Culinaire #4:8 (Jan:Feb 2016)

CALGARY / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 4 NO.8 :: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

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AWARD-WINNING TOP VALUE WINES

FOOD TRENDS FOR 2016

14 Ways to Spice Up Grilled Cheese | Beyond YYC: Maui | Sunday Suppers

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16 VOLUME 4 / ISSUE #8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

Features 20 8 Food Trends for 2016 What’s in and what’s out? What food and beverages can we expect to see in Calgary’s restaurants and stores this year? Be prepared!

by Dan Clapson

32 23 Top Value Wines After holiday indulgences, and with credit card bills now due, here are the winning Top Value wines from our 2015 Alberta Beverage Awards

by Tom Firth

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28 Twisted Basil A new take on stress-free food

by Elizabeth Chorney-Booth

Spirited Cooking It’s not your father’s whisky tradition

by Johanne McInnis

18 No Grocery Cart Required 6 online food businesses that deliver

by Ellis Choe

22 Ending The Week on a

Delicious Note 4 Calgary restaurants serving Sunday Suppers

by Diana Ng

25 Local (and award-winning) Beer!

Locally brewed fine beers that stood out at the 2015 Alberta Beverage Awards

by Tom Firth

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Beyond YYC: A Taste of Maui

by Jody Robbins

40 A Change in Varietal Great wines you may never have heard of

by Jaclyn Adomeit

42 Open That Bottle John Gilchrist, Calgary’s foremost restaurant critic and food writer

by Linda Garson

35 Find Your Best: Comfort Food What type of food do you crave in winter? Take our light-hearted quiz to find out

by Stephanie Arsenault, Dan Clapson, Stephanie Eddy, and Vincci Tsui

Departments 6

Salutes and Shout Outs

8

Book Review

10

Ask Culinaire

12

Chefs’ Tips – and Tricks!

16 Step-By-Step:

Scalloped Potatoes 26 Soup Kitchen 30 Spice It Up Grilled Cheese

On the Cover: Yum! Our grilled cheese sandwiches were expertly prepared for us by none other than Nicole Fewell, of Cheezy Bizness food truck, and expertly photographed by Ingrid Kuenzel.

Many thanks to both!

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Letter From The Editor I do in the summer when I feel like I should be making the most of the warm weather, and doing something energetic outside.

Happy New Year! I hope it was a very happy holiday time for you too, with much over-indulgence of seasonal treats.

Now we have the rest of winter to look forward to, and I do look forward to it – I love the long dark nights, and don’t feel the slightest bit guilty spending time at my desk when it’s so cold outside, like

Winter is the time for enjoying my favourite foods – comfort foods, with time for experimenting and playing around with flavours, textures and ingredients, all paired with warming wines of course. We have plenty of comfort food ideas in this issue, many conscious of budgets, with the holiday credit card bills arriving any day now, and we’re also looking at websites where you can order online to save you having to go out grocery shopping in a snowstorm.

There are many notable foodie occasions in the two months of this joint issue, starting with Robbie Burns night, then Chinese New Year on February 8, followed only a week later by Valentine’s Day and Family Day. There isn’t enough room to include articles for all these

Willow Park 9919 Fairmount Drive SE

occasions, especially as it’s still such a vibrant time in our city’s culinary scene with new restaurants still opening every week, even in difficult economic times. We try very hard to get round and try them all to be able to bring you the latest news, and sometimes we’re still taken by surprise, as with the feature restaurant in our December issue, Corbeaux, that sadly closed its doors only 32 hours before the issue hit the streets.

It’s not going to be an easy start for many restaurants and stores this year, so join us in supporting our local businesses, both established and new, who play such an important part in the economics, culture and communities of our city.

Gung Hay Fat Choy – here’s to a prosperous Year of the Monkey to all.

Linda Garson, Editor-in-Chief

| italiancentre.ca @italianctrYYC | 403-238-4869

CALGARY / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES Editor-in-Chief/Publisher: Linda Garson linda@culinairemagazine.ca Commercial Director: Keiron Gallagher 403-975-7177 sales@culinairemagazine.ca

Contributing Food Editor: Dan Clapson dan@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Drinks Editor: Tom Firth tom@culinairemagazine.ca Digital Media Editor: Lynda Sea web@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Photographer: Ingrid Kuenzel Design: Emily Vance Contributors: Jaclyn Adomeit Ellis Choe Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Nicole Fewell Renee Kohlman Patricia Koyich Johanne McInnis Karen Miller Diana Ng Jody Robbins Lynda Sea

To read about our talented team of contributors, please visit us online at culinairemagazine.ca.

Contact us at: Culinaire Magazine #1203, 804 -3rd Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 0G9 403-870-9802 info@culinairemagazine.ca www.facebook.com/CulinaireMagazine Twitter: @culinairemag Instagram: culinairemag For subscriptions, competitions and to read Culinaire online: culinairemagazine.ca

Our Contributors < Jody Robbins

After ditching a career in international marketing, this former expat and explorer of over 50 countries now pens freelance travel and lifestyle pieces from her home in Calgary. When not travelling with her precocious children (one daughter, one husband and one dog), she can be found snowboarding in the Rockies and more often than not, indulging in après-ski.

Follow her adventures on her blog, Travels with Baggage, or on Twitter @Jody_Robbins

< Johanne Mcinnis

A freelance writer from Saint John, New Brunswick, Johanne started her whisky journey almost 30 years ago. She is certified in chemical engineering technology, which lends beautifully to her passion, the only female judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards, a panelist on international tastings, and presenter at Scotland’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Johanne spends her free time lecturing, leading master classes or writing about whisky.

< Jaclyn Adomeit

Jaclyn’s first passion was winemaking. She’s worked in vineyards, cellars, and restaurants. Currently, she is a writer daylighting as an environmental engineer. Jaclyn has an advanced WSET certification, and has realized that blind tasting is an exercise in self- discovery, as well as a learning experience. She has travelled to tasting rooms from Vietnam to Portugal, and believes that a good life, like a good wine, is not complete without balance.

All Trademarks presented in this magazine are owned by the registered owner. All advertisements appearing in this magazine are the sole responsibility of the person, business or corporation advertising their product or service. For more information on Culinaire Magazine’s Privacy Policy and Intention of Use, please see our website at www.culinairemagazine.ca.

All content, photographs and articles appearing in this magazine are represented by the contributor as original content and the contributor will hold Culinaire Magazine harmless against any and all damages that may arise from their contribution. All public correspondence, which may include, but is not limited to letters, e-mail, images and contact information, received by Culinaire Magazine becomes the property of Culinaire Magazine and is subject to publication. Culinaire Magazine may not be held responsible for the safety or return of any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other materials. Reproduction of this publication in whole or in part without written consent from Culinaire Magazine is strictly prohibited.

Chocolate that’s good for the heart

Feel good about giving your heart away this Valentine’s Day. Buying chocolate made with Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM cocoa helps drive positive change in West Africa.

Rainforest AllianceTM standards support international labour laws and promote good agricultural practices.

Cococo Chocolatiers purchases and uses only chocolate that has been certified sustainable and that supports West Africa.

For more information, follow the frog at www.bernardcallebaut.com

11 Calgary loCations and one in Banff www.CococoChocolatiers.com www.bernardcallebaut.com

Salutes...

Congrats Calgary Farmers’ Market hundreds of people – you should all take …who celebrated their One Millionth Visitor of 2015 mid-December! That speaks volumes about Calgarians who support our local economy, and local businesses offering unique handicrafts, local meat, fresh produce and locally baked goods - all while employing

a bow!

Calling All Pastry Chefs!

Have you registered for Calgary’s 2016 Pastry Chef Showcase yet? Show off your signature dessert or chocolate masterpiece at this biennial event on

Sunday, February 28 at Gasoline Alley Museum’s Grand Hall in Heritage Park. There are fabulous prizes at this prestigious competition, and you’ll be helping to support L’Arche Calgary, creating homes and community for people with developmental disabilities. Check out pastryshowcase.ca for more details.

and Shout Outs...

New from Prana, of Quebec, these moreish vegan, organic, gluten-free and GMO-free coconut chips come in four dancing flavours: ‘Jive’, chili and spice; ‘Hula’, sea salt and black pepper; ‘Charleston’, BBQ; and ‘Classic’, wholesome dry roasted coconut. These will get your feet tapping!

There are still plenty of new restaurant openings in our city; here are some new faces to welcome to Calgary’s culinary scene…

differ though, in that he believes western Canada grows great wheat, which he’s having milled to the same specs as 00 flour. He also has unique toppings, such as ‘Dr. Octo-Pi’ - braised octopus, bonito flakes, seaweed and lemon; and ‘3.14 Day Beef Pi’ - slowbraised marinated beef, with Gorganzola and mushrooms. It’s all washed down with a great wine list, 8 beers on tap, and Stoddart’s creative cocktails, like ‘Caesar’s Banquet’, that boasts cheese, salami, pickled veg, and an oyster on top – a veritable meal in a glass!

Surprises await at The Mission, 4 Street SW’s new bar/lounge, in the old Candela location. Completely refurbished (you won’t recognise the room at all) the décor is all blue and dark greys, yet fine loose teas are served in delicate Japanese teapots, and there’s a Japanese influence to Corporate Chef (of Living Room fame) Kevin Hill’s menu. We bet the

20 seats at the big blue bar will be full most of the time with people chatting and drinking, maybe even after a meal further down the street. Although the food here is good! Don’t miss the beautifully plated Elk Carpaccio or Lobster Tortelloni from the small plates menu – they taste as good as they look! And watch out for your welcome cardboard tray of popcorn, it’s full of apricots, wasabi peas and nori treats!

NU Burger Sushi Bar is moving to a larger location, and from the same owners with the same idea of sourcing ingredients from small, Canadian family farms and ranches that care deeply about the quality of their products, is the new Grassroots Burger Café. Burgers, sliders, and rice bowls, come from cows and free-run chickens raised without antibiotics or hormones. Great tasting burgers that are not only good for you, but also good for the planet!

Full Circle Pizza and Oyster Bar

Joshua Stoddart is no stranger to pizza, having worked with Sugo and WOP for years, but now he has his own place, Full Circle Pizza and Oyster Bar, with his own ideas, in the old Bensonhurst location on 17 Avenue SW. His pizzas 6

The Mission

We suspect the new Workshop Bar, above Kenny Kaechele’s popular Workshop Kitchen in Theatre Junction Grand, will be the next hub for artists, musicians and industry folk; it’s a cool place to hang out. With a separate entrance on 6 Avenue SW, this historic building bares its walls, and you’ll be bagging a seat at the bar set around a big hole in the floor where you can see down to the restaurant below. You’ll want to try one of the creative Classic, Revisited or Original cocktails, along with bites from Workshop’s small plates menu, and listen to local DJs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights – or just stare at the eclectic space, with its theatrical ‘Sin’ sign, and soak in the atmosphere.

It’s often hard to find a table in the more popular ramen places, so Umami Noodle Bar on 16 Avenue NW, is a welcome addition. Offering both Paitan (12+ hour long-simmered pork bone broth) and Citain (the same, but chicken) the small menu has everything you’ll be looking for. There’s a selection of generous sharing appies, like homemade Chashu Buns with char-siu pork, and Tonkatsu deep fried breaded pork, but you won’t want to share your Tantanmen, a rich and satisfying, spicy peanut and sesame ramen dish. Add Shoyu Tamago (soy marinated soft boiled egg) for extra creaminess. There are nice touches at Umami, like under-table clips for handbags, and they’re open for lunch and dinner every day except Tuesdays – if they don’t sell out of broth!

And we have a new Browns Socialhouse now too in Mount Royal Village. This part restaurant/part pub, serves up dishes with stories, and everything made in-house available gluten-free too. Try a #28 Dragon Bowl of chicken or tofu with coconut rice and veggies; or Biltmore Pizza, with feta, shrimp, sundried tomatoes and jalapeno white sauce – while your orange or grapefruit juice is fresh-pressed to order.

CAMPOFIORIN, THE ORIGINAL. Fifty years of history in every drop.

5 STAR VINTAGE In 1964, the gentle hillsides of Verona saw the birth of Campofiorin, and with it a new category of Veneto wines made with grape-drying techniques inspired by the making of Amarone. Fifty years later, Masi’s rich, friendly and cosmopolitan “Supervenetian” has become a classic, one of the best-loved Italian wines in the world. Following so many years of widespread success, let’s raise a glass to the inimitable Campofiorin.

www.masi.it The Venetian art of winemaking A CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EC REGULATIONS N. 1308/13

Book Reviews

by KAREN MILLER

True North

to more complex. They acknowledge the difficult steps and give pro tips on how to finish the dish and dress the plate, but you can deconstruct as necessary to make at least part of it happen.

by Derek Dammann and Chris Johns Harper Collins $40 What happens when you pair a celebrated chef from the popular Maison Publique in Montreal with a top food and travel writer?

You might expect a book promoting the restaurant’s vibe and recipes.

Instead, Dammann and Johns go on an adventure traveling across Canada on planes, trains and automobiles, and experience the best places and resources the country has to offer. They attend diverse festivals, go fishing and hunting, meet and cook with local chefs and eat their food.

The book is filled with history, culture and a true essence of cooking, with a passion and an appreciation of what this country has to offer. The recipes may

appear a little daunting for a novice cook, but we can truly see where and how the pair get their inspiration to create extraordinary dishes.

Not all of us have easy access to a source for balsam fir tips or want to make Moose Tongue Smoked Meat, but these boys sure make you want to try.

The recipes evolve in steps from simple

In spite of some more obscure presentations, some meals are simple and good - Cold Roast Chicken, Sausage and Peppers, and the lamb dishes - perfection! Even the recipes for condiments and finishing sauces in the Fundamentals section, reinforce simplicity can be divine.

The story told is one of kindred spirits, humble from their adventures, but leading the drive of young chefs redefining our country’s culinary landscape in a really good way.

Karen Miller is a lawyer by trade, giving her a knack for picking apart a cookbook. She has taught many styles of cooking classes and was part of the Calgary Dishing girls.

: : S ave t he date! Culinaire’s 2 nd annual Treasure Hu n t : : It’s back! Our sold-out inaugural Culinaire Treasure Hunt was so popular and successful, and everyone went home a winner, so now we’re preparing for it again this year.

On Saturday, April 9th, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, you can be

one of the lucky people to take part in Culinaire’s 2nd annual Treasure Hunt!

In teams of two or as a solo, you’ll answer trivia questions about the participating restaurants, markets and stores, to reveal where to dash off to receive your treats, get your

passport stamped, and maybe come away with little culinary gifts too!

And there are coveted prizes for the people who visit the most locations, wear the best costumes, have the funniest team names, tweet the funniest photos… and lots more!

We’re planning another very fun and rewarding day, so visit culinairemagazine.ca to register, watch March’s magazine for more details, follow us on Twitter for the latest details, and like us on facebook to keep up with the news and for more information - coming soon!

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@culinairemag

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/CulinaireMagazine

:: It’ s g o in g to b e another day to rem em ber! :: 8

Ask Culinaire

by PATRICIA KOYICH

I’m thinking of making a reservation for our special dinner – but what if something comes up and we can’t go?

Restaurants that take reservations offer a convenience, a service and certain reliability, but at what cost? It seems fairly straightforward doesn’t it, calling to ensure you have your favourite table, time, or perhaps even your favourite server. How much could this really cost the establishment, and what’s the big deal?

Reservation systems are very expensive, and can be extremely effective marketing tools, but if the restaurant chooses not to include them in their budget, then they use the good ol’ reservation book. Name, telephone number, number in the party, date of reservation, and any special requests. Surely that can’t cost much?

Perhaps it is not the obvious costs that we are seeing, but the missed revenue opportunities that result from reservations that were made and not upheld - or as they are called in the industry, no-shows.

The challenge regarding no-shows is that the restaurant holds tables throughout the night, and could have opportunities to seat people if they knew they were going to be free. Turning away a table for a reservation 10

that doesn’t show up costs revenue, and can upset customers that can’t be seated when they walk in. “It is very frustrating, especially for planning the evening,” says Chef/Owner Cam Dobranski, of Brasserie and Wine Bar Kensington.

especially in neighbourhood spots where they want both locals and destination guests to feel welcome. The best of both worlds? How else can establishments cover the costs of staffing, prepping and planning for the reservation numbers, when 10-15% of the guests fail to show?

“We make a commitment to give our Life happens, and things get in the way guests a table... hold it, turn away walkto cause a change in plans, but the act of in’s until 15 minutes after the reservation, cancelling and allowing others to fill the but you generally lose the walk-in by seats just makes sense. that time. I call everyone, we phone and confirm at least three times. This Maybe this Valentine’s Day or the next past year is an anomaly, so many nospecial night that you have planned and shows it is CRAZY... I hope it isn’t the something unexpected comes up, you new normal!” says Carol Buchanan of will think twice about “just not showing”?

Buchanan’s restaurant.

Pick up the phone, call and let them know - it’s polite, but most of all it’s good On the flip side however, Jesse Johnson restaurant karma! of Sugo and WOP says, “Sometimes it’s a good thing when reservations no show, as it allows me to accommodate some of our regulars that walk in on a whim, but most of the time it costs us.”

It makes sense that some restaurants are offering only part of the room for reservations, trying to bridge this gap,

Patricia Koyich was born and raised in Calgary, and considers Calgary one of the best cities in the world.

She continues to inspire, learn and achieve within the Food, Beverage and Tourism industry.

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Call for Pastry Chefs!

VENDOR SPOTS AVAILABLE February 28, 2016 Heritage Park

Chance to show off your culinary skills «Prizes for best pastry & Chocolate Competition« pastrychefshowcase.ca

Sponsored by:

Chefs' Tips Tricks!

Budget-Friendly Comfort Foods

by LYNDA SEA photography by INGRID KUENZEL

With the start of a new year, we’re all seeking a fresh start, watching our wallets, and just looking for some good old comfort after the holiday hubbub.

And there’s nothing more satisfying than creating homey, hearty meals that don’t break the bank. Two Calgary chefs share their recipes and tips for classic dishes where you don’t have to skimp on taste while saving money.

Chef James Waters — Diner Deluxe For most of us, a classic comfort food is a stick-to-your-ribs burger. But for a costeffective and tasty option, try making your patties from scratch and freeze them. At Diner Deluxe, James Waters says the mouth-watering burger patties are made from two cuts of Alberta beef.

“We use some cheaper cuts like brisket, which is the cheapest cut for beef,” he says. “The other cut is sirloin, which is known for its big bold flavour. We use brisket for texture and sirloin for flavour.”

Chef James Waters

It’s key to keep the ratio of sirloin to brisket at 60/40, says Waters; as brisket is fattier, with too much of it, the patties will “melt” away when cooked. At home, a purely optional step is to brine the brisket first, which adds a garlicky, salty flavour to the meat.

Get to know your grocery butcher so they can also direct you to cheaper flavourful cuts of meat Waters says to grind the meat, all you need is a meat grinder attachment for a mixer. Or you can ask your grocery butcher to grind it for you. “Get to know your grocery butcher so they can also direct you to cheaper flavourful cuts of meat,” adds Waters. “It won’t be much more expensive than the ground beef you buy, but a heck of a lot tastier.”

Sirloin and Brisket Burger 12

Sirloin and Brisket Burger

Executive Chef Mike French — The Embarcadero

Corned Beef Brine

Pastas are simple, satisfying and affordable, which make them great comfort food dishes. But for a new spin on your usual pasta recipes, Mike French says risotto is a nice substitute for a pasta.

Mince the garlic, then add all the ingredients to a saucepot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.

Reserve brine for the beef brisket.

“Comfort food, to me, is what you grew up on, and very familiar ingredients. But it doesn’t have to be too plain all the time — you can play around.”

Makes 16 patties

8 cups (2 L) water 140 g kosher salt 110 g garlic 69 g brown sugar 30 g pickling spice

Sirloin Brisket Patty

1.3 kg beef sirloin 900 g beef brisket 8 cups (2 L) corned beef brine 4 Tbs smoked paprika To taste salt To taste fresh cracked pepper

1. Cut beef into small cubes of meat so the beef can marinate faster.

2. Brine the brisket in the corn

beef brine for one week. To brine the brisket, simply submerge the beef in the brine, cover and refrigerate. (This step is optional.)

3. If you brine, on day five, dry rub the sirloin with smoked paprika, seal in a ziplock bag, and refrigerate for the last two days.

4. Once the two meats are ready,

either grind the meat yourself or have your neighbourhood butcher do it for you.

There’s so much you can do with a risotto for the family, and it’s an easy process to make

French says with this risotto recipe, the biggest mistake to avoid is stirring it too much, which releases the starch and makes the sauce turn pasty and thick.

“A lot of people are afraid to cook risotto or cook it wrong. But there’s so much you can do with a risotto for the family, and it’s an easy process to make,” he says. “Just don’t stir it.”

The extra cooked risotto can be kept up to four days in the fridge, so French says using plain risotto is a good base to try with different sauces for other meals in the week.

Chicken Risotto Serves 4

2 Tbs oil (30 mL) 1 garlic clove 60 g onion, diced 85 g bell pepper (red and green), diced 170 g chicken breast, cubed 225 mL tomato sauce 60 g parmigiano cheese 750 g plain risotto To taste salt and pepper

1. In a pot, put in 6 cups (1½ L) of

water and 750 g of risotto, and let boil.

Don’t stir. When water is gone, put on cookie sheet to cool down.

2. In a pan, put in oil with garlic clove, onion and bell pepper. Fry until they are soft.

3. Add the cubed chicken and saute until it’s cooked.

4. Add a generous pinch of salt and

5. Mix the meat evenly and season with

pepper and the tomato sauce.

the salt and pepper. Make a small test patty to test seasoning is correct.

5. Bring to a simmer then add 1½

cups of the cooked risotto and the parmigiano. Let cook for 5 min.

6. Form the patties to approximately five-ounce patties to make an even 16 patties.

6. Keep the rest of the cooked risotto in your fridge for up to 4 days and use for other dishes.

7. Wrap them into packs of four and freeze what you will not be eating.

Executive Chef Mike French

Lynda Sea is Culinaire’s digital media editor. You’ll never hear her say no to pie, especially if it’s apple.

Follow her on Twitter at @lyndasea 13

Spirited Cooking:

Not Your Father’s Whisky Tradition The discoveries and joys of cooking were passed on to me at a very young age. I recall standing in the kitchen atop the miniature foot stool, straining on tiptoes next to my grandmother, listening to her directions while trying to memorise every practised movement of her hands.

I also seem to have inherited her creative talent for using fresh ingredients to make healthy and delicious meals. I felt privileged when she gave me some of her cherished recipes when I moved away from home.

They became staples that I have easily recreated, and many to perfection, except one. For years I followed her Irish stew recipe to the letter-but every 14

time it wouldn’t taste quite right.

As I visited with her on her 80th birthday, I finally found out why.

With a sly smile and whisper, my grandmother divulged that the missing ingredient was adding ¼ of a cup of my grandfather’s whisky to the simmering stew. She didn’t write it down as part of the recipe because in those days, it wouldn’t have been proper to do so.

I was flabbergasted at the thought of my grandmother sneaking whisky from grampy’s cabinet, but at the same time I couldn’t help but wonder if he was ever the wiser?

Whisky has gone through heydays and dark periods repeatedly, thus the rollercoaster of boom or bust is not new to this industry. Thirty-some years ago, many distilleries were forced to close as a result of one of the worst falls from grace whisky had ever seen.

These days, whisky is back on top.

Here in Canada, the whisky market is hot and showing consistent jumps in

by JOHANNE MCINNIS

sales for the last five years. There are festivals taking place from coast to coast to sold-out crowds, and some of the best whisky selections available in North America are found in Calgary.

You can attend whisky dinners, pairings, classes, and/or fundraisers, just about every week if you’re willing to do a bit of travelling.

Whisky-related books are also flying off the shelves. Looking for a historical perspective? The awardwinning book Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert by Davin de Kergommeaux is available just about everywhere. Want to experience a variety of whiskies from around the world, with a tasting checklist? Pick up the highly acclaimed and popular book by Dominic Roskrow entitled 1001 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die. But then again, if you simply want to spend some time learning how to appreciate it, then Lew Bryson’s Tasting Whiskey will guide you on all levels.

But… hold on, because the new trend for whisky is: cuisine. Cooking with whisky, why not? The Italians and the French have been creating dishes with spirits for hundreds of years. I started about five years ago when a recipe I was making called for sherry and I didn’t have any on hand, so I substituted a tablespoon of bourbon. The dish turned out amazing, thank you very much.

Martine Nouet, who is known in her native France as “la reine de l’Alambic”, has been at the forefront of this quiet but delectable movement for almost five years. Her book, Les Routes Du Malt, was one of the first whisky books to be written by a woman, and contains 24 recipes that incorporate whisky in the preparation process.

Wine can be an expected dimension when it comes to cooking, however the flavours imparted by whisky are so lively, that some foods seem to naturally interact with it to create remarkable gastronomic dishes.

Whisky is a complicated spirit with many different flavour profiles, so once the alcohol cooks off, the dish can be quite spectacular because of the essences left behind. Rich caramels, hints of candied dried fruit, custards, citrus, or smoky characters, enhance and burst on the taste buds. In addition, unlike wine, whisky, once opened, can be kept for up to ten years before it starts to oxidize, so using a few tablespoons for cooking will not break the bank.

Whisky Dreams, Having Your Dram & Eating It Too by Riannon Walsh. This book not only has over 100 recipes to try, but also takes you on a bit of journey and explains some of the finer points of whisky. It has quickly become one of my most valued cookbooks.

Two of my favourite recipes include her Zucchini Salad with Ginger Whisky Dressing, and a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble that will have your guests coming back for thirds.

With a sly smile and whisper, my grandmother divulged that the missing ingredient was adding ¼ of a cup of my grandfather’s whisky to the simmering stew.

Gone are the days when whisky has to be snuck out of the cabinet. Go ahead and create a new tradition by adding a touch of class to your menus, and then smile as you divulge your secret ingredient to your astounded guests. And don’t forget to mention my grandma.

Is this whetting your appetite yet? If so, here is an inexpensive and highly recommended book you can purchase to start your own cooking journey:

Johanne McInnis is a freelance writer from Saint John, New Brunswick. She is the only female judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards, a panelist on international tastings and a presenter at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in Scotland.

Full circle Pizza & Oyster Bar

933 17 Ave SW • fullcirclepizza.ca • 587 351 3141

Step By Step: Scalloped Potatoes story and photography by RENEE KOHLMAN

Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Think crispy French fries, velvety smooth mashed, and golden roasted. However, my longtime favourite has to be the classic scalloped, with the golden brown topping and tender, creamy middle.

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Kids of a certain generation will remember their moms pouring a can of cream of mushroom soup over thinly sliced potatoes – and my mom was no different. I still loved them, convenience product and all.

My version of the classic does not involve soup from a can (I hope you aren’t too disappointed!). Instead, it’s gussied up with double-smoked bacon, smoked gouda, caramelized onions and some Dijon mustard.

Part of my attraction, no doubt, has to do with the fact that scalloped potatoes are usually served alongside ham. It’s a great marriage. The potatoes are a blank slate; able to handle all the sweet and salty goodness that ham brings to the table.

I thinly sliced the potatoes by hand, because a mandolin scares the bejeezus out of me, and par-boiled them before they go into the oven, just to help them cook a little faster. Bacon is cooked, and the onions are caramelized, in the fat.

The base of the dish is a creamy Bechamel sauce, with the caramelized onions and Dijon mustard stirred in for layers of flavour, along with the smoked gouda.

Kids of a certain generation will remember their moms pouring a can of cream of mushroom soup over thinly sliced potatoes You could use any hard cheese such as gruyere, smoked cheddar, emmental... there really are so many possibilities here! The sauce is then poured over the potatoes layered with cooked bacon, and the dish bakes for about 40 minutes. An additional sprinkling of cheese is the final touch on a delicious comforting side dish that will see you through the long winter days and nights.

Smoked Gouda and Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

3. Sauté the sliced onions in the

4­-5 large Russet potatoes 1 tsp salt 6 slices of double-smoked bacon, chopped 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp dried thyme 3 Tbs butter ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 3 cups (750 mL) whole milk 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard 2 cups shredded smoked gouda To taste salt and pepper, divided garlic chives, finely chopped

4. To make the Bechamel sauce, heat

Serves 6 Total cook time 1 hour

A delicious comforting side dish that will see you through the long winter days and nights Preheat oven to 350º F

1. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into

slices about ½ cm thick. Place potatoes in Dutch oven, cover with cold water and add 1 tsp salt. Cover, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain in a colander.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large

skillet over medium high heat. When it’s nicely rendered, remove to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.

bacon fat until golden and soft. Stir in dried thyme. butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. When melted, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

5. Whisk in the milk and bring to a

simmer, stirring often. When the sauce is bubbling, remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and 1 cup of shredded gouda. Next, stir in the caramelized onions and season with salt and pepper.

6. Butter a large baking dish and layer

in the par-cooked potatoes and bacon, making 3 layers, finishing with bacon on top. Pour the sauce on top of potatoes and bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and add

remaining cup of shredded gouda. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling.

8. Remove from oven, garnish with

chopped chives and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Renee is a food writer and pastry chef living in beautiful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her columns appear in The Saskatoon StarPhoenix and her desserts can be enjoyed at Riverside Country Club. Also, check out her blog www.sweetsugarbean.com 17

No Grocery Cart Required:

Spud

6 Online Food Businesses That Deliver Straight To You

by ELLIS CHOE

We’ve seen so many aspects of our day-to-day habits evolve in the past ten years. The way we talk on the phone (or more-so, don’t talk on the phone), the way we buy our clothes, so it’s not outlandish to think that it’s only a matter of time until grocery shopping online outpaces bricks and mortar grocery store sales.

That being said, it will probably be a few decades at least, which is nice because I love my local grocery store as much as the next person.

“How fast [is hard to say],” explains Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, business and economics professor, and board member of the Food Institute at the University of Guelph. “I do see online demand expanding in Europe and the USA. I wouldn’t be surprised if ten years from now, five percent of [Canadian] food business happens online. Considering food is a $120 billion industry, five percent is certainly not bad!”

As it stands now, Canada sits at barely one percent in terms of food-related business on the internet. According to Statistics Canada, Canadian online sales 18

have more than doubled from 2007 to 2012. More than half of Canadians do their shopping online buying everything from cars and shoes to pets and chocolate.

largest organic food delivery company in North America.

Founder David Van Seters wanted to create a more sustainable food system, one that would see people consume healthier choices and reduce carbon waste as a result of connecting local farmers with consumers. Besides the basics, SPUD includes other products you’d find in the soap or soup aisle in a supermarket. spud.ca

Trying to be a little ahead of the curve, here are some Western Canadian businesses that have bypassed buildings and opted for an online storefront to sell their edible wares.

Spud

Save time and a trip to the grocery store and have your locally and organically sourced produce, meat, milk and eggs delivered to your door.

Launched and headquartered in Vancouver in 1998, Spud (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery) now operates in nine cities and is the

Fulfilled

“Calgary needs more ‘real food’”, says Fulfilled owner, Nazar Sahal.

Convenient access to food that is organic and sustainable just got easier with Sahal’s local grocery delivery company. From his business and pleasure travels to 81 countries, he was so inspired by the basic, local

ways of harvesting and cooking in underdeveloped communities, that he developed his own organic farm while living in Africa.

After moving to Calgary, he wanted to bring those basics back to the table by supplying only the freshest, organic product available - everything from produce, grains and dairy, to snacks, beverages and cleaners. He enthusiastically welcomes feedback to fulfil his continual goal to give people healthier choices. fulfilled.ca

Canadian online sales have more than doubled from 2007 to 2012

Brou-’ne

Tnik

The popularity of Nicole Schon’s teas doesn’t stem from pretty packaging. It’s all about the quality and quantity of tea.

Although Tnik has been around for 15 years, Schon has been known as thatgirl-who-imports-tea for much longer.

The tea guru has always been passionate about supplying only premium, looseleaf specialty teas from all over the world by working directly with farmers herself.

For tea-drinkers, that means enjoying pure natural tea leaves with no artificial flavours and no preservatives. Tnik’s best sellers include Creamy Earl Grey that contains just the perfect hint of vanilla, Genmaicha – authentic green tea from Japan, and her personal favourite, the full-bodied single-estate black tea called Tiger Hill. tnik.com

Healthy Chef Delivery

Brou-’nē

Two Calgary moms have put a modern twist on the traditional ‘small square of rich cake’. For the past three years, the demand has only grown for Elana Chin’s and Kahleia Murdoch’s handcrafted gourmet brownies. Favourites include decadent Double Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter and Cherry Coconut. Seasonal flavours include Festive Eggnog, Holiday Mint, Brewski and S’mores. A rich, moist gluten-free alternative is also available, as well as a dense, chewy Fig Blondie for those non-chocoholics. Order brou-‘nē online and have a box of 6, 12, or 24 delivered to your door. broune.ca

With a keen focus on organic and locally sourced ingredients, owner Judy Dahm works with red seal chefs to create nutritionally balanced meals that have been very popular with a large crosssection of customers, ranging from busy families and professional athletes to new moms and people battling cancer and other illnesses.

Healthy Chef Delivery

Bison goulash, turkey chilli, kale salad, and curries are just some of the regular menu items. Dahm, having faced diabetes at an early age, wants to provide tasty meals that are prepared with only high quality ingredients minus the chemicals, hormones and excess sugar, salt and fat. For her, a healthy lifestyle is rooted in healthy food. healthychefdelivery.com

Untamed Feast

A passion and way of life have turned into a successful business venture for Feast’s founder, Eric Whitehead. What started out as a small, wild mushroom business has flourished into a company that now forages not only for fungi in pristine forests, but also harvests wild rice and wild greens across various parts of the country, like the prairies and even the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to a successful stint on CBC Dragon’s Den, the expansion now sees Untamed Feast products on the shelves of a number of retail outlets. But conveniently, you can still order packs of dried morels, porcini, alder-smoked wine cask aged chanterelles directly from their website. Don’t miss their adventures via video link to learn what it takes for Whitehead’s team to bring forest to fork. untamedfeast.com Ellis Choe is a freelance writer who has a passion for learning, storytelling and eating, not necessarily in that order...

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Food Trends for

by DAN CLAPSON

You know what they say: “Out with the old and in with the new!” Trends can come and go in our city’s food scene as quickly as a Carly Rae Jepsen single on the radio, but it doesn’t mean we don’t really, really, really, really like them too. Here are 8 trends you can watch gain momentum in Calgary throughout the year.

1. The Tiki Influence - There have

been many rumours swirling that the vacant-for-years space behind National 17th will be turning into a rum bar (think “tiki” with a less tacky decor).

We’ve already seen places like Proof and Container Bar opt for tiki themed evenings, and Native Tongues embracing tiki-style glassware for their cocktails.

It’s only a matter of time before we are all sitting around a table sipping a ridiculously boozy, sweet rum punch cocktail from a giant ceramic pineapple.

What’s old always becomes new again.

Make sure to keep a bottle of Advil handy though, as this trend does not come without a headache.

3. Better Airport Dining - A bite at

2. Gooseneck Barnacles - Quite

possibly the most bizarre-looking seafood out there, gooseneck barnacles were noted as highly sustainable by Ocean Wise this past fall, and chefs are embracing these blue-red ombre creatures like the world with a new Adele album.

Out with the old and in with the new!

Okay, so maybe they aren’t going to get that popular, but we’ll see more of them on menus this year, mark my words. Once you get over the visuals, they actually have quite a nice texture, somewhat similar to razor clams.

20

Chili’s or Montana’s in the Calgary airport is always made out of necessity (“I’m starving!”) and never out of deliciousness. The new international airport wing is looking to up the ante with more forward-thinking restaurant concepts from including Calgary’s own Vin Room.

A good glass of wine and some decent food before hopping on my plane? I’m chalking this one up to a goddamn miracle!

4. Kohlrabi - Cauliflower is in the

process of going into retirement, the beloved kale was laid to rest in 2014, turnips had a strong showing last year so which oddball or neglected veggie is left to take the limelight?

My money’s on kohlrabi. Readily grown in Alberta and easily cellared, kohlrabi has all of the makings of a new “it” vegetable. It’s cheap, under-utilized and best of all; it’s easy to work with. Sear it, roast it, sauce it, pickle it, love it. This is one root vegetable that’s ready for its close-up.

7. Value-Driven Menus -

5. Macadamia Nuts - Do you know what’s not cheap anymore? Pretty much every other nut aside from peanuts and macadamia nuts.

California droughts of 2014 were unkind to almond crops, resulting in a spike in price. Previously underutilized, this white, earthy nut is seeing a lot more love on menus and in home kitchens alike.

6. Orange Wine - If you thought

red, white and rose was the only trio you needed to know, you were wrong. Let’s turn that wine lovers’ triangle into a square with orange wine. What exactly is orange wine? Great question!

It’s prominently featured on Pigeonhole’s wine list, and being the trendsetter that Chef Justin Leboe always proves to be, there’s no doubt we’ll all be sipping on orange wine at many Calgary restaurants in no time.

We’ve heard it a million times. We’re in a recession. Lay-offs, scale-backs and everything that goes along with the current decline of the oil and gas industry has had a significant impact on the local food scene.

We’ve seen countless concepts (both old and new) close their doors throughout 2015 and the ones that remain are tightening up their game.

Expect way better lunch deals, extended happy hours, and places that have never before opted for discount food and drink, offering up specials to get people into seats. It’s not a great time in Calgary, but the strong and business savvy will weather this storm.

8. Regionality Over Locality -

The country in general has been experiencing a sort of renaissance in the past year or two with how our chefs define their food. They are no longer searching for that one singular definition of Canadian food. Instead, you see different regions of the country simply embracing what they have around them.

Chefs are no longer searching for that one singular definition of Canadian food

I’m not talking about growing a tomato on your restaurant’s rooftop garden.

No, no. Anyone can do that. I’m talking about the bison that graze on fields just outside of the city, the wild mushrooms that pop up in the forest or the tart sea buckthorn berries that grow wild. Food in Nova Scotia, food on Vancouver Island and food in Alberta are very, very different things.

Terroir can be a little bit of a pretentious descriptor at times, but in this case, it couldn’t be more true.

21

Ending The Week On A Delicious Note:

4 Calgary Restaurants Serving Sunday Suppers

by DIANA NG photography by INGRID KUENZEL

At the end of a long week, the last thing you want to do is to try to coordinate dinner with a group of friends.

To save you time, and sometimes even a bit of money, various restaurants in the city offer their spin on a Sunday supper.

The dishes are designed to be shared at one table, so guests can sit back and order from set menus that showcase local and seasonal ingredients at the same quality and with the same techniques and attention to detail that they

22

have come to expect of their favourite spots.

From bistro to steakhouse, here are four restaurants where you can find exceptional menus presented in this format.

Open Range

Open Range

While it may not be your typical steakhouse (Caesar’s, Ruth’s Chris, et al.) with wooden banquettes and guests in business attire, Open Range has been serving some of the best locally raised beef, elk, bison, and game meats in its casual dining room since it opened 10 years ago. Unlike most steaks you’ll find in the city, the Southwestern-style steaks at Open Range are rubbed down extensively with in-house steak rubs before being cooked to the perfect doneness on the grill.

Model Milk

Model Milk

Even though the restaurant opened in 2011, the concept began back in 2003, when Chef Justin Leboe was working at The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel. It was there that he and his team realized the need for a more comfortable dinner experience for their guests on what is meant to be the most relaxing day of the week.

“Sundays are very much a low-key day for most people, so we tried to create the most comfortable experience possible, to give them something familiar, in a format that lacks pretence,” says Leboe.

So, when it came time to plan the menu in preparation for Model Milk’s opening, Leboe knew he wanted to keep that same approachable format as if guests were having a traditional Sunday meal at home.

At the end of a long week, the last thing you want to do is to try to coordinate dinner with a group of friends For as long as Open Range has been open, it has offered a family-meal option on Sundays, making the entire experience even warmer and sociable.

The three-course menu features meats from local ranchers, and other seasonal foods chef Dwayne Ennest finds at the market. The appetizer and dessert changes weekly, but when it comes to the main course, most of the components remain what the regulars know and love.

“Lots of times, we use prime rib, but it can be lamb, it can be turkey, it can be almost anything,” explains Ennest. “It’s always roasted and sliced thin, like if you had a roast at home with mom.” $46 per person, 1114 Edmonton Trail NE 403-277-3408, open-range.ca

Model Milk

“Lots of places were doing prix fixe, where you pick one dish for each course, but we want to give people the luxury of not having to make a ton of decisions and just sit down and focus on being with each other,” says Leboe.

The family-style meal comprises three starters, two main protein dishes, and three or four sides, and changes every Sunday. Expect starters that whet your appetite - pork rillette, kale caesar salad, and pear anise jam served with crispy bread, or split pea soup and Brussels sprout salad, depending on the season.

The mains range from fish, like steamed char or trout, to meats such as pork belly or a rich elk stew, again depending on the selection and availability of fresh ingredients. In one of the most recent iterations, sides included mashed potatoes, cabbage au gratin and boiled beetroot - all dishes you can find on a winter Sunday dinner table at home, but made with the scrupulous approach of Model Milk. $40, 308 17 Avenue SW 403-265-7343, modelmilk.ca

Boxwood

Sunday suppers aren’t just for big restaurants. Boxwood, located in the cosy cafe in Central Memorial Park, offers a full Sunday supper experience in a family vibe as well.

“We just like to have fun,” says chef JP Comte. “It’s like cooking for our family here!”

Like River Café, its sister restaurant, Boxwood sticks to using local and seasonal ingredients, but in addition, Comte uses lesser-known cuts of meat, 23

The Nash

Boxwood

makes sausages in-house, and uses ingredients such as Spanish mackerel from the St. Lawrence, keeping the menu as Canadian as possible.

The menu consists of three courses: starters might be wor wonton soup with house-made lamb wontons, green grape and feta salad, or fennel and orange lamb sausage; mains range from cornhusk-wrapped steelhead trout to pork belly, with sides like organic cheese grits and honey roasted carrots; and homey desserts of candy cane pavlova or squash sticky toffee pudding.

The menu changes weekly, featuring seasonal and local ingredients, but there is one constant: no corkage on Sunday. $35, 340 13 Avenue SW 403-265-4006, boxwoodcafe.ca

Boxwood 24

The Nash

The Nash recently started offering Sunday supper as an extension of the community philosophy that chef Matt Batey adheres to for the restaurant.

“It’s about having people feel that walking through the front door of our restaurant on a Sunday night is a lot like walking through the front doors of a family home, uniting over beautiful food, great drinks and wine, and all that loveliness in our restaurant.”

“It’s a lot like walking through the front doors of a family home”

Starters typically consist of light bites roasted root vegetable soup, or dips and patés. At the centre of the family-style menu are offerings from the rotisserie: Nash’s wood rotisserie chicken, leg of lamb, or beef striploin, as well as sides like grilled broccollini and grilled endive.

The Sunday supper menu is offered in addition to the full a la carte menu, so for guests who may not find what they

The Nash

are looking for in a family-style format, they can order from a familiar selection of dishes.

“It’s a really proud moment when you look out over the pass in the middle of Sunday service and see the different demographics of people sitting at the table, from young families with small children to couples that are just interested in a nice Sunday night out, to multi-generational families with grandma and grandpa sitting next to toddlers.” $39 per person, 925 11 Street SE 403-984-3365, thenashyyc.com

Diana Ng is a co-founder of Eat North and freelance writer who will eat your food when you’re not looking.

Local (And Award-Winning) Beer!

by TOM FIRTH

Although there is a wine to go with everything, nothing beats having the right beer in hand when it comes to watching a big game, or noshing with friends in front of the tube, or hanging out on a cool evening. This winter, budgets may be a little tighter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a great brew such as these top-shelf, locally brewed fine beers that stood out at the 2015 Alberta Beverage Awards.

Village Blacksmith Calgary, $16 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 768794 BEST IN CLASS-Ales

Wild Rose IPA Calgary, $16-17 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 766763 JUDGES SELECTION-India Pale Ales

Dandy Brewing Company Smoke Boss Rauchbier Calgary, $9 (650ml) CSPC 771532 JUDGES SELECTIONPorters and Stouts

Brewster’s Hammerhead Red Ale Calgary, $16 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 765509 JUDGES SELECTION-Ales

Wild Rose Switch Hitter IPL Calgary, $9 (650ml) CSPC 771868 BEST IN CLASS-Lagers

Minhas White Wolf Wit Beer Calgary, $10-14 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 774036 BEST IN CLASS-Wheat Beer

Grizzly Paw Beavertail Raspberry Canmore, $7 (650ml) CSPC 785696 JUDGES SELECTION-Fruit Beers

Village Wit Calgary, $15-16 (6 pack bottle) CSPC 768798 JUDGES SELECTION-Wheat Beer

Big Rock Wai-iti Wheat Ale Calgary, $15-16 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 771564 JUDGES SELECTION-Wheat Beer

Village Grandfather Calgary, $7-8 (650ml) CSPC 772877 BEST IN CLASS-India Pale Ales

Wild Rose Natural Born Keller Calgary, $15-16 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 766769 JUDGES SELECTIONKölsch and Kellerbier

Big Rock Rhine Stone Cowboy Calgary, $15-16 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 763932 JUDGES SELECTIONKölsch and Kellerbier

Village Maiden Calgary, $16-17 (6 pack bottles) CSPC 768797 JUDGES SELECTION-India Pale Ales

Dandy Brewing Company Dandy In The Underworld Oyster Stout Calgary, $9 (650ml) CSPC 767839 BEST IN CLASS-Porters and Stouts

Tom Firth is Culinaire Magazine’s contributing drink editor and the competition director for the Alberta Beverage Awards.

25

Soup Kitchen story and photography by DAN CLAPSON

Come January 1st, there are two types of people.

There are ones that have anywhere from ten to one hundred resolutions, aiming to reinvent their diets, their personalities, their everything. Then, there are the ones that embrace winter for what it is: a chance to dive head mouth first into delicious comfort foods.

Aside from a crackling fire and a hot toddy, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best way to stay warm.

3. Pour broth into pot, along with bay

4. Add maple syrup and tamari to

These soups are for those two types of people. One or the other is not wrong and both of the recipes are equally delicious.

Now, which type of person are you?

Curried Kohlrabi and Potato Soup Serves 4-5 Total cook time 40 minutes 1 Tbs (15 mL) canola oil 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 medium kohlrabi, peeled and diced 3 medium red potatoes, diced 1 Tbs yellow curry powder 5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable broth 1 bay leaf 1 cm piece ginger root, peeled ½ tsp chilli flakes 2 Tbs (30 mL) good quality maple syrup 1 Tbs (15 mL) tamari To taste salt and pepper

Come January 1st, there are two types of people

1. Heat oil in a large pot on mediumhigh heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add diced kohlrabi, potatoes and curry powder, and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

26

leaf, ginger and chilli flakes and let come to a boil, reduce to medium heat and let cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

the soup, and let cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Guilty Pleasure Soup

Serves 4 Total cook time 35 minutes 1 Tbs (15 mL) canola oil ⅓ cup diced pancetta ¼ cup (60 mL) white wine 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 Tbs all-purpose flour 3 cups (750 mL) half and half 3 cups (750 mL) pork broth 1 tsp garlic powder ½ teaspoon chilli powder ⅔ cup Velveeta cheese

1 cup mild gouda, grated 1 Tbs (15 mL) grainy Dijon mustard ½ tsp ground black pepper 2½ cups cooked elbow macaroni Breadcrumbs and crushed barbecue potato chips, for garnish 1 cup diced tomatoes, for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add diced

pancetta and cook until crispy on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.

2. Next, deglaze with white wine and add sliced onion.

Cook for approximately 8 minutes or until wine reduces almost completely.

3. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the mixture and stir until

absorbed. Pour in cream and broth and let come to a simmer.

4. Reduce to medium heat, add all remaining ingredients except macaroni and let cook, uncovered for 20 minutes.

5. When ready to serve, stir in cooked macaroni and ladle out into bowls. Top generously with breadcrumbs and chip mixture, and diced tomatoes.

(Hey, it’s called “guilty pleasure” for a reason!)

Dan Clapson is a freelance food writer and columnist in Calgary. When he’s not writing about Canada’s amazing culinary scene, he is likely listening to 80s rock or 90s boy bands. Follow him on twitter @dansgoodside

Twisted Basil:

A New Take On Stress-Free Food

by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH photography by INGRID KUENZEL

When you’re running a business, rapid growth isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

In 2012, Leslie Swan, the woman behind Cochrane’s Twisted Basil, was running a company with more than 30 employees and multiple divisions, including organic food delivery, a café and small market, catering, and prepared meal production.

Swan had originally started the company with her three sisters but as they moved away from the business, she knew that she couldn’t – and didn’t want to – run such a large operation on her own. So she scaled back.

Swan and her sisters started Twisted Basil in 2006, spurred on by a mutual passion for healthy, organically sourced 28

food. The four women had always been close and had previously worked together as a singing group, so after years of bonding together over good meals before and after performances, a food-based business seemed like a natural fit. Twisted Basil grew quickly, but life happens, and with Swan the only one actually living in Cochrane (one sister is now in Australia, which makes for a particularly difficult commute), she eventually found herself to be the last sister standing. Wanting to hold onto the business in more manageable form, she shut down most of Twisted Basil’s operations and focused solely on catering.

“My first client was Coldplay and I catered their whole Western tour,” Swan says. “They had such specific requirements, they were very allergy sensitive and that fit with our whole

focus as a company. We do organic, gluten-free, naturally healthy, so a group like that with such stringent guidelines about what they wanted made it a great fit.”

“Reopening the store and the café was a big deal for me, but it was absolutely the right move”

That naturally healthy philosophy is a cornerstone of Twisted Basil’s business.

Swan’s mandate is to provide her clients with nutritious food that is free of additives and is sourced from local farmers whenever possible. Much of Twisted Basil’s menu is also gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or vegetarian, but not in a way that screams “specialty meals.”

the building into a cosy spot for customers to grab a bite or do a little bit of organic shopping.

Twisted Basil attracts many of its (often corporate) clients on the promise that they’ll be able to accommodate specific diets and food allergies without having to compromise on taste, or single out those who need an “alternative” meal.

“We cater to all different kinds of clients, but because we do have such an extensive menu that deals with allergies, it’s an easy fit because they never have to worry about having special entrées for special needs,” Swan says. “All of our menu incorporates all of those elements which makes us a good fit for a variety of clientele.”

Luckily, these days you don’t need to be attending a corporate lunch or other catered event to have a taste of Twisted Basil’s wares. After that initial scaling back, Swan has slowly started expanding the company again. A year ago, a commercial kitchen in Cochrane became available that happened to be attached to a perfect space for a new café and a small food market. Even though she didn’t plan to open another retail store, Swan couldn’t resist turning

“I just put it together and it’s quite an eclectic little homey café,” Swan says.

“It’s kind of a love project that came together. We highlight our farmers that we source our local ingredients from — it’s really a farm fresh café. That’s the direction we’re going with it.”

There’s a third way to try out Twisted Basil’s food, and that’s through the company’s wholesale products, which are available at Amaranth stores, Market 17, and Spud and Farm Box (the latter of which delivers to addresses in Banff, Canmore, and Cochrane) home delivery services. Swan’s wholesale products include a selection of dips, salads, and desserts, as well as savoury entrees like Fenugreek Chicken Curry, Greek Bison Stew, and Jerk Chicken Skewers with Raisin Spiced Rice, all of which are glutenfree and free of hormones and antibiotics.

And as much as Swan is excited to see Twisted Basil grow (she thinks her next move will be to get the prepared meals into a year-round farmers’ market in Calgary), she also knows that she has to make the company work with her life, and doesn’t want to get into another situation like she was in when she decided to scale back. But for now she seems to have found the right balance, and is happy to be bringing the kind of food she believes in to as many people as her company can reasonably handle.

“Because catering and wholesale is the main component of our business, I have to proceed fairly carefully,” Swan says.

“Reopening the store and the café was a big deal for me, but it was absolutely the right move and I’ve really been enjoying working with my support staff. We’ve got a great team, so I’m not as lonely as I first was working without my sisters.”

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a Calgary-based freelance writer, and co-founder/co-editor of RollingSpoon.com.

She enjoys exploring the connection between music and food through interviews with musicians and chefs.

13-day luxury wine and culinary tour of the Rhône

September 22nd - October 4th Experience the beauty of Southern France and discover the outstanding wine and food specialities of Provence and The Rhône Valley

This comprehensive tour includes: • Six nights 4* hotel in Villeneuve-Les-Avignon, three nights 4* hotel in Lyon, two nights 4* hotel in Paris • All ground transportation including airport transfers • City tours of Avignon and Lyon • All excursions, winery visits and tastings in world-famous wineries with special Vine & Dine privileges in the vineyards and castles • All meals, restaurant gratuities and wines with lunch and dinner in the Rhône Valley • Visits to artisanal markets, castles and museums • Olive Oil production and tasting • Valhrona Chocolate • Roman arena, theatre and temples in Nîmes and Orange • Wine regions Châteauneuf du Pape, Nîmes, Gigondas, Hermitage, Condrieu, Côte Rotie and Tavel • Plenty of time to shop and wander..

• And lots more...!

This all-inclusive tour is for couples, solos and friends!

To request an itinerary and tour details, visit: vineanddine.ca or contact linda@vineanddine.ca 403-870-9802 Visit vineanddine.ca for food and wine events in Calgary too!

SPice it up:

grilled cheese Sandwiches

by NICOLE FEWELL

I chose grilled cheese as the main dish on my food truck, Cheezy Bizness, because the possibilities are truly endless. Bread is a blank canvas, and what you decide to put inbetween is an art form once you know what you’re doing! Choose your bread and cheese, and then enhance those flavours with spreads, meats, vegetables, dressings and sauces.

The salt in the vinaigrette pulls all the ingredients together and makes the tomatoes sing –– Winter is upon us and we love to have the oven on at this time of year, so roasting some root vegetables is another option. I like carrots, onions, parsnips and yams with some roasted garlic, thyme and a sprinkle of red wine vinegar. Pair this with some earthy, creamy cheese like brie.

–– Add another layer of flavour with some sourdough bread. Just know that Pro tip: Soften your butter before sourdough is quite dense and will take spreading it on bread slices. You’ll use longer to cook, so remember to keep much less of it and get a toastier sandwich. the temperature low, or slice the bread it a bit thinner When it comes to grilled cheese I am a purist. It has to be grilled on a flat top or in a pan with butter. Always low and slow, have patience with your grilled cheese.

You can speed things up by grating your cheese, but please don’t squish the air out of the perfect bread you’ve chosen or try to cut calories with mayo or margarine.

It’s your treat day, so enjoy it! Let your palate be your guide, it’s never wrong.

Here are a few ideas to spice up your grilled cheese sandwiches this winter.

1. For the Vegetarians

Gull Valley Greenhouse has the best tasting roma tomatoes, in our opinion.

Their basil is outstanding too.

–– Make the basil into a vinaigrette and add Alberta Cheese’s fresh buffalo mozzarella for a lighter caprese style sandwich –– Or try the same combo with grated, aged cheddar for some richer flavours 30

2. For the Meat Lovers

You can’t go wrong with a classic ham and cheese. Smoked, sweet ham with a soft gooey cheese like gouda, or paired with something stronger like Silvan Star Farms Grizzly Gouda, is magic in your mouth.

At Cheezy Bizness, we love to slow cook or braise our meats for a rich flavourful punch.

–– Pulled pork using Spragg’s pork shoulder, paired with smoked cheddar and pineapple is one of our most popular sandwiches on the truck –– Slow roasted Silver Sage roast beef with cheddar, gruyere, onions and horseradish mustard aioli is another –– Braised lamb shoulder with caramelized onions, olive tapenade, St. Agur and brie is a rich and satisfying combination as well –– Take it to the next level with the fig and fennel bread from Yum Bakery at the Calgary Farmers’ Market

The Best Bacon Jam

This bacon jam was adapted from a recipe

by Julie Van Rosendaal, and is a great way of adding an interesting dimension to almost any cheese combination.

Makes 2 cups

3. Sweet and Salty

Gooey cheese, with a little salt and some sweet, is my favourite flavour profile.

Pair bacon jam (my go-to salty, sweet ingredient) with a pink lady apple, grated gouda and you’ve got perfection.

4. Spread it on!

A simple way to amp things up is by using spreads and tapenades: –– Olive and fig tapenade with goat ricotta, cheddar, and gruyere is a delicious combo –– Pimento cheese with dill pickles, onions, emmental, and aged white cheddar is what we call the Big Cheese on our menu –– For the sweet tooth, spread on Nutella and pair with some cherry compote, cream cheese and grated emmental to add a sharp note to the sweet melody –– A late addition to our menu this year was the Peachy Pig. Earl Grey peach jam with Valbella maple pepper ham, some lightly pickled peaches, and gouda make a sweet and savoury sandwich

450 g good quality bacon 1 red onion 6 cloves garlic pressed ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup + 2 Tbs (90 mL) maple syrup 3 Tbs (45 mL) cider vinegar 1+ ½ Tbs (22 mL) grainy mustard pinch of ground black pepper

1. Sauté chopped bacon on

medium-high heat. When the bacon is about half done, drain most of the fat and add onions.

2. When the onions are cooked, about

5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper,

and if needed, a splash more of vinegar (if too sweet) or brown sugar (if too tangy).

4. Continue to cook for another

30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then pulse in food processor to jam-like consistency.

Fig and Olive Tapenade

Figs and olives are a naturally sweet and salty combo. Use this tapenade as a base for many grilled cheese combinations that will satisfy your craving for something salty, sweet.

Makes 2 cups 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted 1 cup dried figs, stemmed and chopped 1 clove garlic, pressed 1 Tbs capers 1 tsp (5 mL) balsamic vinegar ½ cup (120 mL) oil Pinch of pepper

Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor, and coarsely chop. Slowly add oil to desired consistency.

Nicole Fewell is owner and head chef of the bright orange Cheezy Bizness food truck, as well as the creator and proprietor of Porter’s Tonic Syrup. Follow her on Twitter @cheezizby @PortersTonic

A LITTLE SIBLING RIVALRY NEVER HURT ANYBODY

c il a nt ro 113 - 8th Avenue SW

747 Lake Bonavista Dr SE

FOUR SETTINGS, ONE PHILOSOPHY

340 - 17th Avenue SW

338 - 17th Avenue SW

crmr.com 31

Making The Case For Top Value Wines

by TOM FIRTH photography by JASON DZIVER

Come January, we are usually a little tired of all the big meals, and big spending. We might even foolishly swear off eating well or enjoying a nice glass of wine as part of some personal “improvement”.

Rosé Each summer, Culinaire Magazine produces the Alberta Beverage Awards.

The beers, wines, and spirits entered are judged blind by some of the best industry palates in Alberta, and in addition to the Best in Class and Judges’ Selection awards, the editors identify a “Top Value” award for wines that have already won a Judges’ Selection and

that, to our minds, represent excellent value as well in their categories.

Below are the Top Value wines (in no particular order) from the 2015 Alberta Beverage Awards, and I hope you are able to stock up on a few of them the next time you purchase wine this year.

Miguel Torres Santa Digna 2014 Cabernet Rosé, Curico, Chile $14-16 CSPC 721431

Tempranillo

Montecillo 2010 Crianza Rioja, Spain $16-18 CSPC 144493

Dessert Wines

Whistler Chardonnay 2014 Late Harvest Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $20-24 CSPC 197244

Riesling

Deinhard Piesporter 2012 Riesling Germany $13-15 CSPC 106328

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Merlot

Tinhorn Creek 2012 Merlot Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $21-24 CSPC 530725

2016

Sangiovese and Blends Santa Cristina 2012 Toscana, Italy $14-16 CSPC 76521

DINNER & A MOVIE At Heritage Park JOIN US ON TUESDAYS FOR A THEMED DINNER & A MOVIE

Veneto Wines

Botter Gran Passione 2013 Veneto Rosso, Veneto, Italy $18-21 CSPC 764358

VINTAGE CULT CLASSICS • FEBRUARY 9 & 23 ’80s BLOCKBUSTERS • MARCH 8 & 22 FAN FAVOURITES • APRIL 5 & 19 DINNER & A MOVIE

Other Red Italian Varieties Fontanafredda 2013 Barbera Briccotondo Piedmont, Italy $17-20 CSPC 729958

$42.95 +GST per person Includes a themed three-course prix-fixe meal in the Selkirk Grille and viewing of the film in Gasoline Alley’s Exhibit Hall.

Reserve at 403.268.8607 or HeritagePark.ca MOVIE ONLY

$8.00 +GST per person

Rhône Blends

Delas Freres St. Esprit 2013 Cotes Du Rhône Rhone, France $19-21 CSPC 595736 1900 HERITAGE DRIVE S.W.

Malbec

Syrah/Shiraz

Other Red Varieties

Fortified Wines

Red Blends

Pinot Gris/Grigio

Chardonnay

Bordeaux-Based Blends

Pinot Noir

Sparkling Wines

Sauvignon Blanc

Monastrell and Grenache

Finca Los Primos 2014 Malbec Mendoza, Argentina $14-16 CSPC 632919

Ferreira Dona Antonia Reserva NV Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal $23-26 CSPC 157586

Callia Alta 2014 Chardonnay San Juan, Argentina $15-17 CSPC 727269

Col de’Salici NV Prosecco DOC Italy $19-22 CSPC 753888

Cabernet Sauvignon

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $19-21 CSPC 543884 34

Wakefield Estate 2012 Shiraz Clare Valley, Australia $20-22 CSPC 161935

Montaria 2013 Red Alentejo, Portugal $14-17 CSPC 745835

Mission Hill Five Vineyards 2012 Cabernet-Merlot Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $21-24 CSPC 257816

Sileni Cellar Selection 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand $16-18 CSPC 723426

Zinfandel, Tannat and Bonarda Salton Intenso 2012 Tannat Campanha, Brazil $16-18 CSPC 758329

The Grape Grinder 2013 Pinotage Paarl, South Africa $16-18 CSPC 747257

Giusti 2014 Pinot Grigio “Longheri” Veneto, Italy $18-20 CPSC 767178

Red Rooster 2013 Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $20-22 CSPC 628347

Castillo de Monseran 2013 Garnacha Cariñena, Spain, $10-12 CSPC 197806

The Alberta Beverage Awards are produced by Culinaire Magazine and take place each July in Calgary, Alberta. For more information about the competition or the complete results from the 2015 competition, please go to culinairemagazine.ca/ABA

Find Your Best:

Comfort Food

by STEPHANIE ARSENAULT, DAN CLAPSON, STEPHANIE EDDY, VINCCI TSUI

Rich, creamy pasta dishes, warming bowls of soups, tender braised meats,and grilled cheese sandwiches can keep us feeling warm and cosy more than a pair of mitts or a toque ever could.

To find out whether you will find your ultimate comfort in one of the four dishes above, answer these 8 questions. No matter what food you end up with, you’re going to feel like a winner.

1. When it’s cold and snowy outside, I hate the fact that I have to… a) scrap the ice off my car windows. b) walk to work for about 20 minutes. Better bundle up! c) leave my bed. I probably won’t.

2. The amount of guilt I want to feel after having some sort of comfort food is… a) minimal. b) moderate. c) extremely high. I find that satisfies me for longer.

3. My table-to-mouth vessel of choice is… a) a spoon. b) a knife and fork. c) my hands as long as it’s not soup, obviously!

4. In terms of my diet, I identify as… a) omnivore. b) an eat-everything-vore with carnal tendencies. c) mostly vegetarian.

6. Which one of the following would you eat first… a) bone broth. b) a big piece of pork belly. c) baked brie.

5. Would you rather make a comforting meal for yourself at home or go out to a restaurant? a) if it’s really cold out? Definitely at home! b) I’m not a great cook, so I’m willing to trek through arctic tundra for some good food. c) it depends. If my fridge is looking a little sparse, I’ll seek out comfort food.

7. When I go out to eat, I usually am… a) alone, but not in a sad way! b) with a few friends at a fairly nice restaurant. c) with my kids, and they need something simple to handle.

8. True or false: It’s possible to have delicious comfort food that is reasonably healthy. a) truth! b) false! c) I don’t want to think about that kind of thing.

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is creamy, briny and unique, not unlike Pig and Duke executive chef, Evan Robertson’s gourmet take on everyone’s favourite, chicken noodle.

Making a batch of one that stands out is a lot harder to do

Soup

(mostly As) If there’s one comfort dish that fits the bill for any type of appetite, diet or picky eater persona, it’s a bowl of soup.

A simple tomato soup just like mom used to make, spooning into a cream

Braised Meat Dishes (mostly Bs)

There is something about a tender, fallapart-with-the-poke-of-a-fork piece of meat that just screams comfort to me.

Maybe it’s the red wine rich recipe of Julia Child’s famous beef bourguignon, a simple coq au vin simmering away on my friend Ksenia’s stove when I’m invited over for dinner in Montreal, or the pork shoulder my roommate has had in the slow cooker all day, with the smell wafting out of the kitchen and around my home... there’s a real thoughtfulness and care that goes along with braising.

You’ll find slow braised elements in most of our city’s top-notch restaurants.

There’s the no-need-for-a-knife beef short ribs at Blink and at One18 Empire; the eternally comforting braised oxtail French onion soup (I know, I’m blurring comfort food categories here) at Yellow Door Bistro; Vero Bistro’s Milk Fed Osso Buco with saffron risotto and 36

of mushroom soup while the snow falls outside; those types of homemade simple meals always hit the spot.

Then there’s those big bowls of fragrant sate broths and noodles at Nho Saigon in Marda Loop or Pho Dau Bo on 17th Avenue SE, and Thai Sa-on’s tom yum loaded with prawns with that sweet-sour taste of lime leaves and lemongrass.

And we can’t talk about soup without mentioning the sumptuous signature mushroom soups at Escoba and Cilantro.

Almost every Calgary restaurant serves up a bowl of soup, but making a batch of one that stands out is a lot harder to do. Oak Tree Tavern’s dill pickle soup

There really are as many kinds of soup as there are fish in the sea, which keeps things interesting, but most importantly really comforting.

porcini mushroom sauce; Anju’s robust and spicy ramen with melt-in-yourmouth pork belly; Whitehall’s tender pork cheek with apple and barley... the list can go on and on.

With the world-class quality Alberta offers in terms of beef, lamb, bison and pork, it’s only natural that restaurants here have so much to offer a diner when it comes to slow braised dishes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (mostly Cs)

For many of us, a grilled cheese sandwich brings us back to a time when two pieces of golden buttery bread with a slice of melted processed cheese was the ultimate treat. Now that our tastes have evolved we still crave that classic combo, but we’re ready for something more.

We’re branching out to different types of cheeses, broader bread selections, and even savoury, spicy or sweet add-ins for an interesting twist.

Luckily, there are a plethora of chefs serving up unique grilled cheese to comfort-craving Calgarians.

Stop by Taste for their trio of blue, brie, and aged cheddar cheese topped with a slice of house cured ham. Or pay a visit to Janice Beaton’s grilled cheese bar on 17th Avenue SW, to sample their sophisticated offerings like the ham and gruyere, featuring Valbella

Mac ‘n’ Cheese

(Mix of As, Bs and Cs) Whether it invokes memories of squirting ketchup over a steaming bowl as a kid, or eating it straight out of the pot in college, mac and cheese is the

maple pepper ham, Brassica mustard, and arugula. Blue Star Diner offer four choices of Sylvan Star grilled cheese sandwiches, from the Sourdough Bison Stacker with bison chili and cheddar, to Granny Smith, which, as it sounds,

comes with apple slices, sautéed onions, and gruyere, on linseed rye. And then there’s pesto with peppered gouda, and mortadella with gruyere – you’ll be spoilt for choice!

ultimate comfort food. Its name may be deceivingly simple, but who can say no to a bowl of hot, bubbly, melty, gooey, cheesy pasta?

are taking mac and cheese to the next level, and we don’t mean simply baking it with breadcrumbs, or using pasta other than macaroni. Take everyone’s favourite downtown live music spot, The Palomino, who opt for a mix of white and smoked cheddars, and a healthy amount of blue cheese. You can add smoky barbecued meats for a few extra dollars too, making it an ultimate comfort food combination.

While mom’s recipe was probably pretty straightforward, restaurants

If you fancy yourself a true gourmet, try the lobster mac and cheese with truffle oil at Vintage Chophouse, or the mac and cheese with butter-poached lobster, crab, bacon and truffle-scented breadcrumbs from MONKI Breakfast Club & Bistro.

For something completely different, Naina’s Kitchen will even stuff their five-cheese mac and cheese into a burger for you! Now that’s a mash-up I can really get behind!

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It’s certainly no secret that sun seekers flock to Maui for the unbeatable weather, grainy golden beaches and a myriad of outdoor adventure activities. While the valley isle has never been touted as a foodie destination, a new crop of bold chefs and ambitious restaurateurs is set to change all that.

With a culinary scene becoming as hot as all of those bronzed beauties lounging poolside, you’ll want to pack a one-piece and a pair of forgiving pants, and forget about your beach body this winter. Yes, you’ll likely add a few pounds during your holiday. Here’s a look at some ‘must sample’ spots.

Beyond YYC: A Taste Of Maui

by JODY ROBBINS

A noodle joint in an industrial complex well away from the tourist zone may sound a bit random, but when you’re able to pack in six memorable courses within 35 minutes, you understand why locals and a steady stream of foodies are flocking to Star Noodle. This noodle joint on the outskirts of Lahaina is hopping pretty much anytime of day, and night-time reservations book out a week in advance (fortunately, takeaway is available).

While much of the menu is meant for family style dining, it’s unlikely you’ll want to share. Especially if you’re slurping back Star Udon: fat slices of roast pork swimming amid scallions in a rich pork broth. And if you’ve got kids, set them up with an order of Garlic Noodles, savoury ramen noodles that are simple, yet surprisingly delicious.

Leodas Kitchen and Pie Shop

Another great lunch joint is Leodas Kitchen and Pie Shop along Olowalu Village Road. Getting to Leodas is half the fun. The curvy Honoapiilani Highway hugs the coastline, while Dr. Seuss-like trees canopy overtop it. Head here for glorified grandma food, such as savoury pies and a wide selection of ribbon-worthy sweet pies. Tempting as it is to start off with dessert first, begin with quite possibly the best tuna sandwich of your life. Sushi grade ahi is lightly seared before being layered with caramelized kula onion, local pesto, avocado and aioli. From there it’s a toss up between their infamous Banana Cream Pie (the owners farm their own bananas, plus other fruits and veg) or a sinful Lavender Creme Brule.

Leodas Kitchen and Pie Shop

Star Noodle 38

Eskimo Candy

Part of the appeal of Maui is its abundance of condo-style accommodation, many of which are clustered around Kehei. If you’re in this neck of the woods, you’ll want to swing

by Eskimo Candy for fresh, locally caught fish. Intimate and unpretentious, meals are served up on paper plates with plastic utensils. Poke bowls are what they’re most famous for and there are several kinds to choose from - all thick chunks of ahi tuna marinated in a variety of different sauces such as furikake or shoyu served on a bed of rice. It’s savoury, filling fare, as is their chowder - chock full of local scallops, clams, shrimp and nary a potato. The only downside is that it’s closed on weekends, so plan accordingly.

modernized, like the street corn pimped up with lime crema, queso fresco, gochugaru and bacon. For a more substantial bite, opt for the Tonkatsu Duroc Pork Chop, cooked sous-vide before being flash fried with a panko crust. And how fun are the hand cut Fat Chow Funn Noodles? Thick and cut like fries, these glistening morsels are tossed with slivers of pork belly, fruity tomato, and fresh greens in a brown butter sauce.

While the isle has never been a foodie destination, a new crop of bold chefs and restaurateurs is set to change all that But you didn’t come to Maui just to eat, now did you? Getting the right resort can make or break your holiday. For those who like their freedom, Napili Kai Beach Resorts is a laid back property MiGRANT

With fusion cuisine seeing a major resurgence in our country’s dining scene, Canadians will really appreciate MiGRANT, celebrity chef Sheldon Simeon’s latest venture. As its name suggests, the restaurant is influenced by almost every nationality that’s settled along the archipelago. It’s local food, but

with fully equipped condo-suites sporting stunning beach views. Here, you won’t get dinged with additional resort charges and because it’s familyrun, you’re often able to negotiate great rates by calling directly to their reservations department.

For those who don’t want to lift a finger, The Ritz Carlton Kapalua is the way to go. This swish property was almost built upon an ancient Hawaiian burial ground. Instead, they chose to protect the site and continue to serve as a model of cultural sustainability.

Forget daycare-esque kid’s clubs, JeanMichel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment offers families one-of-akind naturalist programs that are truly meaningful and memorable.

Foodies will appreciate their on-site two-acre organic garden, especially when imbibing their fresh garden-toglass cocktails. For a splurge-worthy dinner, Banyan Tree offers creative riffs on traditional French and American cuisine, such as Bouillabaisse in a delightful lemongrass broth. And those potbellied pigs roaming around the property? They’re ambassadors, not lunch. But given the nature of the farm to fork movement in Maui, you’d be forgiven if you thought otherwise!

Jody Robbins is a freelance lifestyle writer, which allows her to travel with her family - one daughter, one husband and one dog. Follow her adventures on her blog ‘Travels with Baggage’ or on Twitter @Jody_Robbins.

MiGRANT

Banyan Tree 39

A Change In Varietal: Great Wines You’ve Never Heard Of

by JACLYN ADOMEIT

Cabernet sauvignon? Everybody knows that one. Riesling? It’s that German sweet stuff, right? Malbec? From Argentina, great with steak. Pinot noir? That’s the fancy stuff the guy in the wine movie went crazy for.

We all know our favourite varietals, but what about trying a few of the thousands we may never have even heard of? According to the University of Adelaide’s 2010 wine database, the combined land surface covered by plantings of cabernet sauvignon, riesling, malbec, and pinot noir is less than 10

Photograph courtesy Tom Firth 40

percent of the world’s wine growing area. It’s time to branch out, and try some delightful, but lesser known, wines.

If you drink cabernet sauvignon, try touriga nacional.

The crown prince of Portugal, touriga nacional, has a history to rival its French

counterpart. Grown in the Douro Valley and Dão regions, it’s often blended with touriga francesa to produce full-bodied, age-worthy, tannic wines that pair perfectly with red meats and cold winter nights. These wines are excellent value for their price point, and will impress even the most discerning palates.

Niepoort 2013 Dialogo Douro, Portugal Big and bold: an evolving nose of blackberry, baked cherry, and leather meets integrated tannins and flavours of raspberry, white pepper, and charred wood. Could befriend many foods, but it begs for steak. CSPC 745245 $23

If you like sauvignon blanc, what about grüner veltliner?

While the varietal may sound like a Swiss yodeling trio, don’t let the name fool you. Grüner veltliner’s bright citrus flavours and minerality combine with balanced acidity to make a delicious, dry, white wine that is tailored for food pairings. Most often from Austria, and nearly always made as a single varietal wine, grüner veltliner has travelled to new frontiers and is cropping up in wines all over the new and old world.

Stift Göettweig 2011 Messwein Kremstal, Austria Slightly effervescent with complementary flavours of tart lemon, sweet peach, grapefruit, and a long finish that alludes to French cheese rinds. Pair with seafood or cream sauces.

CSPC 740333 $19

Can’t get enough pinot noir? Try its little brother, gamay noir.

Gamay noir was once side swept into the backwaters of Beaujolais winemaking. Submitted to high temperature fermentation, it left the drinker with banana and boiled candy flavours – no longer.

Beaujolais has experienced a renaissance in natural winemaking practices and many producers now use limited additives and wild yeast to create subtle gamay noir wines that weave flavours

of raspberries with earth and rose petal. Similar to many French wine appellations, you will rarely see the varietal on the label, but with a little research you are in for a treat.

Terres Dorees 2013 Côte De Brouilly Beaujolais, France A brilliant gamay noir. Intricate layers of raspberry, clove, orange peel, turned earth, rose, black cherry, and the list goes on. It lingers and delights. Pair with fois gras, or freshly-baked buttered bread. CSPC 741809 $30

You drink merlot? Give barbera a try.

A deeply coloured wine with stunning red fruit and balanced acid, Barbera is food-forward with nearly endless pairing potential. The varietal is found throughout Italy, and the most common appellation is Barbera d’Asti. It is often matured in toasted oak, which lends the wine subtle tannins.

Michele Chiarlo Le Orme 2012 Barbera D’asti, Piedmont, Italy A wonderful complex wine: Cherry, cranberry, orange peel, a hint of clove, and a sandalwood finish. Balanced acid makes it an easy pairing for most dishes, but it will complement prosciutto particularly well. CSPC 727648 $17

Chardonnay got your tongue?

Savour some albariño.

If you have a love affair with unoaked, apple and peach chardonnay, just wait until you try albariño. It’s a whirlwind of stone fruit flavours. The varietal is traditionally dry and heady, with florality. Like any Spanish wine, albariño from Rias Biaxas is food-friendly and pairs well with everything from cheese to poultry.

Estylo Puro 2013, Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain An effervescent wine that combines pear, peach, chalk, fresh honey, and vibrant minerality. Clean and dry. Pair with creamy cheeses, turkey dinner, or sea bass. CSPC 748598 $22

Is malbec your favourite? How about a grenache-syrah blend.

Malbec has taken root all over the world – and it’s no wonder. Traditional examples from Cahors, in France, are full-bodied, robustly tannic, and age beautifully. Grenache and syrah mimic malbec’s best qualities. They are often blended together in the Rhône Valley of France to make wines with rich tannins, dark fruit, and earthy characteristics. Full bodied flavour meets well-priced complexity.

La Vieille Ferme 2014, Ventoux Rhône Valley, France Deep purple colour backed up by a spiced fruit nose. Lush tannins are flattered by cassis, tobacco, and plum on the palate. Can be enjoyed now or laid down for a few winters.

CSPC 263640 $15 In no time you will be saying: touriga nacional? I have a whole case aging in my cellar. Gamay noir? Just as complex as pinot, and it’s fermented naturally.

Albarino? That’s what we’re having with turkey dinner.

Cheers, and here’s to finding new favourites hiding behind lesser known labels!

Jaclyn’s first passion was winemaking. She’s worked in vineyards, cellars, and restaurants. Currently, she is a writer who daylights as an environmental engineer.

She has travelled to tasting rooms from Vietnam to Portugal, and believes that a good life, like a good wine, is not complete without balance.

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Open That Bottle

by LINDA GARSON photography by INGRID KUENZEL

“Pretty much the first 20 years of my life was the six-mile diet, none of this 100-mile stuff,” says John Gilchrist.

Food writer, restaurant critic, travel writer, and - by his own admission - bad golfer, Gilchrist has lived in Calgary for over 40 years now, but is originally from the small Alberta city of Wetaskiwin.

He grew up on an organic farm before anyone used the word ‘organic’. “It was just a farm,” he says, “and pretty much we ate whatever we raised and we raised whatever we ate - and if we didn’t do it, then one of our neighbours or one of our relatives did,” he laughs.

In 1973, Gilchrist moved to Calgary to study psychology and drama at university, and, as he says, “I never successfully left”. He’d worked in theatre for a couple of years before school, and continued after his degree, while also writing, editing and selling advertising for a magazine, for extra income. He started writing occasional restaurant reviews just for fun and to fill pages, but after about six months, he received a call from CBC Radio looking for a new restaurant reviewer for the Calgary ‘Eyeopener’ show.

From there the food work blossomed, and Gilchrist started teaching food and culture at the university, while holding down senior management positions at the Banff Centre, Glenbow Museum, and Calgary Centre for Performing Arts.

But in 1997, he decided to work with food full-time. Leap forward 18 years and 11 restaurant guides later, he still 42

writes a regular column for the Calgary Herald and appears weekly on CBC Radio, but retired from teaching at the university last year, now just continuing with their travel programs.

“Basically I eat for a living,” he says, “and hopefully I’ll be able to do so for a few more years.” Amazingly, in November last year, Gilchrist celebrated his 35th anniversary at CBC. More unusual work has come along on the way too; Gilchrist is recognized by the Court Of Queen’s Bench as an expert witness in food and restaurant matters, and has worked on three legal cases. He was also involved in an undercover filming of food in long-term care centres, which helped change how seniors are fed in centres across the province, for which he is justifiably proud.

And what bottle is Gilchrist saving for a special occasion?

He keeps a cellar of around 300 bottles - a full range of reds, whites,

dessert wines, and bubblies from all over the world. “The bottle I have is a 1999 vintage Dom Perignon, a classic champagne,” he says. “It was a gift given to me about eight years ago, and it’s funny because it’s one of those bottles I take out and think ‘is this the right occasion for it,’ waiting for the really special occasion. For a while, I had a 1990 that went along with it, and we did drink the 1990 a couple of years ago, but the 1999 has yet to find that right occasion.”

So when does he think he might open that bottle?

“I think it should come up soon because I think it’s getting to the point where it should be drunk,” he says. “But I think it’s got to be for four people.

Two people - my wife and I - could do it, but it’s almost like you should have four people; not six, not two, it’s got to be four people. It’s got to be the right event, and I really don’t know what that is. I’m sure someday it will call out, and I’ll reach in and say “this is the bottle for that occasion.”