June 2012
Savour Life Over the Hill Orchards Opens Fruit Processing Plant
Saskatchewan Brings Home Two Medals at National Chefs Challenge
Mark’s Beer Picks for Summer: Part 2
Weekday Pasta & Weekend Grilling to Inspire
JUNE ISSUE
Who We Are Publisher, Editor CJ Katz
3 Our Columnists 4 Editorial
Editorial Rob Dobson Mark Heise Theo Phillips Steve and Tracy Hurlburt
6 FEATURE Over the Hill Orchards Opens Fruit Processing Plant
Photography CJ Katz Tamara Klein iStockPhoto
8 SAVOURY BITES • Saskatchewan Brings Home Two Medals at National Chefs Challenge • Kneaded Gluten Free Bakery • La Bamba is a Treasure • One of a Kind Chef Menus Inspire • City Allocates Food Truck Space on City Square • And more…..
How to Reach Us Advertising cj.katz@sasktel.net
Mail 3706 Selinger Cr. Regina, SK S4V 2H1 (306) 761-2032 Savour Life Magazine is owned by CJ Katz. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
19 RECIPES Weekday Pasta and Weekend Grilling to Inspire
Savour Life Magazine is available monthly.
23 WINE He Said, She Said Wine Review, The Back Label: A New Day is Dawning on the Canadian Wine Industry
Subscribe! 27 BEER
Get the best of Saskatchewan food and drink every month direct to your in-box! Subscriptions are free. Drop me an e-mail at cj.katz@sasktel.net and I’ll sign you up!
From Grain to Glass: Summer Beer: Part 2
Pictured front cover: The dessert from the June 13, 2012 Farmer’s Market Menu served at the Hotel Saskatchewan: Soufflé Cheesecake with Dried Sour Cherries with Strawberry Coulis and Eggplant Chip (Photo: CJ Katz)
Savour Life Magazine currently reaches more than 10,400 subscribers. We operate with a dedicated team of writers who work to bring you the best editorial every single month. 2
Rob Dobson – The Back Label With bill C-311 on the horizon, Rob sees a new day for the wine industry in Saskatchewan. You can drop Rob a line anytime at savourlifewine@hotmail.com.
Mark Heise – From Grain to Glass Mark shares more summer beer picks to quench your thirst. You can reach Mark at mark.heise@alesclub.com.
Theo Phillips – Saskatoon Correspondent Theo paid a visit to La Bamba as well as to some other spot around Saskatchewan. If you have a favorite spot you want noted, drop Theo a line at theophillips@sasktel.net.
Steve and Tracy Hurlburt - He Said, She Said Wine Review Our dynamic tasting duo is at it again! Agree? Disagree? Drop them an e-mail at: yumyum@myaccess.ca.
3
Food Trucks
No Business Can Viably Operate on a Lottery System The City of Regina should be applauded for changing policy to allow food trucks to operate within city limits. These trucks, some of which are selling some pretty innovative cooking, have really added to the culinary vibrancy of the city. And people are excited. They’re going out and trying the food and usually going back for more.
will mean driving the streets at 8 a.m. to find a spot and hope that they can operate in that space for a full day. On the surface, a lottery seems like a good idea. It appears very fair. But in being fair, the city has in fact been overly unfair. No business can be built on an eight-month business plan. It’s like telling a taxi driver that his license is only valid for eight months, after which he will have to wait to see if his number is drawn again. No one is going to invest in any business under these conditions.
What they get two thumbs down for, however, is the means by which they allocated the six spots on the city square plaza. I hope that Saskatoon, who we understand is looking at also changing their policies, is closely watching and learning what not to do.
There are some vendors who spearheaded the initiative with the city. One such company is Bon Burger. The partners quit their jobs to run the truck. They invested huge resources to source nearly 100% locally produced ingredients to provide a high quality product. At great expense, they found a company in Ontario to retrofit a former FedEx truck with a full stainless steel kitchen.
On June 14 at 3:30 p.m. a lottery was held at Regina City Hall to allocate six spots on the City Square Plaza. These spots will be valid from June 15 until Valentine’s Day 2013, a full eight months. Twelve food truck businesses applied to get access to the spots. Those who were not selected were left to find a vacant parking meter on any given day to operate. For most that 4
About a year ago, they approached the city to operate a gourmet burger truck. They spent countless hours, using Calgary as their model, to demonstrate to the city the value that food trucks bring the downtown. Yet, they and any other possible ‘pioneers’ were left to the mercy of a silly lottery system that sadly did not select their number. They did the work but didn’t reap any reward. The Little Red Hen would not be pleased!
viable in eight months. No investor will either. We understand that the lottery system was conceived for two reasons: because the food truck policy is a pilot project, and because the city wants variety on the city square plaza. We hope that next season the city considers a multi-year license and designating specific parking meters so every operator can properly plan head. Without some stability, the only ones that will exist could conceivably be serving greasy, cheap fare that will be eyesores on city streets. And if that is the result, the city’s pilot project will have failed.
Food truck operators are serious business people. They don’t operate as a hobby. It seems to me that all the spots whether on the plaza or at a parking meter, should have been allocated as multi-year permits with a fee attached.
Until next month,
Businesses must be able to cash flow their expenditures over three to five years in order to have the ability to reinvest in their business. No businessperson is going to invest in a business that might not be
5
Over the Hill Orchards Opens Fruit Processing Plant square foot building has been built to Canadian Food Inspection Agency standards as well as to Regina-Qu’Appelle health region standards, Organic International standards and eventually kosher and fair trade standards.
LUMSDEN - Over the Hill Orchards never ceases to amaze me. What they are doing at their ever-expanding orchard nestled high atop the Lumsden Valley will have you in awe. If you have the opportunity to visit Dean and Sylvia Kreutzer’s fruit orchard, do it. They have tours every Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. They end each tour with coffee and cherry pie in their new café.
A few weeks ago they started operating and producing their gluten free pies as well as their spreads, cherry juices, toppings and their ever-popular chocolate enrobed cherry chocolates. “Our goal is to make our products more efficiently,” says Dean. “It will enable us to be cost effective and increase our capacity to put product in larger stores.” Kreutzer says with his current facility he could process a hundred thousand pounds of cherries a year.
Dean is continually working on breeding Saskatchewan hardy fruit that will withstand our cryogenic winters. Currently he is growing sour and sweet cherries, apricots, apples, prune plums, table grapes, almonds, pears, strawberries, raspberries, saskatoons, peaches, nectarines, and blueberries. In addition, eleven growers around the province supply him with additional fruit.
In keeping with Kreutzer’s organic philosophy, the building was designed to be energy efficient and create as small a carbon footprint as possible. The building is heated and cooled geo-thermally. A
Along with a new café they have just completed construction on a new fruit processing plant. The 3,000 6
coolant inside pipes that have been inserted 150 feet into the ground bring up the earth’s natural heat. The coolant is then compressed to generate heat to warm the building. To cool the building, the process is reversed. Kreutzer figures it will cost roughly $1,600 per year maintain a building temperature of 19°C throughout the year. The studs used to construct the facility are from a local Regina company, Sprossil Industries. They are a ‘smart stud,’ which is a 2” x 4” with a strip of insulation sandwiched between a 2” x 2” to create a 2” x 6” stud. It’s a stud that now keeps in rather than lets out heat. With regard to electrical usage, Kreutzer is trying to keep his carbon footprint very small. “Eventually we would like to install windmills and solar panels to reduce our carbon even more.”
Dean Kreutzer experiments with a new gluten-free pie crust. (photo courtesy of Over the Hill Orchards)
With a larger facility the company can make as many as three different products at a time. In their previous location, space was at a premium and specific days were allocated to producing just one product. As well, they installed a chocolate making area. “We also built a special temperature controlled chocolate room which is kept at 18°C with low humidity.”
sweet cherry trees to overwinter without damage. Over the Hill is offering tours of their orchard every weekend. There is only one tour each day at 1 pm. It’s about one hour long and ends with coffee and pie in their new café and shop. The shop is also open from 10 am to 5 pm where you can purchase any of their products, and when available, any of their fruit trees. Windows within the café give you a view into the chocolate making as well as the processing area.
Now that the processing facility has been built, Kreutzer is constructing a root cellar into the side of one of the hills on the property. The sides and the floor will be completely encased by the earth and it will be topped with an insulated roof. He expects the temperature to be around +1°C throughout the winter, just ‘warm’ enough for his 8000 strawberry plants and hundreds of peach, nectarine, plum and
You can contact Over the Hill at www.overthehillorchards.ca.
7
Savoury Bites Saskatchewan Brings Home Two Medals at National Chefs Challenge
Silver medalist Lorenzo Brazzini (rt) with Anthony McCarthy.
Photos courtesy Anthony McCarthy DARTMOUTH, N.S. – For the very first time, Saskatchewan found itself on the podium at the Canadian Culinary Federation’s (CCFCC) National Chef’s Challenge. Not one, but two Saskatchewan chefs medaled: Stacey Cornish won bronze in the junior category while Lorenzo Brazzini took silver in the senior competition. Both work at the Saskatoon Club. Each competitor was required to use four ingredients: Albacore tuna, white shrimp, pork tenderloin and pork belly in their three-course menu for 15 people. They could also incorporate bonus ingredients of Saputo Cantonier cheese and Knorr Professional Liquid Concentrated bases of chicken, beef or vegetable.
Bronze medalist Stacey Cornish (rt) with Anthony McCarthy.
Lorenzo beat out six other competitors to take silver with a tuna carpaccio appetizer with a citrus spuma, Stracciatella cheese, and chilled white shrimp bisque with lemongrass and ginger. His main course was a Paddock Wood Stout braised pork belly glazed with molasses, and a wild mushroom-stuffed pork tenderloin wrapped 8
Lorenzo’s Dessert
Lorenzo’s Appetizer Lorenzo’s Main Dish
Stacey’s Main Dish Dessert was a pineapple upside down cake with pineapple “ravioli” with homemade ricotta, caramelized hazelnuts, dried cherries, white chocolate bavarois, pineapple gelée, mint syrup, and candied pancetta.
in home cured prosciutto along with a saffron risotto, and truffle sauce. Dessert was a tomato jam cake with a basil semifreddo, black pepper tuille, balsamic/vanilla bean reduction, chocolate cigar, candied celery and a strawberry gelée.
“They were both amazing, composed and very professional,” said Anthony McCarthy, president of the Saskatoon chapter of the CCFCC and Executive Chef at the Saskatoon Club. “I couldn't have wished for better representation for Saskatchewan. We are certainly making people stand up and notice us as more than meat and potatoes.”
Stacey beat out eight other competitors to take bronze with a cioppino-style clam, mussel and tomato stew with seared scallop, black pepper and parsley flatbread. Her main dish was a caramelized shallot herb and pork-filled pork tenderloin, butternut squash purée, rosemary and cinnamon-smoked Granny Smith apple and potato confit cylinder with potato foam. 9
Opening Soon
Coronas or our Sasktoon correspondent’s favourite, Pacifico. La Bamba is not a gourmet, plated experience but rather a loud crowd, slightly tacky decor (which she loves) and simple Mexican food. Salut!
Kneaded Gluten Free Bakery
Great Stop for Coffee, Lunch PRINCE ALBERT – Shananigan’s (2144-6th Avenue West) continues to be a wonderful stop for coffee and desserts but also for homemade soup, sandwich or quiche. There is nothing like it in Prince Albert and is always one of our Saskatoon correspondent’s favourite places to stop when I pass through. Chef Jen Kindzerski has a variety of old fashioned favourites (ie. puffed wheat) while mixing in decadent cheesecakes, tarts and bars. Shananigans offers full lunch and evening menus while also being available for catering. Everything is made from scratch including the savoury jalapeno spread in their fresh wraps to the tray of sticky cinnamon buns greeting you at the front counter.
REGINA – Regina’s, and possibly, Saskatchewan’s first gluten-free bakery is opening toward the end of June. They will be located at 3725 Pasqua St (beside Courtside Dental). In addition to baking, there will be an espresso bar. The owner, Sarah Clemens, is currently testing her gluten-free recipes with the new ovens, which were recently installed in the space. “Gluten free baking is temperamental, so once I feel the product meets my standard, then I will be opening.” She is also looking for daytime help.
Other Great Spots Theo Recommends
La Bamba is a Treasure SASKATOON – La Bamba restaurant (31025 Boychuk Drive) is authentic Mexican cuisine. The small restaurant is an unassuming treasure located in a strip mall but as you enter, the red/orange/green coloured interior and Spanish speaking servers screams warm Mexicana beaches and culture. The menu is a variety of enchiladas, tacos, nachos, quesadillas and other favourites. The corn tortillas, rice and bean sides and hot sauce on the table transports you to your favourite Mexican escape. We highly recommend the fish tacos, with corn tortillas of course. Compliment your meal with a salt-tipped cerveza such as Sol, Modelo, Dos Equis,
Theo Phillips, our Saskatoon correspondent has been travelling the province. Here are some great spots she has discovered along the way. •
•
10
SASKATOON/MOOSE JAW – Drop into Oliv Tasting Room for a taste of their extensive selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Theo recommends that Black Walnut balsamic. “It’s ahmazing!” she says. YORKTON – YDB Scoops is open on Broadway in Yorkton. Theo says it’s a great place to sit outside and enjoy a
•
homemade smoothie, ice cream or a coffee. SASKATOON - You may want to wait a bit before trying Summer Palace (3A 3602 Taylor St. E), a relatively new Chinese restaurant. They are still working out the kinks. Theo stopped in twice and on both visits service was very, very slow. The wonton soup and spring rolls, however, were great.
Beer Judging Course Interested in becoming a Certified Beer Judge? The ALES club will be running an indepth training course next fall at The Bushwakker in Regina. Learn about the finer details of beer styles, beer production, common faults, and the judging process. It's like an advanced university course about beer, with plenty of hands on analysis! Full details are available at www.alesclub.com.
Farmer’s Market News
Pictured: Meredith and Colin Schmidt
SASKATOON - Floating Gardens has moved inside this year. Their booth is always a burst of colour. In addition to heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs, they are also selling edible flowers.
memories of an old fashioned caramel sauce. What was distinctive of both spirits was their smoothness and the absence of any nasty alcohol burn. I truly enjoyed both. The couple will be at the Regina Farmer’s Market selling their spirits. Their whiskey and vodka are also available at seven different off-sale locations in Regina. As well, their vodka is the house vodka at Bocados restaurant (Regina) and Saboroso steakhouse (Saskatoon) and can be requested at the Tap, Brewsters, Memories, and The Diplomat Steakhouse. It’s available as well as Fitzgerald’s Pub, Kergano’s, and Chillers Pub in Moose Jaw. Both sell for $35 (750 mL), $20 (375 mL) and $15 (250 mL).
REGINA – A new vendor at the Regina Farmer’s Market is Last Mountain Distillery. They had their first day at the market on Wednesday June 13th. They are selling their vodka and whiskey produced at their facility in Lumsden, SK. This is an excellent product. I profess, I’m not a vodka or whiskey expert but a tasting of both showed some interesting and complex aromas. The vodka has a lovely spiciness on the nose while the whiskey has caramel and vanilla overtones. It brought to mind 11
Chef’s One-of-a-Kind Menus Inspire
evening three-course Farmer’s Market menu ($35/person) is a chance for him to cook on a smaller more intimate scale with locally produced product. Every Wednesday around 10 am Milton and several of his sous chefs can be seen visiting grower booths and selecting product for that evening’s meal. He also uses the visit as an opportunity to work with his chefs to help them appreciate the excellence of local ingredients and to create an exciting menu.
REGINA – More and more, chefs are creating one of a kind, ‘off the cuff’ menus in the hopes of wowing diners. It’s challenging. Often, there is no opportunity to test the menu. Within just a few hours of assembling the ingredients a creative, multi-faceted, multi-course menu is ready for serving. It’s exciting and a little daring. For Adam Sperling, Executive Chef and owner of La Bodega, his Monday evening 9-course tasting menu ($35/person) from 5 pm to 10 pm, which he has been running since March, is an opportunity for diners to taste outside the box. “I do it because I want people to try something different.” Recently, one of his 9-course menus featured terrine of fois gras, truffle-stuffed chicken, as well as quail and frog’s legs. This past Monday he was serving a global menu including dishes with flavours from Italy, Greece, Chile, France, Japan, Spain and New Zealand with such items as Canadian smoked salmon with guacamole, Bodega’s pistachio cognac paté, and Spanish-style seafood, chicken and chorizo paella.
“Every week I take two of my staff with me to the market.” Together they select ingredients and then head back to the kitchen to prep. There, under Chef Rebello’s supervision, they create a menu that showcases what they have purchased and the producers who grew the ingredients. “Coming up with a menu is easy. Once you see the ingredients, they talk to you.” He started the concept at the end of May and sells out each week. He is now receiving advanced bookings just for the Farmer’s Market Menu. Recently, a three-course menu featured a purse of peppered goat cheese from Salayview Farms together with tomatoes and greens from Pusch Brothers and Kangro Gardens. The main course was merlot-braised boar short ribs from Golden Prairie with Pure T Organics lentil ragout, asparagus from Schropp Farm and glazed carrots from D&D farms. The meal with capped off with a rhubarb ice cream cake with rhubarb from Ron and Darlene’s farm.
The concept has been a hit with diners. On Monday June 11 he sold 60 covers, up from 40 the previous Monday, although he says he might have sold more but they sold out. Next week, look for a Mexican themed menu that will include coastal, northern, central, and southern Mexican dishes like lobser ceviche, beef tamales, a chicken tortilla with tomatillo salsa, a mole of some sort, and more. For Milton Rebello, Executive Chef at the Hotel Saskatchewan his Wednesday 12
La Bodega’s Chef’s 9-Course Menu
(clockwise from top left) Canadian smoked salmon with guacamole; Chilean empanada with chimichurri sauce; Frenched mini lamb loin chop, red wine demi; Greek Souvlaki skewer; Fois gras terrine garnished with gold dust, and blood sausage (actually, this dish was not part of the menu but presented as an extra by the chef); and Italianstyle buffalo mozzarella, tomato purée and basil pesto
Chef Adam Sperling creates a weekly Chef’s 9-Course Tasting menu. Above is a selection of dishes from the menu he served on June 11, 2012.
13
Hotel Saskatchewan’s Farmer’s Market Menu
(clockwise from top left) Eggplant Nicoise, polish pork sausage wrapped in elephant ear kale, garnished with arugula sprouts and a lemon/honey drizzle; Milton purchases baby eggplant from Kangro Gardens; Milton checks out some curly leaf kale; Dried sour cherry soufflé cheesecake with fresh strawberry coulis and eggplant chip; Rhubarb cider braised beef short ribs with a corn and potato hash, steamed asparagus, maple glazed carrots , sea buckthorn chutney with Last Mountain vodka.
Chef Milton Rebello visits the Regina Farmer’s Market weekly and creates a menu in just a few hours from ingredients he and his sous chefs have purchased. Above are the dishes based on his visit on June 13, 2012. 14
Wine Evenings Showcase Great Food and Wine
ingredients with too many layers of flavour allowing each ingredient to shine through in its own right. One of the highlights of the evening was seared diver scallops (pictured left) with a fresh fennel salad and a blood orange vinaigrette. The scallop was beautifully cooked and the Joel Gott Sauvignon blanc, with its lovely acidity and lemony notes was an excellent complement the shellfish.
REGINA – Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar and The Willow on Wascana, ushered in the warm weather with back-to-back wine evenings. For Crave, it was also an opportunity to introduce their new Executive Chef Jonathan Thauberger with a 6-course ‘California Dreaming/Endless Summer’ meal with dishes paired with select wines from Joel Gott, Menage à Trois and Terro d’Oro wineries.
Another fabulous dish that wooed diners was a Wild Boar Agnolotti (pictured below) with a roasted shallot glaze. Thauberger paired it with ‘The Show’ Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine with its bold flavours of dried fruit and toasty notes was a beautiful counterpoint to the smoky, moist and unctuous meat.
Chef Thauberger gave diners a sense of his cooking philosophy. His focus is on excellent execution. He doesn’t muddy 15
The boys at the Willow on Wascana and their wine club brought in winemaker Gilles Nicault of Long Shadows winery in Washington. Over the course of two days they hosted lunches, dinners and special tastings of Long Shadows wines.
Above, wine maker Gilles Nicault and the wine writers from Savour Life (left to right) Steve Hurlburt, Gilles Nicault, CJ Katz, Tracy Hurlburt, and Rob Dobson
The final dinner was a 6-course meal which was attended by about 40 wine club members and wine enthusiasts began with a stunning dark chocolate and thyme braised bison tongue on an olive oil and black pepper toasted crostini drizzled with a white chocolate ganache. Chef Tim Davies and wine expert Dave Burke selected the Pirouette 2007 Bordeaux to accompany the fabulous appetizer. Its tannins were an excellent choice to cut through the moist and tender, melt-inyour-mouth experience.
One of the best pairings of the evening was a chocolate red wine jalapeno short rib, which was paired with ‘The Feather’ 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Willow chefs are masters at braising any kind of meat and these ribs didn’t disappoint. The vanilla flavours from the aging in French oak and the cassis notes in the wine melded very well with the vanilla-thyme whipped potatoes and the deep bold flavours of the ribs.
Another delicious course was a poached pear salad with microgreens and a classic pairing of crumbled blue cheese and sugared walnuts. The pinch of allspice in the pear poaching liquid complemented the spices in the minerally and fresh tasting Poet’s Leap 2010 Riesling (pictured right). 16
City Allocates Food Truck Space on City Square
Fireworks Summer Tour Kicks Off
REGINA - The winners of the food truck space on the Regina city square plaza were announced on June 14, 2012. Starting June 15, six food trucks are permitted to operate on the city square. They are:
REGINA - A brilliant burst of colour in song and dance introduces the Saskatchewan Express 2012 Fireworks Summer Tour at this season’s premiere performance and annual dinner and silent auction fundraiser. Join Saskatchewan Express for an exciting evening of entertainment, fine dining and silent auction. Tickets are $75/person. Order by calling 522-3407. This event is your opportunity to support some of the best and brightest youth in our province. The curtain rises on Thursday, June 21 at Delta Hotel and Convention Centre at 5:30 p.m. Entertainment begins at 6:00 p.m. with a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m.
(1) Prairie Dawg Catering - Hot Diggity Dog (smoked sausages, wraps & salads) (2) Pappy's Old Fashioned Popcorn (3) Eat Healthy Foods (organic curries and stews) (4) Prairie Smoke and Spice (BBQ, chicken, pork, beef and sides) (5) Do-Wa BBQ (Koren fusion BBQ) (6) Tornado Potato Concession Services (corn dogs, ribbon fries, and tornado potatoes).
Pinkalicious REGINA – Get out and show your support for breast cancer. Five Regina chefs from June 25 to June 29 will be serving a pinkthemed menu item with $1 from each dish going to Regina’s run total in the Run for the Cure event happening on September 30. Participating restaurants in Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar, Deli Llama, Cathedral Village Freehouse, Flip Eatery, and Beer Bros. During the week, some of the Rider offensive line will be visiting each restaurant to vote on their dish. The winner will be named at a later date. (Pictured is the dish being served at Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar.)
Three alternates were also selected. They may occupy any of the six spaces when a truck is away. They are (a) Rock a Grill (burgers, wraps and soups), (b) Bon Burger (gourmet burgers), and (c) Stone Cold Creamery (premium ice cream).
Pictured is left to right: Tara Morrison from Prairie Dawg Catering/Hot Diggity Dog; Rick Morell from Eat Healthy Foods, Rob Reinhardt from Prairie Smoke and Spice, and Lloyd Frank from Tornado Potato Concession Services. 17
Culinary Olympics Fundraiser
Bits and Bites •
SASKATOON – It costs big bucks to compete at the Culinary Olympics. It’s not just the travel to get there. The team trains and trains and trains honing their dishes to get them just right. The Culinary Olympics is the pinnacle of the International chef competitions. •
Saskatoon’s Julian Helman will be competing this year on the Manitoba team (Saskatchewan does not have a team). To raise funds, Julian, the Manitoba team along with a number of Saskatoon chefs, will be preparing a 10-course meal. The cost is $150/person (with wine), $100 (without wine) and will showcase some innovative French cuisine along with local and organic ingredients. Tickets are available at Truffles Bistro (230-21st St East, 373-7779).
•
•
Here’s the menu. It looks amazing! Baby artichokes, artichoke mayo with buttered panko. Sashimi of Marinated Steel head trout, mint, and spring leaves Chilled French gazpacho with "parmesan" Sorbet Rainbow carrots, crushed green peas, smoked salt, horse raddish cream. Cornmeal dumplings, Chicken consume au printaniere, creme fraiche and roasted corn puree. Chicken Confit, slow poached egg, zatar spices, foie grass and crispy skin. Honey and citrus fruit entremet. Aerated goats cheese, Over the Hill Sour cherry, Stilton, Pistachio. Assorted Mignardises
18
PERDUE - Living Sky Winery took home gold for their Juliett (cherry port-style) at the Northwest Wine Summit in Hood River, Oregon. This was their first international competition. They also took home three silver medals for their Puddle Jumper (rhubarb cider), Cassis (black currant dessert) and their Rhubarb table wine. Petrofka Bridge Orchards is making a fabulous Apple Cider vinegar. It’s available at the Little Market Store in the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market in 250 mL bottle for $10. REGINA – Beer Bros Bakery and Cuisine is selling gluten free hamburger buns, pizzas and gluten-free beer battered fish and chips. REGINA – The macaroons at Le Macaroon (2705 Quance St) are extremely popular. In May they sold 6,543! And that was just for walk-in business, not catering. Wow!
Weekday Pasta & Weekend Grilling to Inspire
On the Menu Penne with Ham, Mushrooms and Peas Pasta Primavera Beef Burger with Market Salad Grilled Lamb Chops with Chinese Five Spice
19
Penne with Ham, Mushrooms and Peas (Pictured previous page) Chef Michael Allemeier visited me on the set of the Wheatland Café and made a super simple pasta with diced ham, sliced mushrooms and fresh garden peas along with an easy cream sauce finished with a touch of fresh lemon juice and smoked Cheddar. It was gobbled up in no time! stirring for 3 minutes or until water is starting to release from mushrooms. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes longer or until water is evaporated and mushrooms brown lightly. Pour in cream and bring to a simmer, stirring often (don’t boil it). Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly reduced. Stir in peas and heat through (if using fresh peas, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender).
Serves 6 1 lb (500 g) penne pasta 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 1 cup (250 mL) finely diced white onion or cooking onion 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried chili flakes 1 cup (250 mL) diced ham (1/4-inch/0.5 cm) 3 cups (750 mL) thinly sliced button mushrooms (8 oz/250 g) 2 cups (500 mL) 35% whipping cream 2 cups (500 mL) peas (fresh or frozen) 1½ cups (375 mL) shredded smoked Canadian Cheddar cheese 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley Salt and black pepper
Add drained pasta and cheese to pot and stir to mix well. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Cooking Tips: The smoked Canadian Cheddar can be substituted with smoked Canadian Gouda or aged Canadian Provolone.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook penne according to package directions until tender, but firm. Drain and set aside.
Make-at-Home Caps Chef Allemeier shared a cool tip with cream. Slowly heat the cream in a pot and froth with an electric hand blender. Use the frothy cream to top off your coffee and sprinkle with cinnamon for extra flavour. Try it with hot chocolate, smoothies, and other recipes calling for milk to create a smoother texture. Neat idea!
Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add ham and cook, stirring well, for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook, 20
Pasta Primavera
Grilled Lamb Chops with Chinese Five-Spice
This recipe was developed – off the cuff – from ingredients at the Regina Farmer’s Market. Use it as a guideline. Feel free to change the pasta, the vegetables or the herbs. Serves 2 to 4
Instead of a dry rub, these chops are smeared with an exotic wet paste made with Chinese five-spice. It works beautifully with flavour of prairie lamb. Serves 4
½ lb (250 g) garlic-flavoured linguini* 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 ½” lengths 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil 2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved ¼ cup (60 mL) white wine 1 cup (250 mL) (or more) 35% cream ½ cup (125 mL) Herbes de Provence goat cheese 1 handful chopped fresh basil salt to taste fresh broccoli sprouts, for garnish
Lamb Chops 12 lamb chops 3 tbsp (45 mL) Chinese five-spice powder 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tbsp (15 mL) soy sauce 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard 1 tsp (5 mL) rice wine vinegar 2-3 tbsp (30-45 mL) peanut or canola oil Sauce ¼ cup (60 mL) Major Grey or mango chutney ¼ cup (60 mL) Asian-style sweet chili garlic sauce (not Siracha) 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
* if you can’t find garlic-flavoured pasta, substitute plain and add 1 cloves of crushed garlic when you sauté the asparagus.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguini according to package directions.
Trim the chops of any fat. Lay them on a board or large platter. In a medium bowl, combine the Chinese five-spice powder, brown sugar, cayenne, garlic, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and rice wine vinegar. Add 2 tbsp (15 mL) oil and stir to make a paste. Add another spoonful of oil, if necessary. Paste should be the thickness of mustard.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat sauté the asparagus in the oil for about 5 minutes, or until barely tender. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté another minute. Add the white wine, the cream and the goat cheese. Stir until the goat cheese melts. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add the chopped fresh basil and salt to taste.
Smear the lamb chops on all sides with the paste. Set aside while you preheat the barbeque or grill pan to medium. Cook until desired doneness. Set aside and cover for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss well. Transfer to individual serving bowls. Garnish with the fresh broccoli sprouts. 21
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the chutney, chili garlic sauce and the mustard. Makes ½ cup (125 mL)
1 jalapeno, seeded (if desired), finely chopped 1 handful fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped 3 tbsp (45 mL) Camelina oil 1 tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar 1 heaping tsp (5 mL) grainy mustard pinch salt, to taste
Burger with Market Salad Here’s another recipe reaped from the bounty of your local farmer’s market. Serves 4
Preheat BBQ. Meanwhile, form 4 patties from the ground beef. Grill to desired doneness. Toast buns. To assemble, place one patty on the bottom half of each hamburger bun. Top with salsa and sprouts and cover with the top of the bun. Serve with the salad.
Burgers 1 lb (454 g) ground beef 4 hamburger buns 1 cup (250 mL) (approx) salsa 1 ½ cups (750 mL) (approx) fresh sprouts or microgreens
To make the salad, in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper strips, jalapeno and mint leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and salt. Toss with the salad.
Salad 2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved 4 mini cucumbers, sliced 1 red or yellow pepper, cut into strips 22
The Back Label
A New Day is Dawning on the Canadian Wine Industry By Rob Dobson, CWE
to buy. The Auditor recommended that "SLGA document a more proactive, customer-focused strategy for buying liquor that is more transparent". Seven specific recommendations were made in the Auditor's report, the key one being that the SLGA make its product selection processes public and provide consumers with a breakdown of their prices, including cost, taxes and markup.
Significant changes are about to happen to the way wine is sold in Canada. And it's about time. The ignominious demise of the Cava Secreta wine store in Saskatoon showed us that a private wine store can thrive in Saskatchewan but that the current rules make it very difficult to do so. Having to operate within the bureaucratic morass of a government monopoly is never conducive to successful free enterprise. That has been proven repeatedly throughout Saskatchewan's history. It's time for our government to let go of its nationalization of wine and beer sales.
To this end, the Auditor recommends that the SLGA be accountable for how it ensures that their product selections meets customer needs by documenting standard procedures for how products are chosen and that the SLGA's listing committee keep minutes to support its decisions. The auditor also noted that because mark-up and taxes are greater if a product's cost is higher, there is no incentive for the SLGA to negotiate lower costs from suppliers.
Saskatchewan's Provincial Auditor recently shone some light on the processes that the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Agency uses for selecting and pricing the products that it decides we will be allowed 23
The Cava Secreta saga and the Provincial Auditor's report both highlight the need for our liquor laws to be modernized to provide consumers with better product selection and pricing. If the Government fails to respond to the call for these changes, there's a good chance that it will receive a wake-up call when Bill C-311 becomes law. This Bill received the unanimous approval of Parliament on June 6th and should receive Senate approval soon. Once it becomes law, it will be possible to order a case of wine from a winery in British Columbia or Ontario and have it shipped to your doorstep. The intent of the Bill is to allow Canadians to purchase wines for personal consumption without having to go through the provincial Liquor Boards. This is great for consumers, but wine purchased this way will not be subject to the markup and taxes that Government's claim are vital to fund social programs. While the new law is primarily intended to support our domestic wineries, to my knowledge there is nothing that prevents me from placing an order with a wine store in Calgary and having the wine delivered to my home in Saskatchewan. So unless our SLGA begins to make its marketing and pricing more competitive, many Saskatchewan wine consumers will begin buying much of their wine in Alberta where the selection is better and the prices are generally lower.
monopoly and it will be interesting to see how our government and the SLGA respond. There is a good chance that they will respond with the age-old argument that, without their protection, widely available wine at lower prices will cause our society to rapidly degenerate into masses of grubby winos swilling Demon Alcohol from paper bags in back alleys. I'm sorry but that hackneyed logic lost its traction about fifty years ago. Likewise with the claim that high prices paid to a government monopoly are necessary to generate the revenues necessary to pay for health care and education. Look at other jurisdictions that allow private wine and beer sales. Government revenues have actually increased and the predicted rampant alcoholism has not materialized. Not to mention the improved customer satisfaction that comes with a better selection and competitive prices. I sincerely hope that our government and our regulators see this as an opportunity update some antiquated rules and policies and apply the enlightened approach that has made Saskatchewan prosperous in may other areas rather than burying their heads in the sand. We'll see...
Kudos to the Provincial Auditor and the Canadian Government for trying to drag our liquor laws out of the Dark Ages. These changes are a wake-up call for our liquor 24
He Said, She Said Wine Review By Steve and Tracy Hurlburt
Too much tannin or too much alcohol makes a rosé into an instant marinade or sangria at best and a wine unlikely to be re-visited by the consumer any time soon, if at all.
A Rose by Any Other Name Ask people about their preferred style or type of wine and most will indicate either a white or red wine. Few if any will mention their favourite wine is a rosé or a blush.
With this in mind we chose two reasonably priced, widely available rosé wines from the SLGA for this month's column.
Offer those same folks a glass of aforementioned pink-tinged grape squeezings on a warm spring or summer day and few if any will refuse you. Why is that? I suppose that you could say that it is a 'colour' compromise but Tracy and I believe that there is much more to it than that. We believe that rosé wines are almost always a refreshing change for both consumers and winemakers in that they challenge the convention of consumption in a fun sort of way.
Mmmm
Fresh (and by that we mean two years old or less) blush wines help to capture the essence of the vineyards, the varietal flavours and the winemaker's philosophy because there is less room for manipulation and tinkering without the winery running the risk of ruining the wine. 25
Yum Yum Scale Amazing stuff, legendary, cannot be missed!
Yum Yum!
Really good. Go buy some before we get it all.
Yum!
Good. Let’s have another glass.
OK but…
It’s alright but don’t we have a Yum wine in the fridge?
Blah!
Blah, humbug, underwhelming
Yuck!
Assault and battery of your taste buds and olfactory senses.
Melipal Malbec Rosé 2011 Mendoza, Argentina 13.2% $12.49 per 750 ml bottle at SLGA
We hope these two wines spark an adventurous impulse in your wine wanderings and onto the tasty path less travelled. Beyerskloof Pinotage Dry Rosé 2011, Stellenbosch, South Africa 12% $14.99 per 750 ml bottle at SLGA
He said: “Pigeon blood red in colour. A candy sweet nose at first with a touch of spice, grapefruit and strawberries coming out after a swirl or two. The bright (green?) fruit flavours are generous and this wine is well balanced given its low price point. An equally good choice for a hot deck day or a plate of appetizers.”
She said: “Salmon pink in colour. Fresh aromas of strawberry mixed with melons. On the palate my first impression was ‘bracing indeed’; very lean and very tart but also very fresh and fruity in a dry way. It will make an interesting paring with summer BBQ fare as the higher acidity will contrast and cut through many of the strong sauces and flavours that come from the grill. A little too much acid to be a classic deck/sipping wine but a great aperitif choice.”
Rating: Yum! She said: “Pale cherry red in colour. On the nose there are a whole bunch of aromas that a regular Malbec probably wouldn’t have: butterscotch, lychee nut, grapefruit, melon and fresh cut grass and herbs. A fairly complex bouquet but one that is usually found on a white wine. On the palate the white theme continues with flavours that remind me of a Sauvignon Blanc style wine, in particular a mid-palate grassiness. In a double blind tasting I would probably pick this as a Sauvignon Blanc. I like the flavours, bouquet and the colour is pretty too! Appealing, accessible and enjoyable to drink on its own or with food.”
Rating: Yum! (try it with food) He said: “Very light orange/red colour. An intriguing nose that shows berry and melon notes. Tangy with a dry, dry finish. Citrus rind and just a touch of berry fruit on the palate. This wine reminds me of a Spanish or Rhone white, all dry, leathery, and complex with a lean middle and a short dry finish. A very refreshing food wine that could change your mind about what to serve at your next BBQ.”
Rating: Yum! Rating: Yum! 26
From Grain to Glass
Summer Beer Part 2 By Mark Heise
We left off the May From Grain to Glass column with some recommendations on wheat beers that make for great summer drinking. We covered German hefeweizen, Belgian witbier, and American wheat ale. All are light and refreshing, yet still full of flavour. But there is more to summer than just wheat! Here are a few more suggestions.
beer, I often felt bloated with heartburn thanks to all that icy carbonation ending up in my gut. It was not exactly what I would call refreshing. As I began drinking better beer, I eventually found my way to Guinness in the summer of 2004. Despite all the myths, it is actually light bodied, lightly carbonated and only 4.2% abv. To top things off‌ it finishes bitter and dry. I found it to be refreshing and incredibly easy to drink, almost too easy, yet my stomach and my head would feel great after a long session spent on a sunny patio with friends. It was a revelation in my beer drinking journey. Give it a try sometime with an open mind and I think you will agree.
This may sound odd, but a dry, bitter finish contributes to the refreshing qualities of beer. Most industrial beer finishes sweet, as well as metallic, but that is another issue. Industrial beer is considered thirst quenching because it is extremely thin (thanks to all that cheap sugar), highly carbonated and typically served ice cold, creating a stinging sensation as it goes down your throat and hits your stomach. When I was a regular drinker of industrial 27
Keeping things in the British Isles, another refreshing style is English Bitter. In many London pubs, they serve pints of full flavoured bitter as low as 3% abv, certainly meant for consuming over long sessions. And no, you don’t drink bitter at room temp as the myth implies; you want it lightly chilled like any good ale, about 8-10C. It is unfortunate that the word “bitter” is not typically associated with something that tastes good, but I can assure you that a great pint of bitter is indeed tasty and refreshing. If you still aren’t convinced, some of the lightest bitters are referred to as “summer ales,” very fitting indeed.
despite the light body. It is a most pleasing ale, yet basic enough to not get in the way of summer’s recreation and socializing activities. It was recently available at a birthday party I attended, and it was very popular indeed.
I have recently rediscovered an old standby at the SLGA that could be considered an English summer ale; Boddingtons Pub Ale. Like Guinness, it comes in a can, is 4.2%, and has a bit of nitrogen to give it a creamy texture
If you haven’t cottoned onto the theme, I will spell it out again. Bitter is refreshing! 28
Just about every brewing region in Europe has their own bitter and refreshing style of classic ale or lager. The Germans and Bohemians of course drink Pilsner. No, they aren’t importing cases of “Pil” and counting the bunnies, these guys created the style, and still make it the right way, using 100% barley malt (no cheap sugar), with a firm hop bitterness and spicy hop flavour. Try a side by side comparison of Molson Pilsner with Warsteiner Premium Varum (a german pilsner), or Molson Bohemian with Pilsner Urquell (the original Bohemian pilsner that started it all). You will immediately notice that the Molson pilsners have almost nothing in common with the quality European pils other than the light colour. However, as I have mentioned before, beer tastes best closest to the source, and this is especially true with lighter beers. One need look no further than to Saskatoon’s Paddock Wood Brewery for their excellent Czech Mate pilsner, coming in at a refreshing 4.8%, but still packed with flavour. I wish it was more widely available on tap in the local pubs, as it is an outstanding example of a quality pilsner, yet also a perfect “patio beer.” I also have to give props to another Saskatoon brewery for their pilsner. That would be Great Western Pilsner. A few years ago, their brewmaster shared with me the lab specs of many industrial lagers, and their Pilsner is almost twice as bitter as the rest and uses a lower percentage of cheap sugar. I recently did some side by side tastings, and the GW Pil was indeed far superior to other industrial lagers, though still not on par with the quality European or craft brewed pilsners. So while I personally don’t go rushing to the store to buy cases and cases of GW Pil, I certainly don’t turn one down if that is the
best option available. It certainly isn’t a bad idea to have some on hand when a less than adventurous guest shows up for your BBQ. I was recently at a local establishment that was serving pints of the imported industrial lager Stella for almost $10 a pint, yet they also had GW Pil for less than $7. It was mind boggling. Beers like Stella, Heineken, Red Stripe and Corona are marketed as premium/exotic imported beers, yet they are essentially of the same quality as any other mass produced lager. And they charge more for it! Guess they have to cover the cost of all those marketing ads, and to ship it all around the world. Sorry, but I can’t taste “phony exotic marketing,” or “additional fuel charges,” so why should I pay more for it? I’ll stick with the fresh, local, and independent product that tastes better. Hope this has given you some ideas and options as you plan your summer gettogethers. I always like having a variety of beers on hand and encourage sharing; people are much more willing to try a half serving of good beer instead of committing to an entire serving of something they may not enjoy. Beer should never be the focus of a social event, but it can stir up casual conversation and get others appreciating better beer in a relaxed and fun environment. Have a safe and beery summer!
29