the corn kernels off 4 of the cobs and grate the kernels off the remaining cob. Put the grated and whole kernels into a bowl, set aside, and place the stripped corn cobs in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the thyme, cream and milk to the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes to make corn milk. In a medium pan, sauté the shallot and garlic slices in the olive oil until translucent. Add the corn and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Strain the corn milk to remove the cobs and thyme sprigs. Add the corn, garlic and shallot mixture to the milk and cook 20 to 30 minutes on medium heat until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Pre-heat the oven broiler to 500°F. While the corn and milk are cooking, make the pickled ramp gremolata. Combine the minced ramps, capers and parsley with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside. Transfer the corn mixture to an oven-proof serving dish and top with the thinly sliced pancetta. Place the serving dish under the broiler in your oven to slightly melt the pancetta, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the serving dish from the oven and drizzle the pickled ramp gremolata over top. Serve warm. Serves 4.
1/2 c. sprouted lentils (see technique, below) 1/4 c. mint, chiffonade 1/4 c. puffed wild rice (see technique, below, or substitute puffed quinoa) 2 T. sunflower seeds, toasted 2 T. pumpkin seeds, toasted
Cut the Napa cabbage in half vertically, cutting through the stem end. Grill one half until you see a light char on one side (approximately 5 minutes of grilling). Let cool. Finely slice both the charred cabbage and the raw cabbage into a slaw and put in a large bowl. Add the avocado, and orange segments. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar and olive oil, add salt to taste then pour over the cabbage and lightly mix. On a large serving platter/wide shallow bowl, pile cabbage mixture high on the centre of the plate – the higher the mountain of cabbage the more impressed your guests will be! Sprinkle with sprouted lentils, mint, puffed wild rice and toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately. Serves 4. To sprout lentils: Soak lentils in cold water overnight. Drain. Lay them in a perforated colander lined with damp cheesecloth, and place damp cheesecloth over top. Every day, for 3 days, moisten the cheesecloth. You will see little tails emerge and the lentils will soften. They are ready to eat. To puff wild rice: pour 1/4-inch of high-smoke-point oil – like grapeseed or sunflower oil, not olive oil – into a frying pan. Heat over high until it reaches 500°F., or just begins to smoke. Add 2 T. of uncooked wild rice. It will begin to puff. Quickly remove the pan from the heat. With a slotted spoon, remove the puffed rice from the pan and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt to taste. Alternately, you can find puffed quinoa in most grocery stores; it makes a great substitute and adds a wonderful nutty crunch.
Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
Charred Bok Choy with Mushrooms and Japanese Hollandaise (Kimizu)
Kathy Richardier, editor, City Palate
Darren MacLean, chef/owner Shokunin
Adapted from Gena Hamshaw’s Food52 Vegan cookbook. We de-veganize it with shredded duck confit, but it’s totally full of flavour left vegan. I served this with the duck confit to friends who said it was the best chili they’d ever had.
If you want to add some ethnic flair to your grilled repertoire, give this tasty and traditional grilled Japanese sunomono a try. 8 heads of baby bok choy, split in half and cleaned clarified butter or canola oil and salt
1 T. olive oil (I sometimes use chopped bacon when de-veganizing)
2 c. morel or chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned 3 knobs of cold butter
2 c. chopped white or yellow onion
3 T. good quality Junmai sake
4 c. diced sweet potatoes, in about 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes
Kimizu: 4 egg yolks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. white miso paste
1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
Celerisotto Dan Pizarro, chef Avec Bistro 2-1/2 lbs. celery root 1 c. milk 1 T. grapeseed oil 1/2 c. finely chopped shallot 1 T. minced garlic 2 T. white wine (preferably sauvignon blanc) 1 c. vegetable stock 3 T. cold butter 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese 2 soft-poached eggs or fried eggs, if preferred
2 T. sugar
1 T. good quality chili powder 2 t. ground cumin 1/2 t. smoked paprika 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (I use Scarpone’s) 3-1/2 c. cooked black beans (I also add 1 can of corn) 1-1/2 c. vegetable or chicken (if de-veganized) broth plus more as needed salt 1 large Haas avocado, sliced, for garnish 1/4 c. thinly sliced chives, for garnish shredded duck confit, for de-veganizing garnish
Roasted Cauliflower Salad (Insalata di Cavolfiore) Spencer Wheaton, chef, Mercato This hearty salad hails from Calabria, the southernmost region in Italy, where people like their food salty and spicy, and this dish is both. A great summer insalata, this can be eaten on its own or as a side dish with either meat or fish. Use good quality extra-virgin olive oil, and if you can find it, Calabrian chiles or peperoncino. Use whatever type of olives you like, but preferably an Italian variety and definitely not pimento stuffed or anything that comes from a can!
salt and pepper to taste
1 large cauliflower
This is cooked with the traditional risotto method.
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Start by washing the celery root. Carefully peel the celery root with a peeler or knife and discard the outer peelings, then cut the edges to make a square. Place the cut edges into a pot with the milk and slowly simmer until tender. Once cooked, place in a blender and purée until smooth and set aside to finish the dish.
extra-virgin olive oil
With the square of celery root, cut 1/2-inch slices, then turn and cut 1/2-inch-slice sticks and then turn once more to cut 1/2-inch cubes (if done in advance, place in a bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice so they don’t turn brown).
1/4 t. chile flakes
Put the oil in a pan on low-medium heat and gently sauté the celery root (dry it if it’s been in a bowl of water), shallot and garlic. Continue to stir slowly until the shallots are translucent, but not caramelizing. Add the white wine and continue to stir slowly until the wine has cooked off, with no colour added to the pan. Then, add half the vegetable stock and, again, slowly stir until the liquid has reduced by about half. Once the stock is reduced, add the other half and stir until the mixture is a little loose. Finish by adding the reserved purée, butter and grated parmesan. At this time, stir quickly to create an emulsion. The celery root should be a bit al dente to give it texture. Serve in bowls topped with a poached or fried egg and season with salt and pepper. I like to serve this dish with a small acidic salad to cut the richness. Serves 2 as an entrée or up to 4 as a side dish.
big pinch of sea salt 12 Italian olives, roughly chopped 1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 2 anchovy filets, minced juice of 1/2 lemon 3 T. capers salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and garlic and sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the sweet potatoes are just becoming tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chipotle in adobo, chili powder, cumin, and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are very fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, beans and broth and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Season with salt to taste. I leave the chili on the stove for many hours – like all afternoon – over very low heat to allow the flavours to become happily married. It works every time! Serve topped with the avocado and chives and/or shredded duck confit. Serves 6, or 4 with leftovers. (You’ll want leftovers, since chili gets better as it ages.)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the cauliflower thoroughly, trim off the outer leaves and cut out the core. Using your hands or a knife, break down the whole head into bite-sized florets and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic to the bowl, along with a good pinch of salt and enough oil to coat everything when tossed. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the middle of the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the florets over and roast them for another 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. The best way to determine this is to try one! Remove from the oven and let cool. Put the olives, parsley, onion and anchovy into a large serving bowl and stir to combine well. When the cauliflower is cool, add it to the serving bowl and toss. Add the lemon juice, chile flakes, capers, salt and pepper to taste and as much olive oil as you are willing to part with. In Calabria, the more the better! Give everything another quick toss and serve. Serves 4 to 6.
1 T. yuzu juice, or the juice of 1 lemon 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar Pickled onions: put 1 c. julienned red onion in a bowl with 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar, 1/4 c. water, 1/2 c. sugar and a pinch chile flakes. Stir to dissolve sugar and reserve. bitter green herbs, like kinome, arugula or watercress (garnish) 1/4 t. Sichuan peppercorns, ground (garnish)
Preheat your grill to high and make sure the bok choy and mushrooms are clean. To prepare the kimizu, bring some water to a boil in a double boiler or a pot half full with a steel bowl on top. Reduce to a simmer and add the egg yolks, miso, sugar, yuzu or lemon juice and vinegar to the top or bowl and whisk vigorously until thickened. Set aside and cool. This Japanese hollandaise will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, so make in advance if you want. Brush the bok choy with butter or canola oil, season with salt and grill on high heat until the leaves are charred and the bases have softened a bit. Reserve in a 200°F. oven until ready to use. To prepare the mushrooms, heat 2 knobs of butter over medium heat in a saucepan; when melted and hot, add the mushrooms and turn the heat to high. Sauté until mushrooms have softened, then deglaze with the sake. Add the last knob of butter and stir vigorously to emulsify the butter and coat the mushrooms. Reserve. To assemble: Place the bok choy on plates and top with the mushrooms. Drizzle generously with the kimizu, garnish with pickled onions and bitter greens, then sprinkle sparingly with the ground peppercorns. Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish.
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continued from page 31
Grilled Pizza with Roasted Vegetables, Chèvre and Honey Chef Judy Wood, Meez Fast Home Cuisine
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice off the top of the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil and wrap the whole head of garlic in foil. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the thyme, olive oil and salt and pepper. Place onto a parchment-covered baking sheet and roast both the garlic head and vegetables in the oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in the crème fraîche and salt and pepper. Spread the mixture on the grilled pizza crust. Top with the roasted vegetables and cheeses and place into the oven to bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. If you like a bit of sweet, drizzle with the honey. Serves 4 to 6.
Pizza Dough:
What will you do with the fall harvest?
1 T. yeast
Scalloped Sunchokes
1 t. honey
John Michael MacNeil, chef Belvedere Restaurant
1-1/4 c. warm water 1-2/3 c. flour
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2 t. lemon juice 1 T. olive oil 1 t. salt
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To make the dough, place the yeast and honey in a small bowl with the warm water and stir. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes until it foams a little. Place the flour onto a cutting board and form a well in the middle. Carefully, pour the water and yeast mixture into the well, then add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Using your hands, start incorporating the flour into the yeast mixture. Eventually it will form a soft dough. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl and set it in a warm spot to rise for about 1/2 hour. To grill the pizza, cut the dough into 4 or 6 pieces and, using olive oil, push the pieces into circles. Heat the grill on high, place the dough on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip it and repeat the cooking time. Remove and reserve for topping.
2-1/2 c. sunchokes, found at Calgary Farmers’ Market, Community Natural Foods and Blush Lane (also called Jerusalem artichokes)
Roasted Vegetables:
3/4 c. each heavy (35%) cream and whole milk
1 garlic head
2/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 T. olive oil
4 T. heavy cream
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
fresh herb garnish, whatever you like – I like parsley or chives
2 parsnips, coarsely chopped 1 small sweet potato, coarsely chopped 1/4 piece yam, coarsely chopped 1/4 piece butternut squash, coarsely chopped 1 red onion, coarsely sliced 1 T. fresh thyme
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1 T. olive oil 1/4 t. each salt and ground pepper 1/2 c. crème fraîche
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
For the Gratin:
salt and pepper to taste 1/2 c. crumbled chèvre 1/4 c. grated aged cheddar 1 t. acacia honey or your favourite honey to drizzle on top if you like a bit of sweetness.
3/4 c. sliced yellow onion 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 1-1/2 t. sea salt
dried tomato garnish
Vinaigrette: whisk together 2 t. red wine vinegar, 1 t. cracked pink peppercorns, pinch each of black pepper and salt and 2 T. sunflower oil. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the sunchokes and cut them into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Put them in a bowl and add the onions and garlic. Add the salt, cream and milk to the bowl and mix. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Mix the parmesan and 4 T. heavy cream together. Remove the foil and top the sunchokes with the parmesan and cream mixture, spreading evenly. Bake for 15-25 more minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm drizzled with the vinaigrette and garnished with the fresh herbs and dried tomatoes. Serves 4 as a side dish.
Chickpea Curry with Swiss Chard and Mint and Mango Chutney Michael Allemeier, chef and SAIT instructor Black Mustard, Tomato and Coconut Chickpea Curry: scant 1/4 c. canola oil 1-1/2 T. whole cumin seeds 1 T. black mustard seeds 1 T. ground turmeric 1 to 1-1/2 t. dried chile flakes pinch of salt 1 can coconut milk 3 c. puréed tomato (canned diced tomato, drained and puréed) 6 c. cooked, drained chickpeas or use canned, drained chickpeas salt to taste
Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and lightly brown them. Once the seeds are tanned and fragrant, add the turmeric and chile flakes, season with a pinch of salt and stir well. Add the coconut milk and tomato, bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste and cool until needed. Swiss Chard for Chickpea Curry: 1/4 c. olive oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 t. whole cumin seeds pinch dried chile flakes 2 Roma tomatoes, diced salt to taste 6 c. washed and sliced Swiss chard 5 oz. paneer, diced (Paneer is a fresh cheese used in Indian cooking, find it at shops that sell Indian ingredients.) salt to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the garlic, cumin seeds and chile flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the tomato and season with salt. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the tomato is cooked down and tender. Add the chard, cover and steam until tender. Add the paneer to heat and season with salt to taste. Mint and Mango Chutney: 3/4 c. fresh mint leaves, washed, dried and chopped 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped 3 c. mango purée (Alphonse mangos are the best) 1/2 c. coconut milk 1/4 c. white vinegar 1 t. salt 1-1/2 T. ground cumin 1 t. turmeric powder 3 t. chopped garlic
Place all ingredients into a blender and purée until very smooth and homogenized. Chill until needed, stir before using. To Plate: Place the chickpea curry on warm plates and top with the sautéed chard, making sure the paneer is visible. Serve with the chutney on the side and enjoy! Serves 4 to 6. ✤ CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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Gourmet Takeaway LOVINGLY CRAFTED FOOD THAT MAKES YOUR TASTE BUDS SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE
by Shelley Boettcher
September is a beautiful month, but it can also be tough. The kids are back in school, and that means regular schedules, the start of after-school activities and a constant struggle to get a decent dinner on the table after work and before the evening’s events. That’s where Calgary’s gourmet takeaway places come in handy. Sometimes it’s nice to just pick up a lovingly crafted meal. Add a bottle of wine from your cellar, and you’re eating well at home any night of the week. Here, a handful or two of takeaway favourites:
Made Foods (madefoods.com) — Made only opened its doors in 2015 but it’s wasted no time expanding. There are now eight locations in Calgary, and plans are in the works to expand to other parts of western Canada, too. Why is business so good? Because Made is “about getting good-quality, farm-raised, local, seasonal food onto people’s tables, and making it as convenient as possible,” says chef Andrea Harling. Two of Made’s most popular dishes are barbecued chicken with roasted potatoes and red pepper-kale-corn succotash, and a quinoa-encrusted chicken dish with sweet potato mash and green beans. “People are looking for dishes that are actually good for you,” Harling says. “It’s about quality.”
NOtaBLE (notabletherestaurant.ca) — Our Daily Brett (ourdailybrett.com) —
This 14th Street market is a specialty food shop offering, as the web site says, “good. honest. food.” The emphasis is on grab-and-go dishes, including a daily takeout dinner that might look like this Vietnamese Prawn and Kelp Noodle Salad – piled with prawns, leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, peanuts, basil, mint, crispy rice, and nuoc cham vinaigrette. Or it may be Kung Pao Chicken, Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl or Friday Taco Night. The emphasis is on healthy and good for you. You can thank Calgarian Brett McDermott for it all.
34 CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
Ask any northwest food lover where they go for gourmet takeout, and you’ll probably hear about the Happy Chicken Dinner to Go at Notable. Get an herb-rubbed rotisserie-roasted whole chicken for $23, and add side dishes like seasonal vegetables and roasted fingerling potatoes. There’s also house-cut fries and an artisanal greens salad. Happy Chickens are also available at The Nash in Inglewood. And chef/owner Michael Noble is famous for his inspired monthly burger.
City Palate hold for pick-up
Pedaling wine since 1996.
River Café (river-cafe.com) — From June to the end of September, River Café offers gourmet picnic baskets to go for $32 per person. You’ll get an array of delicious foods, including a house-made canola MEEZ CATERING : CATERING@MEEZCUISINE.COM seed baguette sandwich, appetizers, including Sylvan Star 403.640.FOOD (3663) gouda cheese, and a Highwood Crossing steel-cut oat cookie or organic chocolate brownie for dessert.
722 11 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB 403.205.3356 | wine@metrovino.com metrovino.com
CATERING TEAM BUILDING THANKSGIVING MENU HOME DELIVERY Chef Judy Wood
Chef-prepared heat-and-serve meals at our Willow Park Village store
LAWRENCE GRASSI
Meez Fast Home Cuisine RETAIL 403.264.6336
(meezcuisine.com)CATERING — Chef Judy Wood 403.640.FOOD (3663) started Meez 10 years ago to offer gourmet comfort food to Calgarians. She and her team make an array of dishes to go, including the always-popular tourtière, bolognese sauce, chicken chili, gluten-free Thai chicken noodle soup and single-serve desserts.
meezcuisine.com
This year, Meez is hosting the Meez Mini Markets, with fresh produce from some of Wood’s favourite local suppliers, including Gull Valley Greenhouses, Innisfail Growers and Poplar Bluff. Meez includes nutritional information with the ready-made meals. “A lot of people want to know what they’re eating, and I do, too,” Wood says. “I say proudly and honestly that our food is healthy and it has lots of flavour done naturally, not from a box or powder.”
FRESH SODA, FRESH BEER, FRESH FOOD. THE GRIZZLY PAW.COM 622 – 8TH STREET CANMORE AB [403] 678-9983
• Eau Claire Parlour Gin • elderflower liqueur • ginger beer syrup • fresh lemon juice • GRIZZLY PAW sion Ale Rundlestone Ses • Angostura Bitters Garnish wilthleaflemon slice and basi
continued on page 36 CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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Gourmet Takeaway continued from page 35
The Main Dish (tmdish.com) and Fit Kitchen (fitkitchen.ca) —
The Main Dish opened in Bridgeland a decade ago and pretty much instantly had crowds showing up for gourmet healthy takeout. That hasn’t changed. Dishes such as the dairy-free no-butter chicken and the no-guilt mac and cheese (made with gluten-free pasta and filled with vegetables) are still big sellers. A year ago, however, the team decided to meet the demand of customers who wanted more. Fit Kitchen in McKenzie Towne has expanded The Main Dish concept to include meal plans and portion-controlled meals, with calorie counts and nutritional information. There’s now a cold-press juice line called Fit Juice, too, thanks to a partnership with Well Juicery. “We have one called Field of Greens that’s really tasty,” says Carissa Lazette, who handles marketing for the company.
Shokunin
In early 2016, Fresh Kitchen owner Paul Morissette made the decision to close the Fresh Kitchen gourmet takeout/grocery store’s doors, and, instead, opened Fresh At Your Door, a gourmet comfort meal delivery business focusing on Fresh Kitchen’s top-selling items. Orders are delivered free anywhere in the city; all you have to do is heat the food when it arrives. Favourites include the roast chicken with green beans, potatoes and dessert. “Who wouldn’t like a delicious roast chicken dinner delivered to their door?” Morissette asks with a laugh. “We’re all about comfort and seasonality.”
(shokuninyyc.ca) – Chef Darren MacLean opened this place as his personal tribute to Japanese food. He’s put his own spin on the dishes – all based on traditional flavours – and the food is imaginative, cooked to perfection, beautifully presented and full of flavour and texture so that your taste buds go “WOW!”. Shokunin’s takeout window opened in August, and is reminiscent of the takeout windows of Osaka, where you can purchase bento-style and donburi-style dishes at lunch time and late-night snacks throughout the week.
Sunterra Market (sunterramarket.com) —
Starbelly (starbelly.ca) —
Fresh At Your Door (freshatyourdoor.com) —
You can pick up meals to go any day of the week at one of the seven Sunterra locations in Calgary, but if you really want to make your life easy, order a Friday Night Feast for (you guessed it) Friday nights. These three-course meals only need to be reheated, and include seasonally inspired dishes such as barbecued ribs with garlic roasted potatoes and dessert. A fine way to cheat for a last-minute dinner party.
36 CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
There isn’t much in terms of fine dining restaurants in the southeast community where Starbelly is located, so if you call in and place your order over the phone, you can pick up a lovely meal, perhaps the Starbelly Caesar salad, a grilled octopus wrap, or this great Wild Boar Gnocchi. Definitely better than fast food.
Mercato Market (mercatogourmet.com) —
For more than 20 years, Mercato has been a fine stop for Calgarians looking to pick up fast gourmet Italian nosh: olives, bread, bruschetta, sauces, cheese, charcuterie. A few years ago, the store moved from Bridgeland to Mission, on 4th St. SW, and opened a popular restaurant next to the expanded market. Now there’s a market location in West Springs, too. One thing remains the same, year after year: the home-made lasagna (just heat and serve) is everyone’s favourite takeaway dish, followed closely by the homemade sauces and fresh pastas.
8 Spruce Centre SW Calgary | 403.452.3960 | thepiehole.ca
UNA Takeaway (unatakeaway.com) —
Located next-door to the popular 17th Ave. SW restaurant, UNA Takeaway offers much of Una’s menu and more, including coffee to go (from Café Rosso), pastries, smoothies, salads and sandwiches. The new takeaway space, which opened in June, has a 3,300-square-foot kitchen in the basement, so instead of making four pizzas at a time, staff can now make 36. There are some tables and chairs if you want to sit, but mostly, it’s about takeaway here. Bonus: there are pretty culinary-related things to buy – ceramics, table linens, cookbooks – too.
Christmas Party? Corporate Meeting? Birthday Celebration? Retirement Party? Team Building? Wine Club?
Host your next special occasion in our event space. In the months of September and October celebrate our 15th anniversary with a weekly featured wine 20% off.
In a wine store! 137 8th Ave SW www.cellarwinestore.com 403 503 0730
fT continued on page 38 CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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ADAC CALGARY GALLERY HOP WITH CALGARY’S TOP GALLERIES
O������ 22, 2016 11 �� 5 ��
Gourmet Takeaway continued from page 37
These takeout places are not necessarily gourmet, but their eats are lovingly crafted and downright good. Sometimes you just want plain good food – now – and you don’t want to prepare it yourself. If you’re looking for some delicious grub-to-go, here are a few more great places to stop:
Cluck N Cleaver
(cluckncleaver.com) — Owned and operated by sisters Nicole (former Top Chef Canada competitor/ Nicole Gourmet Catering) and Francine Gomes, it’s all about chicken here – either rotisserie-style or southern fried (you’ll eat all the crisp, delicious skin!) – and appropriate house-made sides, like coleslaw, potato and egg salad, potatoes and buttermilk biscuits, of course.
Sidewalk Citizen (sidewalkcitizenbakery.com) — Whether you stop in at the Sunnyside Natural Market location in northwest Calgary, or the location in the historic Simmons building in East Village, you’ll find all kinds of great things to take home – beautiful salads, sandwiches to go and of course, the breads that have made Aviv Fried and his team so famous. One of our current favourites is the ham quiche with a side of olives.
*G����� T���� �� L���� A������ Herringer Kiss Gallery 709A - 11th Avenue SW Jarvis Hall Gallery 333B - 36th Avenue SE Loch Gallery 1516 - 4th Street SW Masters Gallery Ltd 2115 - 4th Street SW Newzones Gallery 730 - 11th Avenue SW Paul Kuhn Gallery 724 - 11th Avenue SW Trépanier Baer Gallery 999 - 8th Street SW Wallace Galleries Ltd 500 - 5th Avenue SW Follow us on Facebook and Instagram #ADAC Calgary
1996
2016
Jane Bond BBQ
(janebondgrill.com) — Jane’s BBQ food truck proved to be so popular, co-owner Jenny Burthwright opened a restaurant in southeast Calgary in 2015. The jerk chicken and housesmoked brisket are top-sellers, she says, but the sauces are hits, too. “They’re all made in-house. People love them.” Burthwright plans to open a second location in Forest Lawn, with more tasty barbecue and live blues music. Watch for the food truck around town.
Freshii (freshii.com) — Freshii started in Toronto more than a decade ago and has grown to more than 160 locations in 13 countries. There are eight locations in Calgary with plans to open six more. The most popular menu items include the Oaxaca Bowl (brown rice, kale, avocado, beet slaw and more), and the Pangoa Bowl (brown rice, avocado, aged cheddar, black beans, corn, cilantro and more.)
The Coal Shed Smokehouse (whiterosekitchen.ca/coal-shed) — Operated by the same folks that own Big Fish and Open Range, this casual takeout joint features a wood-fired smoker and lots of meat. “Smoked prime rib, braised lamb shank, you name it,” says co-owner and chef Dwayne Ennest. For those who want just a little more, you’ll find some salads and side dishes, too. ✤
Shelley Boettcher is a local food and wine writer whose work has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. Her favourite frozen treat is lemon sorbetto, ideally eaten in Italy. Find her on Twitter @shelley_wine.
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To make it even wilder, just add your favourite spirit. We love the power of kombucha and you will too. These local, small-batch sparkling kombucha teas come in four exciting flavours and support digestion, immunity and detoxification. From deli to dairy, we think about everything we put on our shelves. With the largest selection of natural products and highly trained in-store experts, you can feel good knowing you’re always getting the very best.
10TH AVENUE MARKET
CHINOOK STATION MARKET
CROWFOOT MARKET
ONLINE MARKET
1304 - 10 Avenue SW
202 - 61 Avenue SW
850 Crowfoot Crescent NW
communitynaturalfoods.com
customer care: 403-930-6363 | communitynaturalfoods.com
Fresh California wine grapes and pure juice Summer harvest wood lugs of California Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, Zinfandel… and so much more. All fresh packed and cold stored in Western Canada’s only indoor loading facility. First time wine makers welcome!
Bake like a real Italian with “00” Arriving in September: Molino Dallagiovanna premium Italian triple washed “00” flours. Certified Napolitano Pizza, pasta and snow white gnocchi flours. The best Italy has to offer!
CLASSIC ITALIAN STAPLES • DELI & GROCERY • DISTRIBUTING THE FINEST ITALIAN & EUROPEAN EXPORTS • BEST PRICES IN TOWN, DAILY SPECIALS DAILY HOME-MADE LUNCH COUNTER, LATTES & CAPPUCINOS IN OUR LAVAZZA CAFÉ ITALY’S FIRST CHOICE • PASTRIES & SMALL BATCH HOUSE-MADE GELATO 55!
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY, 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM • 5140 SKYLINE WAY NE, JUST OFF MCKNIGHT BLVD.
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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Guilty
PLEASURES
What some of our fave chefs eat. . . behind the fridge door at 3 a.m.
We admire chefs for the skilled sorcery that makes their culinary creations titillate our palates and satiate our senses. Surely everything that passes down their own finely tuned gullets is the stuff of gastronomic greatness? Well – no. Just like us mere mortals, they have dirty little secrets skulking in their pantries and naughty nibbles they nosh while hunched behind the refrigerator door after midnight. We asked seven of the city’s top chefs to dig deep and confess their guilty pleasures. Here’s what the creators of Calgary’s culinary landscape served up.
Oh
ANJU RESTAURANT Most chefs experience palate fatigue, becoming tired of the food they cook after smelling it day in, day out, says Oh. So his guilty pleasure is a far cry from the Korean-fusion food he kicks out at Anju. “I’m kind of a junk food fanatic. If there’s a new feature burger, I’m on it, but the Baconator with fries from Wendy’s is my favourite. It’s just well executed. It’s always seasoned well, plus I really like the bun. And they’ve changed their fries to be more rustic. I’ve tried to tone down how often I eat them, but if I call my wife to see if there’s food in the fridge for when I get home – because I’m here ‘til 2 a.m. – and if there isn’t, I might pick up a Baconator.” Oh’s runner-up secret craving is Doritos. He loves trying the new flavours.
MATTHEW THE NASH
Batey
Batey gets a daily dose of his guilty pleasure go-to, describing it as the perfect pick-me-up snack for someone working a busy kitchen. “Peanut butter. I love it! I love the crunchy nuttiness, the sweet and salty, alone or with a banana. It effectively takes the edge off. It’s reasonably healthy and it satiates me. I like unsweetened Adams peanut butter. My guilty pleasure is a jar and a spoon – dip and eat, and forget the bread. The best thing in the world is peanut butter, bananas, and Pirate cookies (Christie-brand oatmeal, peanut butter cookies). I could die happy living the rest of my life like this,” he says, stacking Pirate cookies onto a plate, and groaning at the suggestion of dipping a cookie into the peanut butter. “Ahh. That would be deadly.”
DeSousa
CHARCUT ROAST HOUSE
by Karen Durrie
ROY
CONNIE
PIERRE
Lamielle
CHEF, AUTHOR, COOKING INSTRUCTOR A “food baby”-inducing Middle Eastern extravaganza tops Lamielle’s list of two “dirty” cravings. (A food baby is when you eat so much your stomach protrudes resembling early pregnancy.) “Shawarmas from Jimmy’s A&A Mediterranean Deli, up on 20th Avenue. I’ve been a fan of those for a while. I only get a couple a year, because I have to book the rest of the afternoon off for naptime. They are monstrous. I always get the combo, which is beef and chicken. They put this crazy-good garlic sauce on. It’s pretty lethal for being around other people the rest of the day, so go with someone else, then you smell the same.” Store-bought British Jaffa cakes dipped in strong, double-teabag black tea are Lamielle’s other weakness.
RUDY
WURST
Schmid
The most popular street food in Germany – “even more people eat it than schnitzel” – is what Schmid craves on the regular. “I would really kill somebody for it. It’s currywurst. They come served in cardboard. It’s knackwurst smothered with curry ketchup that you eat with a wooden stick. It comes with a bun, and the deluxe version has fries. I’m a huge soccer fan, and it’s part of going to the games – it’s a real craze.” The food reminds the German-born Schmid of home, and Wurst has featured currywurst on the menu during World Cup soccer.
DeSousa’s dirty secret is a retro dinnertime delight, topped with silky peaks of edible oiliness. “McCain’s chocolate cake. I have to eat it a certain way. It can’t be right out of the box. It has to be defrosted. I’m very picky about how it’s microwaved. I don’t want it to be warm, but just so the icing is almost sliding off, and it’s really ooey-gooey in the middle. And I have to drink a big glass of milk with it. “ For as much as she loves it, DeSousa says she doesn’t keep it stocked, so it’s a rare treat.
MICHAEL NOtaBLE
Noble
Part daily routine, part nostalgia, and all sugar are the key ingredients in Noble’s guilty pleasure. “On the counter at Espy is a big jar of gummies, and when it comes to guilty pleasure, it’s a tossup between those and red licorice. My girlfriend, Megan (Szanik), owns Espy, and we have a basset hound named Bruno. I often drop him off at the store in the morning, and I’m often found with my hand in the candy jar. I love the texture – all squishy – and the flavour is artificial but very defined. I like anything fruity or the coke bottles. She goes through 12 kilos of gummies a month, so I’m not the only one with the habit. And then there’s red Twizzlers. That would have been a candy I bought as a kid when it was 25 cents, and carried my love into adulthood.”
ERICK
Schultz
BLACK PIG BISTRO
Schultz’s first answer to the question about guilty pleasure food was one-pot, roll-up-your-sleeves comfort fare like sloppy joes and chili, until his girlfriend got wind of the question and reminded him of his boundless affinity for a good foot-long. “I love sandwiches and subs. Anything you can wrap up and have it hand-held, and doesn’t require a plate. I love the spicy Italian sub at Subway on Italian herbs and cheese bread. I have it with meat and the works, and I treat it as my vegetable intake. I have them put so much stuff in, they can’t fold it, and it gets so fat. I have a Subway outside my apartment and one near the restaurant. It’s just deadly. It’s cheap and quick.” ✤
Karen Durrie is a Calgary freelance writer. Her cooking wounds are legendary, but wine numbs the pain.
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722 11 AVE SW, CALGARY | TUE-FRI 10-6, SAT 10-4 | 403-261-3064
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E AT I N G S U S TA I N A B L E S E A F O O D – W H Y A N D W H AT by Julie Van Rosendaal
Global consumption of seafood has doubled since the ‘70s, when the concept of sustainable seafood was pretty much uncharted waters. These waters can still be tricky to navigate. Beyond considering the broad range of seafood species available around the world and whether they’re wild or farmed, there are issues of location, fishing methods and industry practices. Whether you’re simply making a run to the grocery store or choosing from a restaurant menu, it can be difficult to keep track of what constitutes a sustainable choice. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that 85 percent of the world’s fisheries have been pushed to their maximum exploitation limit and beyond. The seafood industry has a direct effect on the health of our oceans and freshwater habitats – and our choices help steer the industry. Because commercial fisheries are fishing at unsustainable rates, programs like Ocean Wise and SeaChoice were launched with the goal of helping consumers, including chefs, identify what exactly constitutes sustainable seafood – fish or shellfish that’s caught or farmed in ways that factor in the long-term viability of harvested populations, the ocean’s health and ecological integrity.
Ocean Wise, the Vancouver Aquarium’s sustainable seafood program, collaborates with more than 650
Here are a few good (and not so good) picks when shopping or eating out; when in doubt, visit a reputable fishmonger and ask questions.
GOOD: CANADIAN PACIFIC SABLEFISH CANADIAN OYSTERS FARMED IN A SUSPENDED CULTURE SYSTEM TRAP-CAUGHT SPOT PRAWNS FROM THE CANADIAN PACIFIC WILD BC LINGCOD
partners across Canada, making recommendations based on four criteria – recommended species are abundant and resilient to fishing pressures, well-managed with a comprehensive plan based on current research, harvested using a method that ensures limited bycatch on non-target and endangered species, and harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats and negative interactions with other species.
KUTERRA SALMON FROM THE ALERT BAY ‘NAMGIS FIRST NATION
SeaChoice, operated by the David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Centre and Living Oceans Society,
CANADIAN FARMED WHITE PERCH
ranks seafood based primarily on biological and ecological factors. Like a traffic light, they use green, yellow and red to help Canadians navigate the seafood counter. Green means the species is currently fished/harvested sustainably, and yellow indicates there are some concerns – the seafood should be consumed less frequently or when a green choice is not available, due to conservation concerns with current populations or practices in this fishery. Red species are to be avoided until the industry improves its practices and allows populations to recover.
ALBACORE TUNA CAUGHT BY TROLL OR POLE WILD PACIFIC COD FROM BC FARMED CANADIAN ARCTIC CHAR CLAMS AND MUSSELS OF ALL KINDS
NOT SO GOOD: BOTTOM TRAWL ATLANTIC U.S. HALIBUT BLACK SEA BASS
We can look for the Ocean Wise and SeaChoice symbols at fish counters and on restaurant menus. Often, we look to chefs for direction. “Conservation and sustainability are part of our vision,” says Chef James Neilson, who spent five years as a sushi chef on Vancouver Island and is now the executive chef at the Calgary Zoo. “We have to walk the talk. We try to educate the public, as well.” Because the Calgary Zoo is dedicated to wildlife conservation, choosing the right seafood has always been a priority – in fact, it was the first in the catering industry to partner with Ocean Wise. The zoo works with City Fish and Albion to bring in everything from wild spring salmon to Ocean Wise prawns for its various restaurants and eateries around the park, and for the special events and weddings the chefs cook for throughout the year. As we chat, executive sous-chef Krish Nair pan-cooks filets of Kuterra salmon, which is sustainably land-raised – the term used to describe a land-based closed containment salmon farm – in Alert Bay, BC, by the ‘Namgis First Nation. Nair has marinated the salmon in basil and chives from the garden and cold-pressed canola oil. We all dig in with forks; the skin is crisp, the flesh juicy and flavourful. “The choices we make do make a difference – we do have a say,” chef Neilson says. “It’s the right thing to do.”
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BLUEFISH BLUENOSE NORTHERN PIKE POLLOCK ORANGE ROUGHY WHITE HAKE BLUE AND STRIPED MARLIN MONKFISH
Ceviche Although this recipe is inspired by the one chef Lisa Ahier uses at SoBo in Tofino, ceviche – a Latin American dish of raw fish cured (essentially cooked) in citrus juices – can be made with any variety of firm white fish filets. If you like, add chopped, pitted olives or finely shaved fennel for a different twist. Serve with tortilla chips for scooping. 3/4 lb. halibut fillet, finely diced 1/2 lb. spot prawns, finely diced 1/4 lb. scallops, finely diced (optional, or more halibut) 2 c. regular or key lime juice 2 ripe avocados, finely diced 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 1/2 c. chopped cilantro 2 spring onions or 1/3 c. chives, finely chopped 1-2 serrano chiles, finely minced 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil 2 t. sea salt corn tortilla chips, for serving
In a large glass bowl, combine the halibut, prawns, scallops and lime juice and let marinate for 1-2 hours. Drain and gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve drizzled with a little more olive oil, with tortilla chips for dipping. Serves 6.
Crispy Beer-battered Cod and Chips
# LO V E T H E B I R D
Proper fish and chips are surprisingly easy to make at home. Cod is the fish of choice in British shops, and if you want to streamline the batter, Billingsgate sells a mildly spiced mix at their market, as well as at Calgary Co-op stores. Look in the seafood section.
AUTHENTIC JAPANESE IZAKAYA SERVING AUTHENTIC JAPANESE YAKITORI & SMALL PLATES PAIRED WITH JAPANESE SAKE, WHISKY AND COCKTAILS
2 large russet potatoes, washed and cut into even sticks or wedges canola oil, for cooking
FULL KITCHEN OPEN TILL 1AM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY
salt, to taste 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided 1-1/2 lb. cod filets 1 bottle of beer, chilled
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the potatoes out on a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss with your fingers to coat them well, spreading them out into a single layer. Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden. Shower with salt while they’re still warm. Put 1/4 cup of the flour into a shallow dish and season with salt. Pat the cod filets dry with paper towels and cut on a slight diagonal into 1-inch wide strips.
Traditional Italian Grocer
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1-1/2 cups of flour, a pinch of salt and the beer – the mixture should have the consistency of pancake batter. In a shallow, heavy pot, heat 2-3 inches of oil until it’s hot but not smoking – a scrap of bread dropped in should sizzle. Dredge the fish pieces in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip a few pieces at a time in the batter and lower gently into the oil. Cook, turning as needed, for 3-4 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with the chips. Serves 4. ✤
recipe photos by Julie Van Rosendaal
Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com
Est. 1963
403.277.7898 I 265 20 Avenue NE www.italiansupermarket.com
Three generations of service and quality
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Still Life with Shocked Chicken Texas chef Michael Sohocki goes totally ‘old-school’ by Kate Zimmerman
There’s no sign of celebrated Texan chef Michael Sohocki when three visiting writers enter his farmhouse-style restaurant, Restaurant Gwendolyn, just off San Antonio’s River Walk. Instead, a staffer leads us to a rectangular table, upon which sprawls the entire back leg of a pig, large, raw and pink. Next to it is a heap of loquats, a Chinese fruit naturalized in Texas, and a metal basket full of grubby eggs. There’s something else, too – a towel, from which extends the ruddy comb of a chicken. A live chicken. “What’s the deal with the hen?” one of us nervously asks a server. Maybe decapitating poultry in a dining room is what they call a “Texas floor show.” He says the chicken is recovering from an “escapade.” Enter the chef, a philosophical iconoclast who resembles Leonardo DiCaprio. He quickly informs us that “every last perishable item” used at Restaurant Gwendolyn, including the pig whose leg is on display, comes from a farm or ranch within 150 miles, and that one third of the eggs before us emerged from the traumatized madam in the towel. He explains that a storm brought the chicken into contact with an electrified fence; calming her down is essential. As for any squeamishness we may feel at the sight of the pig haunch, so what? “The reason that horrible, scary thing is on the table is to knock it into your head what farm-to-table is,” he tells us. If we believe that pieces of meat “fall out of the sky… that’s irresponsible and obtuse.” Cradling the hen, he explains that people get freaked out about pig legs because the Second Industrial Revolution in the U.S. separated us as consumers from the provenance of our food. Before 1850, he says, we would have seen animals raised properly by our neighbours, and would have purchased meat straight from those farmers and ranchers. Then we figured out how to process, refrigerate, ship and distribute meat in huge quantities. The emphasis shifted from small batches of responsibly raised local animals to huge operations, where feeding creatures improperly to bulk them up for higher profits resulted in food that we don’t recognize any more. “My parents’ generation was taught very carefully to suck from the pipe of industry,” says the chef, who started his career deep-frying the sort of mass-produced meat he now reviles. He rethought his own approach after he had children, and named his restaurant after his maternal grandmother, who grew up on an Oklahoma pig farm in the Great Depression. “The intention of this restaurant is to produce honest food,” he says. For him, that means eschewing trends and modern gadgets, buying only whole animals, and allowing local ingredients to dictate the menu. So if a recipe or method comes from before 1850, with “squirrely” procedures or vague measurements, Sohocki’s intrigued; if it emerged after the rise of industry, he’s skeptical. His faux-Victorian kitchen uses no electrical tools; its butchering is done without machines, its cream is hand-whipped. Its pasta is rolled with a rolling pin and cut with a torchio per pasta. Its stoves are gas-fueled. There are no freezers for storage, although health regulations demand a refrigerator. As minor gestures to modern convenience, there is electric
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light, air conditioning and an ice machine for the ice cream the cooks hand-churn, using ice and salt. They also use either fats derived from seeds or render them in-house, from meat. The pans for the restaurant’s milk bread are greased, for instance, with bacon fat. “I ‘innovate’ by going back in time to people who had the same problems I have,” says Sohocki, meaning those who had to use the whole animal or crop for reasons of practicality, and therefore salted, fermented and preserved every bit. He cures his prosciutto for three months with kosher salt, and makes a pork cacciatore salami that’s innoculated with the bacterium T-SPX. “When you say no to the industrial complex and you’re at the mercy of the seasons, you have to know how to use what you have. The bacteria are my friends.” Accepting shortcomings is another necessity. Sohocki scoffs at claims that everywhere you go, the tastiest fruit and vegetables are the local ones. He says Texas citrus fruits are not the best. He doesn’t care. “That’s the product of my people – that’s the story I’m wanting to tell. You can have the most perfect product in the world any time you want, as long as you’re willing to give up meaning.” Sohocki, who once ran a cooking school in Osaka, Japan, also co-owns Kimura, a buzzy ramen, izakaya and breakfast shop next door to Gwendolyn. “I appreciate ramen because it’s a humble, working class food that Japanese people really eat.” At Restaurant Gwendolyn, after a platter of house-made charcuterie, Sohocki serves us a delectable dessert of loquats macerated in lemon balm, mint and simple syrup, spooned over funnel cake with vanilla ice cream, paired with housemade peach bubbly. But don’t expect to find these items on the menu when you visit. Gwendolyn’s cooperative of cooks, which Sohocki calls a “communist think-tank”– alarming one American in our group – reinvents its menu daily. When you make food according to which ingredients are ready, and fastidiously refuse to take even 20th-century shortcuts, the particulars are ever changing. “This land is my basket,” says the chef, gathering up his addled hen and bidding us adieu. restaurantgwendolyn.com ✤
Forget the Alamo! There’s plenty else going on in San Antonio, Texas... WHAT TO DO: Investigate S.A.’s food scene during May’s Culinaria Festival Week. culinariasa.org/san-antonio Dive into chic Mexican cocktails and cuisine at Mescaleria Mixtli. restaurantmixtli.com/#mixtli Take a Latin American cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America San Antonio. ciachef.edu Poke around the Pearl District, with its weekend farmers’ market, eateries and boutiques. atpearl.com/food Chow down at Cured on handmade cured foods like apple jalapeño pork rillettes. curedatpearl.com Watch San Antonio | The Saga, a spectacular historical film projected onto the façade of the 300-year-old San Fernando Cathedral. mainplaza.org/san-antoniothe-saga WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Valencia: A stylish spot on the lovely San Antonio River Walk. hotelvalencia-riverwalk.com
Vancouver writer Kate Zimmerman prefers her pork cooked, thank you very much.
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Canada (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Service) and has a menu that’s 100 percent Ocean Wise.
STIRRINGS AROUND CALGARY
We’d love to know what you think of our magazine! Please go to our web site citypalate.ca/survey to fill out a short survey. Thanks! restaurant ramblings ■ Oliver & Bonacini’s long-anticipated new restaurant in Calgary – The Guild – is officially open in the iconic Hudson’s Bay building on Stephen Ave., downtown, spanning two floors and featuring one of Calgary’s largest patios. The Guild will offer an ingredient-driven and meat-centric dining experience with Alberta-born chef Ryan O’Flynn at the helm. For more information, visit theguildrestaurant.com ■ One of our all-time favourite chefs, Duncan Ly, the man behind Hotel Arts’ Raw Bar’s Viet modern cuisine, is moving into 1011-1 St. SW, the space formerly home to Vicious Circle, in his new restaurant Foreign Concept, Alternative Asian Dining. Fresh, flavourful Pan-Asian cuisine with lots of surprises, look for Ly’s personal menu that will include dishes like caramelized kombucha squash in coconut Thai curry, char-grilled smoked lemongrass chicken as well as charcuterie infused with crisp Asian spices and tableside yum cha cart service. Look for a late fall opening. We can’t wait!
■ The Belvedere recently appointed John Michael MacNeil as the restaurant’s executive chef. In his efforts to expand creativity, chef MacNeil has also added his wife chef Alison MacNeil to his kitchen. With two creative and highly skilled chefs, you for sure will appreciate what they offer, blending exquisite technique with modern cooking methods and artistic plating on an ever-evolving menu. From Chef MacNeil’s daily risottos, fresh breads, tasting menu, pork features, something new is offered every day. ■ The Teatro Group is busy, busy, busy, always a good thing since it’s all good. Most recent busy is the opening of a new restaurant, Royale Brasserie Française at 730 - 17th Ave. SW with ex-Cassis Bistro’s exec chef Dominique Moussu. ■ CRAFT Beer Market celebrates five years in Calgary and is poised for local and national growth, including a Southcentre location in late fall. CRAFT is in Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver and has four more locations in three cities on the horizon. And being community and sustainability-oriented, CRAFT is the largest LEAF-certified restaurant in
■ Oh, man, more good beer brewed in Calgary with the opening of Trolley 5 Restaurant & Brewery. Owners, PJ L’Heureux and Ernie Tsu were born and raised in Calgary, and named their new place after the historic streetcar that ran through the Beltline carrying Calgarians to work and back home. Trolley 5 has taken over Melrose on 17th Ave. SW. ■ Ricardo’s Hideaway will whisk you off to Cuba and the Caribbean with delicious rum cocktails and shareable food, such as crispy crunchy plaintain chips and dip, crisp and light cheese empanadas and the best jerk chicken you’ll have anywhere, and lots more. Chef Justin Labossiere, who has great creds from NOtaBLE restaurant, is at the helm. This is a very fun place, with bathroom wallpaper that might be the best “selfie” backdrop you ever laid eyes on. Visit ricardoshideaway.ca. Better yet, visit Ricardo’s at 1530 - 5th St. SW, just north of 17th Ave. ■ Cuisine Concepts new restaurants now open: Dwayne and Alberta Ennest of Open Range and Big Fish delish have opened two new places, White Rose Vegetarian Kitchen and The Coal Shed Smoke House. White Rose is at 6512 Bowness Rd. NW, and offers chef Dwayne’s innovative vegetarian cuisine. Learn more at whiterosekitchen.ca. The Coal Shed Smoke House is right beside the White Rose, offering house-smoked, grilled and braised meats for takeaway… mmmmmmm, good…. learn more at whiterosekitchen.ca/coal-shed ■ Alloy Restaurant offers a three-course dinner for $45, Sunday to Thursday – the delicious and interesting food of chef and owner Rogelio Herrera. You will want to see what’s cooking in his kitchen! And, since summer may have finally arrived, you can sit on the pretty patio. Visit alloydining.com for all the tasty details. ■ Framboise Bakery/Café, a locally-owned bakery and coffee shop that produces and sells fine quality artisanal viennoiserie and pastry, is located at 1104 - 20th Ave. NW, corner of 10th St. Look for specialty croissants, pain au chocolat, German pretzels, fresh fruit danishes as well as cookies, squares, tarts and cakes, salted caramel squares and caramel bourbon popcorn! framboisebakery.ca ■ In reference to an article that appeared in the Herald some time ago about Zane Caplansky bringing the “deli” to Calgary, Grumans Delicatessen owner, Peter Fraiberg, reminds us that Grumans is a home-grown deli already here. Get all the knishes, matzoh ball soup and smokedmeat sandwiches you want at Grumans, serving “Jewish”- inspired food for more than four years with recipes handed down by his “Bubby” and his mom. Go visit for a nosh and see for yourself at 230 - 11th Ave. SE. grumans.ca ■ MINAS Brazilian Steakhouse has been serving Calgarians for just over a year with traditional Brazilian churrasco served rodizio style, a food celebration meant to be shared with friends and family in parties of all sizes. In addition to the regular dining, MINAS offers cocktail functions and party platters for dining in or takeout. Perfect for holiday and client parties. Upcoming events: Sep-
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tember 24, BrazilFest at Eau Claire Market; September 7, Brazil Independence Day celebrations. Visit minassteakhouse.com for all the tasty details. ■ The original Divino space in the historic Grain Exchange building is being reincarnated/reopened as Plowshare Artisan Diner by its originator/designer Witold Twardowski along with operating partner David Carruthers of Cilantro and the Ship & Anchor and chef Mike Scarcelli, who has worked the kitchens at Teatro and Cucina. Intending to fill the void of creative all-day breakfast and comfort food downtown, the diner will give a nod to earlier times with locally sourced ingredients and a neighbourhood feel. Look for a mid-September opening. ■ River Café offers fully prepared, readyto-roast turkey dinners to take home so you can spend more time with friends and family on Thanksgiving. Complete menu at rivercafé.com. Also the Early Bird menu, from 4:30 - 5:30 offers a two-course seasonal menu for $27. ■ The Deane House, newly transformed by the River Café group, is open, with a collection of beautifully curated rooms and delicious food from chef Jamie Harling. Visit deanehouse.com for menu, events and collaborations. River and Deane House are donating all food sales from dinner service, October 19, as part of Restaurants for Change benefitting Community Food Centres Canada and The Alex, Calgary’s Community Food Centre. ■ On September 29, the Making Treaty 7 Gala dinner and performance at Grey Eagle Resort and Casino on the Tsuu T’ina First Nation Lands, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. SW, will feature River Café’s chef Matthias Fong and Deane House chef Jamie Harling collaborating with the Resort team for a foraged and traditional dinner. Visit greyeagleresortandcasino.ca for details.
drinks docket ■ The largest and most exciting wine and food event in Alberta is back October 14 and 15 at Stampede Park BMO Centre! Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival offers a great opportunity to sample an extensive variety of wine, scotch, import beer and premium spirits along with gastronomic creations from local restaurants and hotels. Get your Early Bird tickets by September 9th and save! rockymountainwine.com ■ Oh, yes, we do like a good wine list. Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro has scooped three stars in the World of Fine Wine “World’s Best Wine Lists Awards” – the only Calgary restaurant to receive this prestigious award, and is among four other Canadian restaurants to be honoured. The judges assessed more than 4,500 lists from restaurants around the world – only 322 restaurants were recognized for the top tier three-star award. Good stuff, Divino. ■ Join The Cellar Wine Store for its 3rd annual Fall Equinox patio party, September 23, to say farewell to summer and welcome the fall on the rooftop patio with culinary treats and wines to suit every palate. Visit cellarwinestore.com for details or phone 403-503-0730. ■ Our backyard distillery scores again! Eau Claire Distillery just keeps winning awards for its spirits – recently two prestigious awards at the 2016 SIP Awards, a unique and internationally respected blind tasting
competition. From a record-breaking number of entries, both Parlour Gin and Prickly Pear EquineOx took platinum awards, while Parlour Gin took a double gold medal in the Best Gin category from The Fifty Best, an online guide to fine living, in another blind tasting contest deemed the largest tasting of gin in the world! ■ Look for Fleur du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay at your fave booze seller. Good wines from South Africa. And also at your fave booze seller, something that’s very tasty – Germany’s Schofferhofer hefeweizen grapefruit beer. Made with pink grapefruit juice, it’s really light and flavourful, with only 2.5% alc/vol. ■ 5 Vines Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits, 218-12 Ave. SE, offers a Growler Happy Hour every Wednesday, $2 off all growler fills from 4 p.m. to close. The Vine Club offers exclusive, unique and rare wines to members along with special events. Private wine and beer tasting events for team building, staff appreciation, networking and bachelorette parties. Visit 5vines.com for details. ■ Central City Brewers & Distillers in Surrey, B.C. has launched a 17th centurystyled traditional London dry gin, Queensborough Gin, a premium small-batch dry gin that’s already won a gold medal at the 2016 Spirits International Prestige Awards. The taste profile includes citrus notes from mountain juniper berries and spruce tips from Vancouver Island. A pleasant floral scent is followed by the taste of pine, rosemary, jasmine and cassia. Find it in Liquor Depot stores in Calgary. ■ There may be tickets left for the Naramata Bench Wineries Association Tailgate
Party that celebrates the harvest. Member wineries of the association team up with chefs from Naramata Bench restaurants to provide great wine and food for you to plan an Okanagan fall weekend around. Takes place at Red Rooster Winery for an evening of wine, food, music, dancing, celebrating and camaraderie. Tickets are $105 at naramatabench.com or call 1-800-656-0713. ■ In our wine backyard, the Okanagan, Road 13 Vineyard, Oliver, BC, has been ranked the #3 winery in Canada for the second year in a row from the National Wine Awards of Canada. And it’s the 7th year in a row that it’s been ranked in the Top 10 Wineries in Canada. What more reason do you need to drink Road 13 wines? We don’t need any at all. Good wine, drink some. ■ Tastings at Bricks Wine Co. in Inglewood: Wines of Washington State, September 15; Modern Manners take over, September 22; Wine travels through Germany and Austria, September 29; Say Cheese Fromagerie take over, French wine and cheese, October 6; Sugar and Spice, exploring the world of rum, October 20; Pucker up buttercup, sour beers, November 1. Visit brickswine.ca
Baking Cakes, September 17; Vietnamese, September 20; Cake Decorating, September 30-October 28; Fondant Basics, October 1; Desserts, October 4; Gluten Free Savoury, October 12; Sausage Making, October 15; Bar Mixology, October 17-November 3. Visit culinarycampus.ca for details and more courses. ■ Nutrition and Culinary Solutions: Fresh & flavourful snack & lunch ideas for busy families, September 10; Vegetarian Fall Flavours, learn basic vegetarian substitutions, cooking skills and how to cook plant-based proteins, September 26; Healthy Cooking, Basics and Techniques, October 4; Mediterranean Fall Flavours, November 17; Thai-inspired entertaining for the holidays, November 24. Details and registration at nutritionandculinarysolutions.ca
■ Ollia Macarons & Tea macarons baking classes: September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25. More information at 403-4579775 and byollia.com ■ Superstore President’s Choice Cooking School: through to December, you can register for adult cooking classes taught by Red Seal Chefs. Details and registration online at pccookingschool.ca ■ Poppy Innovations’ fall lineup of cooking classes includes a new class for kids as young as 4. Adults can join in the Gate to Plate and Canning & Preserving classes. Or grab your partner to join them at the Calgary Farmers’ Market for Date Night at The Shooting Edge. For more information and to register online, go to poppyinnovations.ca. continued on page 48
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cooking classes ■ SAIT’s downtown Culinary Campus: Date Night, September 9; Canning, September 10; West Coast, September 21; Portuguese, September 29; Turkey Dinner, October 4; Eastern Mediterranean, October 12; Centennial Date Night, October 14; Intermediate Cooking, October 17-November 7. SAIT’s main campus: Vegetarian, September 13; Introduction to Cooking, September 15-October 13;
CheeSe At SAy CheeSe, we love Canadian cheese like this incredible Tiger Blue from Poplar Grove Cheese in Penticton, BC Find SAy CheeSe in the Crossroads Farmers’ Market
Photo: Morgan Worth, @worth_y
Modern Contemporary Cuisine
107, 8th Ave SW, Calgary AB T2P 1B4 403-265-9595
thebelvedere@shaw.ca
www.thebelvedere.ca
@TheBelvedereyyc
TheBelvedereCalgary
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kids can cook
Pierre Lamielle
l et ’ s get ready to apple
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stockpot continued from page 47 ■ At The Cookbook Co. Cooks: Handmade Stuffed Pasta; Bread Making, a two-day workshop; Thai Classics; Artisanal Bread Making; Preserving – Pickles, Chutneys and Other Savoury Delights; Food & Wine from our Travels – Spain; A Taste of Haida Gwaii – Food Gathering and Feasting at the Edge of the World; Girls’ Night Out – Cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvres; Pie and Pastry Making Workshop; Vegan Mediterranean; Off the Menu of Anju; Cut Like a Pro – Essential Knife Skills. Visit cookbookcoooks. com for more classes. ■ At Cuisine et Château Culinary Centre: Hands-on classes include – Hors d’Oeuvres Entertainment, September 2; Table for Two, September 9, 24, October 15, 28; GlutenFree Baking, September 10, October 23; Classic French Bistro, September 10, October 26; Cheese Making Level 1, September 18, October 16; Spanish Tapas, September 21, October 6; Intro to Bread, September 24; Perfect Pies & Tarts, October 1; From New Delhi With Love, October 1; Everything Chocolate, October 2; Knife Skills, October 5. Hands-off classes – Wine & Food Series, Pinot Noir, September 18; Say Fromage! Cheese & Wine Pairing, September 17, October 29. Details at cuisineandchateau.com
general stirrings ■ Woot! Woot! It’s no wonder SAIT has made such a significant impression on this city… October is its 100th birthday! To celebrate, it’s hosting a Centennial Harvest Dinner on September 16 that’s already sold out at $150 a ticket. That just underlines what a super school SAIT is. People want to be part of the celebration! ■ When wandering around the streets of downtown YYC, look out for Made Foods’ new food truck. You can find this talented team serving up delicious, healthy, fresh meals all summer long. Check out Twitter (made_foods) for exact location details and real-time updates. Made has also opened up a new location in Creekside, pleased to be a part of another great Calgary community.
CUT DOWN ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE APPLE CORE SO YOU MISS THE SEEDS IN THE CORE. THEN CUT THE OTHER SIDE.
CUT THE TWO SMALLER SIDES ALONG THE APPLE CORE.
THROW AWAY THE APPLE CORE AND CUT THE REST OF THE APPLE INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES.
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 ˚ F
PUT THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN A BOWL 3/4 CUP BROWN SUGAR 1/2 CUP BUTTER 1/2 CUP FLOUR 1/2 CUP OF ROLLED OATS A BIG PINCH OF CINNAMON
USE CLEAN HANDS TO RUB AND CRUMBLE EVERYTHING UNTIL YOU END UP WITH AN EVEN CRUMBLY TEXTURE BUT WITHOUT ANY DRY BITS OF FLOUR
TOP THE APPLES WITH THE CRUMBLY CRUMBLE PIECES
BAKE FOR 35 MINUTES UNTIL GOLDEN AND BEAUTIFUL. LET IT REST OUT OF THE OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE ENJOYING A SCOOP OF CRUMBLE
CUT UP 5 APPLES IN TOTAL AND PLACE THE BITE-SIZED PIECES INTO A BAKING DISH.
■ At Heritage Park: Harvest Sale, the best deals on fruits and vegetables, September 10/11 presented by the Calgary Produce Marketing Association; Railways Days, September 24/25; Thanksgiving Weekend, October 8-10, savour a delicious meal at the Wainwright Hotel; October 15-23, Fall Vintage & Antiques Sale; October 27-30, Ghouls’ Night Out, some evening fun for your little ghouls. Tickets at heritagepark.ca ■ Soup Sisters is going from a simmer to a boil! Join them at the chopping table for the 5th annual The Big Stir fundraiser, November 8, at the Calgary Farmers’ Market. Twenty-five of Calgary’s finest chefs will lead their teams in the art of soup-making and, the next day, Soup Sisters delivers 1,200 servings of soup to every women’s shelter in Calgary. For more information, visit soupsisters.org or email info@soupsisters.org. Celebrate the holiday season with your corporate team at The Big Stir while you stir up community Hugs In A Bowl for women, children and youth in crisis. ■ Rancho Vignola’s Annual Harvest Sales of Nuts, Dried Fruit and Fine Confection: Camrose, November 11-12 at the Camrose Regional Exhibition; Airdrie, November 1819 at the Town & Country Centre, Airdrie. Details at ranchovignola.com
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the map when a pin is tapped. The market pins show green if the market is currently open or will be open later in the day. Go to sunnygirl.ca to access the links.
■ On November 2, join Calgary’s top chefs at the TELUS Convention Centre as they compete in Gold Medal Plates, the ultimate celebration of Canadian Excellence in food, wine, music and athletic achievement. To date Gold Medal Plates has raised over $11 million for our Olympic athletes. For more information goldmedalplates.com. The competing chefs will be: Kenny Kaechele, WORKSHOP Kitchen + Culture; Jinhee Lee, Foreign Concept; Sean MacDonald, MARKET Restaurant; Darren Maclean, Shokunin; John Michael MacNeil, The Belvedere; Michel Nop, Redwater Grille; Roy Oh, Anju; Daniel Pizarro, Avec Bistro; Jarod Traxel, Cannibale; James Waters, Klein/Harris Restaurant. ■ Roy Oh, Anju Restaurant, will be the guest chef for Italian Centre Shop’s monthly Chef Showcase on Tuesday, September 27. Chef Roy will be preparing a multi-course dinner using only ingredients found at the shop. Expect a unique and flavourful dining experience. Space is limited. Tickets go on sale September 6. Details at italiancentre.ca
■ New Oxley Garlic, Naturally! is harvested, cured and ready to go. Claresholm grown with the best of soil, sun and soul. Find it at SPUD.ca, urban delivery, The Italian Centre Shop and The Bownesian Grocery Store. newoxleygarlic.com ■ The Meez Mini Market offers a wide array of local and fresh harvest options, from potatoes to tomatoes at Calgary Farmers’ Market pricing. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and the team can prepare your dinner for you. Visit the web site for a full list of Thanksgiving menu options. Speak to Chef Judy about private classes or to cater your corporate or private events. Meez Cuisine and Catering has been Calgary’s go-to caterer for more than 25 years. Call for your holiday events at 403-640-Food (3663). ■ What if every Canadian gave $1 to charity in a single day? That would be $36 million to charities across Canada. Giving Tuesd’eh (November 29) is a national initiative between businesses and non-profits as part
of a global Giving Tuesday movement. Get involved – register at generousnation.ca and share information with your friends, family and colleagues on how your business can join the movement. This year, let’s make Canada the world’s most Generous Nation.
Sweet Heat with chipotle havarti, Swiss Sizzler with Smoked Cayenne & Green Peppercorn gouda, The Smoke Bomb with smoked five brothers and chimney sticks and No Horse’n around with bündnerfleisch and horseradish cheddar. Chase it down with one of the Old Fashioned sodas. Enjoy a new experience with the rotating menu.
■ Don’t miss the Calgary Home + Design Show, where big ideas, trusted advice and fresh inspiration unite with more than 350 brands and local companies, September 22-25 at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park. Look for a cooking stage featuring some of our best chefs, butchers and bakers. Details and tickets online at calgaryhds.com
■ We’re awfully sorry to see Red Tree Kitchen close after 20 years in business in Calgary. Owned and operated by Aaron Creurer, long-time and much-loved Calgary culinary innovator, he and his Red Tree team will be sorely missed not only in their Marda Loop neighbourhood, but by their many loyal devotees throughout the city. We wish them all the best in future endeavours and thanks for all the good stuff!
■ Cuisine et Château’s 2017 culinary tours to the Périgord region of France still have space. Attend one of the free tour information sessions, September 11 or 25. Package price includes airport trarnsfers, accommodations, meals, daily cooking classes, wine tours, tastings and bicycle rental. Visit cuisineandchateau.com or call 403-764-2665.
■ It makes us very sad that one of Calgary’s delicious casual restaurants, Boxwood, in Central Memorial Park, has closed its doors. Such good food it served in a relaxing, rustic, beautiful setting, and the same great food to take out. Thank you Boxwood for your fun space and delicious food. We will miss you for sure.
■ Get your gooey gourmet grilled cheese sandwich at Springbank Cheese Co., Willow Park Village. The curd crew has launched some humdinger combos like The Glenfarclas with Glenfarclas whisky mustard,
■ Don’t miss the Never Give Up Gala, September 10 at the Hyatt Regency, 700 Centre St. SW, 6 p.m. with cocktails, dinner, dancing with the Dino Martinis, silent and live auctions and a raffle. The gala helps raise awareness and resources for children’s mental health. More information at woodshomes.ca/gala2016 ■ Don’t miss the Hospice Calgary’s Sage Soirée fundraising dinner in support of Calgary’s children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Dinner, silent auction and raffle, November 3, 6 p.m. at the Calgary Golf and Country Club. Details at hospicecalgary.com or contact Carrie at 403-263-4525 to purchase tickets. Your support will help bring back smiles.
At Fresh Kitchen, we do more than prepare great food – we celebrate it. We can customize your menu to your specific requests. From small private affairs, to inhome holiday parties, to large corporate events – we pride ourselves in the ability to continually surpass your expectations. 403.690.7231 | freshkitchen.ca
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■ Food and Wine Culinary Escapes with The Cookbook Co. Cooks to Cortona in Tuscany, Italy, this October 17-24 and October 23-30, 2017 and Spring 2017 to Olonzac, France, May 14-21, hosted by Gail Norton, Cookbook Co. Cooks, chef Judy Wood, Meez Cuisine, and Karen Ralph, Metrovino. Cycling Food and Wine Tour in France, May 22-29. Visit cookbookcooks.com for all the tasty details.
Celebrate with Us...
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■ Calgary Eats! spreads the word about all the fruit grown in our communities and backyards. Do you have backyard fruit to share? Do you want fruit? Can you help neighbours harvest their fruit? Check out calgaryharvest.wordpress.com to find out what you can do to get your hands on some local fruit this fall or share your fruit by adding your fruit tree to the inventory list. Don’t let all that delicious local fruit go to waste. ■ Don’t worry about the crowds at Amaranth Markets (NW and Beltline) and Amaranth Health (130th Ave. SE) on the 1st Wednesday of every month for Customer Appreciation Day. The organic crowd is generous when it comes to elbow room. Get 20 percent off the regular prices on all your supplements and natural body care even if you have to (kindly) wait for a parking spot. ■ Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has updated the farmers’ market mobile app. This version shows the market hours and upcoming days over the next seven days on both the market detail screen as well as on
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Here’s a Fresh Idea...
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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well matched
chicken garlic
oregano
dijon mustard
bread crumbs butter thyme
cinnamon
Laurie Colwin’s Baked Mustard Chicken I’ve been taken in by the New York Times cooking website where I learned about Laurie Colwin, a novelist and home cook whose food essays were collected in two books. Serve this with a salad of tossed cherry tomatoes, green beans, onions or cucumbers made rich with herbs of your choice. A buttery, salty cob of corn is a perfect addition to the plate, or the raw kernels can be shaved into the salad. Prepare this in the morning when temperatures are cool and enjoy at room-temperature. 3/4 c. Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, minced 1 t. dried thyme or oregano 1/4 t. ground cinnamon pinch of salt 1/2 t. black pepper 2 c. fine, dry, unseasoned bread crumbs 1 3 to 4 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces 3 T. butter, cut into small pieces (don’t skimp, I use a dollop per piece of chicken)
Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, thyme or oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Place the bread crumbs in another large bowl. Working in batches, coat the chicken pieces on all sides with the mustard mixture. Shake off excess mustard, then coat completely with bread crumbs. Arrange in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan. Scatter butter pieces on top of chicken. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and crispy, about 2 hours. (Depending on the oven, the size of the pan and the size of the chicken, baking time varies between 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours.) Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4.
pair this dish with: Wine: The mustard is the only real challenge in this dish so my first option is a dry rosé from Italy’s Abruzzo region. The 2014 Il Feuduccio rosé ($23) is a versatile wine with abundant red berry fruit backed by vibrant acidity, a full-bodied rosé that can be served year-round. It is produced from the indigenous cerasuolo grape.
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
recipes by Flora Gillespie, a passionate cook, wine pairings by Geoff Last, Bin 905
MADE-IN-HEAVEN FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS
penne tomatoes capers basil pine nuts almonds
pecorino
garlic
mint
Penne with Capers Visits to our farmers’ markets is the best part of the season. Returning home laden with the most fragrant herbs and garlic and heavy, ripe tomatoes, perfect for a raw pasta sauce. My favourite is adapted from Il Filippino restaurant in Lipari, Italy.
EAT-IN or TAKE-OUT OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER DAILY (MON–SAT) 355 10TH AVE SW, CALGARY
403.460.0026 ext. 227 1 lb. durum wheat penne pasta 1 lb. ripe tomatoes 6 T. capers (salted are my favourite) 3 T. peeled almonds 3 T. pine nuts 2 garlic cloves
Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Chop all the ingredients, except pecorino, in a food processor. Drain the penne, reserving a cup of the water, and put it into a large sauté pan. Add the raw sauce and mix together. Add a bit of the pasta water, if needed, to help the sauce coat the pasta. Serve hot sprinkled with pecorino. Serves 4.
Fish & chips, fish tacos, breaded clams, salmon burgers,
fried scallop sandwiches, chowders, salads, beer and more!
5 mint leaves 1 bunch fresh basil leaves 8 T. extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste 2 T. grated pecorino cheese
pair this dish with: Wine: My pick for this dish is the Hauner 2014 Salina Bianco, Sicily, Italy ($28), produced in those magical Aeolian islands where the recipe came from. It’s a blend of two indigenous grapes – inzolia and catarrato – from the island of Salina, a dormant volcano. Assuming the volcano doesn’t wake up, it’s about as close to paradise on earth as you can find. The wine offers notes of minerals, citrus rind and tropical fruit backed by bright acidity.
LU NCH DINNE R BRU NCH
STARBELLY.CA CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
51
INDULGE YOUR CULINARY CURIOSITY!
Join us for a cooking class this fall... Sit back and relax at a demo class, or get your hands dirty with a hands-on class! Either way,
Chris Halpin
TOMATOES
What would the world be like without the tomato? I can’t imagine it. That fresh burst of juicy bright flavour, so wonderful. Unfortunately a fresh tomato that tastes like a tomato can be a hard thing to find in Calgary for a large part of the year, but there are ways to finesse this situation. First, only store your tomatoes at room temperature so they will continue to ripen. I try to plan on having my tomatoes for at least two days before eating them. I also always sprinkle equal amounts of salt and sugar on my sliced tomatoes. The sugar is a surprising flavour boost.
course meal, wine
I tend to think of the Roma tomato as the quintessential cooking tomato – it’s the fleshiest of the tomatoes – and the other varieties mostly as a fresh fruit to enjoy in sandwiches and salads or sprinkled with salt and sugar. These are six of my favourite tomato recipes.
pairings, and
classic bruschetta
you’ll enjoy a four
inspired food.
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Call the store to register, or stop by and shop our exciting new fall items arriving every day!
are always the best!
HOST YOUR NEXT PARTY IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART KITCHEN. You gather the people – we’ll create an interactive cooking class just for you. TEAM BUILDING STAFF PARTIES SPECIAL OCCASIONS
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CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
The essence of a good bruschetta is the freshness of the ingredients. This is when a good olive oil really shines. Finely dice 6 Roma tomatoes, place them in a colander to drain while you’re finishing the recipe. In a bowl, put 1/4 c. of your best quality olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 6 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, 1/2 t. sugar and 1 t. salt. Add the drained tomatoes and the juice of 1 lemon, and mix well. Serve with sliced baguette or crostini. Make 3 cups.
old school cream of tomato soup
Kitchen parties
52
6 quick ways with...
There is something so satisfying about a warm bowl of tomato soup. Luckily, it’s easier to make than you might think. The use of baking soda in this recipe is pivotal to impart a velvety taste to the canned tomatoes, since it neutralizes the acidity. A light hand is required, if you use too much it will taste like soap. In a blender, put a 28-oz. can of tomatoes, 1 t. onion powder, 1/2 t. celery seed, 1/2 t. sugar and 1 t. white pepper, and blend until smooth. Pour this into a medium pot, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. With a non-metal spoon, stir in 1/2 t. baking soda and continue to stir until it has stopped foaming. Stir in 1 c. whipping cream and bring back to the boil. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. Serve 4.
tomato tartin with gremolata This is a great hors d’oeuvre. The ingredients are so simple, but the end result is impressively complex. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice 4 Roma tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds and blot dry. Place a sheet of rolled puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and, with a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a third larger. With a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 24 rounds, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and with a fork, poke each round. Dab each round with Dijon mustard and place a slice of tomato on top. Brush each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
and sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is crispy and golden. While these are baking, make the gremolata. Finely chop together 1 t. lemon zest, 1 garlic clove, grated, and a small handful of parsley. Allow the tartins to cool a little before serving. Just before serving sprinkle each with a little gremolata. Makes 2 dozen.
prosciutto-wrapped salmon with a tomato pernod concassé This is a wonderfully simple sauce. The trick to a concassé is to only warm it because it’s all about the freshness of the tomatoes. In a blender, put 6 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 1 t. Sriracha hot sauce, 1/2 c. pernod, and blend until smooth. Place this in a pan, add salt to taste and set aside for later. Salt and pepper 4 salmon fillets, wrap each with a slice of prosciutto and dredge in cornstarch (about 1 c. should do it). Place a sauté pan over high heat and add 1/4 c. canola oil and 1 T. butter. Once the butter has stopped foaming, add the salmon and fry on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside. While you are frying the fish, warm the concassé, then remove from heat. To serve, pool some of the sauce in the centre of four plates and arrange the fish in the centre of each. Serves 4.
pasta with tomato, caper, olives and feta I love pasta and I think often people make pasta too complicated – but simple bright flavours are so much more then the sum of its parts. I tend to use spaghetti or fettuccini for the pasta. While the pasta is boiling, place a dry pan over high heat and allow this to get very hot before adding 2 c. grape tomatoes. Shake the pan a little to give the tomatoes a bit of movement, allow the tomatoes to scorch on one or two sides. Remove from the heat and, with a large spoon, squash the tomatoes. Stir in 1/4 c. olive oil and 2 garlic cloves, crushed, then place over medium-low heat. Stir in 1 t. crushed fennel seeds, 1/2 t. chile flakes and 1/2 t. dried basil. Allow this to simmer for a minute or so, then add 2 T. capers and 1/2 chopped kalamata olives. Stir and add salt to taste. Drain the pasta and combine it with the sauce. Divide the pasta into bowls and crumble feta over each. Serves 2 to 4.
recipe photos by Chris Halpin
chermoula pork tenderloin Chermoula is a North African marinade/condiment, with mellow savoury tones. I love it with pork, lamb, fish, with a burger and blue cheese and over steamed rice. In a small pot, put 10 sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 c. water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a food processor, put 1/4 c. olive oil, 1 shallot, coarsely chopped, 2 T. paprika, 1 t. smoked paprika, 1 t. ground coriander, 1 T. cumin, 1 t. salt and the cooled tomatoes with liquid. Blend until smooth. Preheat the oven to 400°F., smear the chermoula over a medium pork tenderloin and place in a roasting pan. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and a blushing pink on the inside. Serves 4. Chris Halpin has been teaching Calgarians to make fast, fun urban food since 1997 and is the owner of Manna Catering Service. mannaonline.com
CITYPALATE.ca SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016
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MEEZ CATERING : CATERING@MEEZCUISINE.COM 403.640.FOOD (3663)
CATERING TEAM BUILDING THANKSGIVING MENU HOME DELIVERY Chef Judy Wood
Chef-prepared heat-and-serve meals at our Willow Park Village store
RETAIL 403.264.6336 CATERING 403.640.FOOD (3663)
meezcuisine.com
back burner SHEWCHUK ON SIMMER
Allan Shewchuk
GRAB THAT TRAY!
As a frequent restaurant diner, my interest was piqued when I read about a new culinary destination built inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The concept of the place is bold. It serves only iconic dishes from other famous restaurants around the world, so there are no original creations from the resident chef and there is no one cuisine or “theme” to the space. Rather, you can cobble together a meal of recipes copied from culinary destinations of the past and present, such as Chez Panisse in California or Noma in Copenhagen, without having to travel thousands of miles. The idea is that, being inside an art gallery, each dish is like part of an “art installation.” Even the menu, bound with a museum ticket, is meant to look like an exhibition of art on temporary loan. As I pondered the metaphor of food in a gallery as art, I started to sneer and huffed, “Well, isn’t that precious...” because it all sounded so contrived. But, after thinking about how we have historically dealt with making food available in public buildings, I decided this concept was brilliant. I came around when I realized that after the turn of the 19th century into the 20th, once we started to construct huge office towers, department stores and galleries, the designers of these buildings inevitably made a dining space for the people both working there and visiting – the dreaded cafeteria. They were everywhere, and even if you had no business being in the food business, like Eaton’s or an oil company, you still set up a cafeteria. They were all hideously similar, with wobbly chairs, in a huge bleak space. There was a place to line up and get a giant orange tray made of polypropylene or melamine (I’d be surprised if they didn’t contain asbestos, too). After picking up your tray, you slid it onto a stainless steel track and trudged along past bowls of wilted salad in Thousand Island dressing. Then came the steam table with previously frozen peas and carrots drowning in water, followed by rehydrated mashed potatoes to be paired with Salisbury steak or breaded veal cutlets in gravy. At the end of it all were goblets of instant pudding and jiggling bowls of Jell-O. This wasn’t food as art – unless they have a gallery in Hell. Someone once told me that all of these cafeterias were built the same because people took comfort from the familiarity of it all. I fail to see, however, how anyone can take comfort from eating in a space that ranks below a hospital room in terms of designed dreariness. Or how you can feel a warm emotion from getting a cup of coffee from a giant steel urn whose contents are so dishwater-y that when you put cream in it, the dairy doesn’t even change the coffee’s colour. The only emotion I feel in an old-fashioned cafeteria is fear, because I imagine myself as a prisoner in The Shawshank Redemption, about to get a shiv in the back as I tuck into my cutlet. Perhaps the gloomiest cafeteria I have ever known was in the basement of Calgary’s old Courthouse building. Trust the government to be able to outdo the private sector in terms of creating a bleak space in a place no one wants to be in the first place (see my reference to hospital rooms, above). That cafeteria was a big square box painted dark brown, with nary a decoration to brighten it even one iota. The best part was that, taped to the wall, smack in the middle of the room, were two signs – on the left, one that said “Smoking,” with an arrow pointing one way, and on the right, another that said “Non-Smoking,” with an arrow pointing the other. There was no division at all between the two halves of the room. From a design perspective, this makes as much sense as building one big swimming pool and having designated sections for “Peeing” and “Non-Peeing.” Luckily, with the advent of independent coffee shops every 10 feet on city streets, buildings are no longer designed with cafeteria spaces. But hipster chefs love to go retro, so watch out soon for cafeterias to come back and be artsy with fuchsia melamine trays, bison Salisbury steak and house-made cilantro Jell-O. Oh, and establishing a cafeteria with a mandatory 16 percent gratuity? That’s an art that even San Franciscans probably haven’t thought of yet. Allan Shewchuk is a lawyer, food writer and sought-after Italian food and wine guru. He currently has kitchens in both Calgary and Florence, Italy, but will drink wine pretty much anywhere.
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PIZZA
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PASTA
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E BASTA!
ENAMELLED CAST IRON
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