Etcetera

Flora Fromage

Chef Janice Buckingham started experimenting with nuts as an alternative to dairy in 2018, and was blown away by the flavour and texture she could achieve with cashews. We’re blown away by her Garlic & Herb Macadamia cheese and her Truffle Black Pepper cheese, both handmade from organic and fair-trade nuts, used in dishes just as you would goat or cream cheese. 130 g $10-$16, florafromage.com for Alberta stockists and residential deliveries.

Too Good To Go App

Since launching in Calgary two months ago, Too Good To Go has already helped more than 100 stores save more than 7,000 meals, and now they’ve launched in Edmonton too. Estimates are that 40-58 percent of food we produce becomes waste, so markets, restaurants, and grocery stores post when they have leftover products, which are then put in significantly discounted, $5 to $10 ‘surprise bags’. When you purchase a bag, you’re given a time for pickup – it’s a “win-win-win” for businesses, consumers, and the planet! toogoodtogo.ca.

naturSource Nuts

Garry and Trudi Oberfield founded naturSource in Quebec in 1980, and take high quality, natural ingredients and turn them into delicious and healthy snacks. We can’t stop popping their Tamari Almonds –crunchy, salty, and full of umami; and Olio d’Oliva - premium almonds with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, both addictive! We also love that they’re all dry-roasted and not fried. At Sobeys, Safeway, Costco, and Save On Foods, with excellent recipes for cookies, cakes, and salads, at natursource.com. $12-15

Yonedas Chocolate BBQ Rub

Two of our Edmonton faves, You Need A BBQ and Jacek Chocolate, have joined forces to make a complex, chocolate Mexican BBQ rub – and we love it! Think lightly spiced mole – southern-style, rich, sweet, and salty flavours that are perfect for your beef, pork, and chicken – and terrific with black beans as well. Do try the other three Yonedas rubs too: smoky and spicy Gold, sweet and savoury Red, and the brighter White Rub. Around $14-15 at all their retail locations and online at youneedabbq.com and jacekchocolate.com.

Booze and Vinyl

Brother and sister, André and Tenaya Darlington, are back with Volume 2 of Booze & Vinyl – pairing 70 more notable albums, from 1956 to 2016, with 140 new cocktail recipes. Chapters take us through Rockin’ albums, to Beats, Mellow, Jazzy & Bluesy, each with a Side A and Side B cocktail, and a chapter with tips for making great drinks, setting up a home bar, and more. What to drink with Janis Joplin, The Gypsy Kings, Metallica, and Loretta Lynn? Booze & Vinyl has the answers! Running Press $33.

Booze and Vinyl: A Music-and-MixedDrinks Matching Game

Now there’s a game version of Booze & Vinyl too. A great icebreaker at your next party, the pack includes 100 cards for you to match the music and cocktail, as well as a little book with 50 recipes and notes on the music. What pairs with Rolling Stone’s Sticky Fingers? Roxy Music’s Avalon? Petty’s Full Moon Fever? Abba’s Gold? Play the game and find out, and have fun with it too! $22

Mott’s Clamato Reserve - Cucumber Basil

Mott’s have released a new premium Clamato Reserve – Cucumber Basil flavour, with cucumber purée and basil as well as fire-roasted jalapeno purée, onion, garlic, horseradish, red and green peppers, and all the other flavourful, natural ingredients that make up their Reserve, without the use of any artificlal flavour or colours. And we're really enjoying the bright, fresh taste that it’s bringing to our Caesars this summer. 1 L around $6.

Wines Of British Columbia Online Wine Course

Wine Growers British Columbia (formerly BC Wine Institute) is offering a series of educational courses to increase our knowledge of BC wine – and now Culinaire readers can take Level One online at your own pace, at no charge! Head to winebc.com, and in the drop-down menu go to ‘Ambassador Program’ under ‘Education’, and enter the code BCWINE22 for complimentary access to the online course, and become a certified BC Wine Ambassador.

Nourished by Heirloom

SAIT graduate, Darian Pestell, has created a beautiful range of organic seasonings – and we’re impressed. ‘Umami’ is exactly what it promises, and we’ve used it instead of salt in many recipes - Umami popcorn is a must! ‘Taco’ is now our go-to for chilis too, and ‘Everything’ is crunchy, garlicy, and makes a terrific crust on proteins and sprinkled on and in many other dishes. 75 g $13, nourishedbyheirloom.com to order and for stockists.

50 Things to Bake Before You Die

Hey, we all have a bucket list, and we all love hearing (insert number) of (blank) you should experience before shuffling off this mortal coil. So why not baking? Why not indeed? Wonderfully short and still packed with delicious, and possible at home treats to enjoy, Allyson Reedy has assembled a likely batch of suitable classics like Apple Pie (p.79) and Carrot Cake (p.71), but also the exotic like Chocolate Babka (p.100) or Pistachio Cheesecake Bars (p.113). Ulysses $34

Canadian Club and Ginger Ale, Canada

Ever just feel that a product should have already been out there long before you actually see it? Enter Canadian Club’s Ginger Ale ready to drink. Not quite the classic rye & ginger, but we get some of the most famous whisky in Canada ready to roll with spicy sweet ginger ale in an exceedingly convenient package. Perfectly refreshing from the fridge or in a glass over ice on those hot days. CSPC +862076 $16-$17 (6-pack cans).