Culinaire #2 10 (april 2014)

CALGARY / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 2 NO.10 :: APRIL 2014

THE ELEMENTS OF A GREAT BRUNCH

SHOWING OFF OUR SUNNY SIDE

A Year of Beer | Easter Eats | Wayfarer: Kelowna

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21 66 Volume 2 / issue #10 april 2014

Features 32

Something Worth Waking Up For… Monki Breakfast Club and Bistro is feeding Calgary’s brunch habit – and kicking it up a notch.

by Dan Clapson

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Deliciously Simple A guide to baking eggs

by Renee Kohlman

49 The Caesar Gets Crafty…

And becomes The Red Snapper

by Tarquin Melnyk

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A Gluten-Free Storm Lakeview Bakery lead the way

by Laura Lushington

50 A Day Of Its Own World Malbec Day

by Tom Firth

8 Event Previews 9

Cookbook Reviews

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Find Your Best: Brunch Spot Which will suit you best?

by Stephanie Arsenault, Dan Clapson, Diana Ng and Vincci Tsui

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Ask Culinaire

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Chefs’ Tips and Tricks!

30 Dim Sum A Guide to Chinese Brunch

by Vincci Tsui 38

The Other Other White Meat Cooking rabbit for Easter

by Robyn MacLean

46 Hot Okanagan

5 cool wineries for 2014

by Jeannette Montgomery

Beer Is For Festivals The arrival of Beer Festivals on the tourism calendar; sixteen events within driving distance or a short flight away.

by David Nuttall

Organic & Biodynamic Wine Good — and Good For You

by Steve Goldsworthy

56 Versatility in a Bottle

Vermouth is catching eyes

by Erika Tocco

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Wayfarer: Kelowna There’s no shortage of delicious food (and wine!) morning, noon and night in this lakeside city.

by Laura Lushington

Departments 6

Salutes and Shout Outs

24 Step-By-Step Easter Bread

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Alberta Cocktail Competition 2014 The competitors and their recipes

by Linda Garson

26 Menu Gems

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Open That Bottle Erin Rosar, Willow Park Wines & Spirits

by Linda Garson

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28 7 Ways To Spice Up Eggs Benedict Soup Kitchen

Front cover photography by Ingrid Kuenzel, with thanks and appreciation to Kelly at Reclaimed Trading Company.

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Letter From The Editor

It’s officially Spring! Can’t help but smile to think of longer days and warmer ones too. Not that you’ll ever hear complaints about winter from this direction, we’ve all chosen to live in this amazing city, come sun or snow!

With April comes Easter, and traditional foods – eggs: sunny side up, hardboiled and chocolate ones too! We’ve also some new ideas to try for your Easter dishes.

If you haven’t cooked rabbit before, keep an open mind and imagine you’re in Spain or Italy, where it’s on most menus.

Beer and wine festival season starts now, so if you’re heading to the Okanagan this spring, we’ve suggestions for lesserknown wineries to visit, and a full listing of beer festivals across western Canada and within easy reach by car or air, in the United States.

We’ve lots of eggy recipes for you too in this issue, and where you find eggs, you’ll regularly find breakfast and brunch, so we’ve been peeping behind the scenes at some of Calgary’s great morning and lunch spots for you.

Check out our new website for the latest competitions, exclusive articles and recipes - and now with full details of our first Culinaire event! As places are so limited for these premium evenings, if you’d like to hear in advance and before they sell out, let us have your name and email address, mentioning “Special Events”, at culinairemagazine.ca/contact-us.

On the beverage front, April means International Malbec Day, and we have recommendations for great wines at different price levels for you. It’s Earth Day too, so we’re looking at organic and biodynamic wines and understanding the ‘why’s, ‘what’s and ‘wherefore’s.

Eat well and be well, Linda Garson Editor-in-Chief

presents the

‘Calgary Elite Chef Series’, intimate and exclusive dinners with Calgary’s notable chefs as they prepare their last dinner.

To reserve your place at this premier evening, visit culinairemagazine.ca or contact linda@culinairemagazine.ca 403-870-9802

Join us on April 10th for the first in this limited availability, select series, to watch and learn from Top Chef Canada Chef Chris Shaften as he prepares five courses of his absolute favourite dishes, each course paired with a premium wine.

You’ll enjoy the dinner tableside with him - and go home with the recipes!

Presenting Sponsor

CALGARY / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES Editor-in-Chief/Publisher: Linda Garson linda@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Drinks Editor: Tom Firth tom@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Food Editor: Dan Clapson dan@culinairemagazine.ca Commercial Director Keiron Gallagher and Advertising: 403-975-7177 keirongallagher@gmail.com Digital Media: Laura Lushington laura@culinairemagazine.ca Design: Emily Vance Contributors: Stephanie Arsenault Natalie Findlay Steve Goldsworthy Renee Kohlman Ingrid Kuenzel Laura Lushington Robyn MacLean Fred Malley Tarquin Melnyk Karen Miller Jeannette Montgomery Diana Ng David Nuttall JP Pedhirney Erika Tocco Vincci Tsui

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.culinairemagazine.ca www.facebook.com/CulinaireMagazine Twitter: @culinairemag For subscriptions, competitions and to read Culinaire online: culinairemagazine.ca

Our Contributors < Vincci Tsui

A registered dietician by day, you may think that Vincci Tsui would stop talking about food at night, but it’s the opposite! Vincci is the food editor of Calgary is Awesome, author of Ceci n’est pas un food blog, and instructor for Start from Scratch. She is also frequently called upon by local and national media to provide expert nutrition advice. When she’s not cooking, eating or on the computer, Vincci can often be found training for her next Muay Thai fight.

< Robyn MacLean

Robyn works as a public relations professional and an occasional food writer. She spends the majority of her time creating new recipes, eating, and writing about food. When she isn’t lusting after food, she can be found advocating for the wildly misunderstood Pit Bull breed.

Although her heart belongs to Calgary, she is currently living in Houston, eating copious amounts of BBQ and Tex-Mex. Follow her on Twitter @robynalana, Instagram @robynalana13.

now open lunch | dinner happy hour | wine

“...duck confit, one of the best we have had outside of France” — John Gilchrist | CbC Radio Friday January 31, 2014

< Jeannette Montgomery

With her rural Canadian roots and love of grand experiences, Jeannette is equal measures county and city. She’s as comfortable catching the fish for dinner as she is suggesting a local BC wine to pair with it.

From Ontario’s cottage country, Jeannette spent more than a decade in Vancouver before moving to Oliver, BC with her fella. They have three cats, a 1966 Satellite mid-restoration, and more than a few bottles of BC wine. For research, of course.

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.

Hours of ope ration Monday to Thursday 11am – 11pm Friday 11am – 1am saturday 6pm – 2am 801 – 6th street sW Calgary, alberta T2P 3V8 587.352.KORQ (5677) www.KORQwinehouse.ca

Salutes …

Winefest People’s Choice Awards At this year’s WineFest, attendees were invited to vote for their favourite red, white and zebra (sparkling, dessert, port, mead wine etc) wines. The winners are: Best Red Wine: Negru de Purcari 2008 from Moldova, Best White Wine: Matua Hawkes Bay Sauvingon Blanc 2012 from New Zealand, and a tie for Zebra between Casa Bianchi New Age Frizzante from Argentina and Long Flat Red Moscato 2012. Well done all!

Cattle Boyz BBQ Sauce wins again!

Congratulations to Cattle Boyz, the Okotoks-based company whose Chipotle Maple Sauce has won another award! Placing 5th out of 500 for ‘Best BBQ Sauce’ at the US National BBQ Association Awards of Excellence, this sauce also took 1st place for best label!

Gluten- and fat-free, proceeds from sales support ALS Research.

Wine List Awards winners Congratulations to all restaurants recognized at VanWineFest for creating outstanding wine lists to complement their menus! Local winners are: Platinum: Cilantro, Divino. Gold: Deer Lodge, River Café, Vin Room Mission, Vin Room West. Silver: Buffalo Mountain Lodge Honourable Mention: Bar C, CHARCUT - which means Brad Royale, of Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts (CRMR), took home 5 awards!

and Shout Outs …

Just visit culinairemagazine.ca and let us know the best view you’ve ever had with a meal, and why! Did the food live up to the view? The story CRMR like the best will win this fabulous prize!

Palliser celebrates with amnesty

The Ranche reopens in Bonavista CRMR are also celebrating the opening of the new their restaurant, The Lake House (formerly The Ranche in Fish Creek Park). This completely refurbished space has stunning views of Lake Bonavista, with Chef Thomas Neukom’s Rocky Mountain cuisine to match. Open for lunch, brunch and dinner, look for the signature Charcuterie Board and Fish Plank, as well as local Bison Brisket, roasted Wild Boar, and Wild Northern Caribou. lakehousecalgary.com To mark the occasion, you can win a basket of CRMR goodies along with their cookbook, ‘Simple Treasures’!

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On June 1, The Fairmont Palliser will be 100 years old! To honour the anniversary, they’ve launched an amnesty program to collect hotel memorabilia. You are encouraged to return any item ‘borrowed’ over the last 100 years with no questions asked!

There’s a series of events throughout the year too, to honour The Palliser’s history, alumni and community.

20 years old!

What were you doing in 1994? Willow Park Wines & Spirits were opening their showcase store on Bonaventure Drive SE, and Tinhorn Creek, just south of Oliver B.C., were planting grapes on the Black Sage and Golden Mile benches!

Look for 20 special anniversary events at tinhorn.com/20years, and ongoing celebrations at willowpark.net

A Taste For Life 2014 Participating restaurants donate 25% of their sales on April 23rd. In Calgary, A Taste For Life supports The SHARP Foundation, operating three support homes for individuals affected by HIV/ AIDS. Visit atasteforlife.org/calgary for an up-to-date restaurant list.

A place of their own!

Tool Shed Brewing has found a location for their new Calgary brewery, after home brewing in their tool shed, then having beer brewed by Dead Frog Brewery in Aldergrove, B.C.! Opening in fall, we can look forward to more types of beer and to their new taproom.

The Vintage Group collection of iconic restaurants have satisfied Calgary palates

for over 10 years. Our locally-owned eateries offer award-winning cuisine and exceptional service. With everything from authentic Southern BBQ to Canadian comfort food, prime steaks and premium fresh seafood, we take pride in creating a unique and memorable dining experience.

YOUR TABLE AWAITS.

rushoceanprime.com

vintagechophouse.com

redwatergrille.com

bookersbbq.com 7

April Events

by DAVID NUTTALL

Slow Food Roots ‘n’ Shoots

Art of the Cocktail

April 5-7, Jack Singer Concert Hall Lobby, 205 8 Avenue SE April 5: 4:00–6:00 pm, 7:30–10:00 pm Grand Tastings: $40, Seminars: $35 Victoria’s annual Art of the Cocktail festival celebrates its first out-of town event. Extravagant Grand Tastings combine 70 spirits into cocktail samples with Calgary’s best fare. Two Grand Tasting events on April 5 are followed by two days of workshops, competitions, a farewell party and award night finale. In support of Calgary Film Festival. artofthecocktail.ca/

April 14, Cocktails 6:00 pm Dinner 6:30 pm River Cafe on Prince’s Island Park $125 for members, $160 non-members Slow Food Calgary’s annual celebration of spring’s return. Hosted by River Café, chef Andrew Winfield and guest chefs prepare a magnificent 6-course seasonal prairie menu, accompanied by Canadian wines. slowfoodcalgary.ca

The 2014 California Wine Fair

April 23, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm Hotel Arts, 119 12th Avenue SW Tickets: $65 Supporting Calgary Opera, the California Wine Fair gives consumers a chance to sample more than 120 wines, some exclusive to this event, from 90 California wineries, and speak directly with wine producers, while enjoying delicious hors d’ouevres and a silent auction. calgaryopera.com/winefair

12th Calgary Maple Festival des Sucres

April 26, 10:30 am-4:30 pm.

April 27, 11:00 am-4:00 pm Cliff-Bungalow Mission Community Park, 2201 Cliff Street SW Enjoy Francophone cultural and historical exhibitions, hay rides, Children’s Village, the Sugar Market, visual arts, “Taste of Québec”, and entertainment for everyone. calgarymaplefest2.weebly.com

21st Annual Lawson Lundell Celebrity Hors d’Oeuvres

April 10, 6:30 pm, Southern Jubilee Auditorium Lobby, 1415 14 Avenue NW Tickets: $75 Supporting Alberta Theatre Projects, 10 of Calgary’s top restaurants and celebrities compete to sell you spectacular food prepared by top chefs. atplive.com/Events/LawsonLundell.html 8

New Zealand In A Glass

April 29, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm Ranchmen’s Club, 710 13th Avenue SW Tickets: $60 Sample more than 55 wines from over a dozen producers from this diverse country. Meet the winemakers, and discover the sensational taste experience of New Zealand wines accompanied by fine foods and cheeses. nzwine.com/events/new-zealand-in-aglass-calgary-consumer

Calgary International Beerfest

BMO Centre, Stampede Park May 2, 4:00 pm-10:00 pm Beer Geek VIP 3:00 pm-4:00 pm May 3, 2:00 pm-9:00 pm Beer Geek VIP 1:00 pm-2:00 pm Tickets: $19 in advance, $25 at the door, Weekend Pass: $30 Beer Geek VIP Daily Ticket: $25, Weekend Pass: $40 Celebrating 10 years, Beerfest has grown by 50%. Receive an official mug to try 500 beers, ciders and coolers. Take part in seminars, talk with experts, sample delicious foods, and taste new beers, many available at the show and nowhere else in the world. In support of the Autism, Aspergers Friendship Society. calgarybeerfest.com

Book Reviews Seasons

Inspirations from the SAIT Polytechnic School of Hospitality and Tourism 2013 $40 If you want to become a more seasoned (no pun intended) cook, then the knowledge and skills of the SAIT culinary and hospitality team will assist you to produce professional quality meals. This cookbook is filled with many notes on ingredients and chefs’ notes on technique, timing, assembly and garnishing. As the title suggests, the recipes are organized by season with a strong focus on fresh, local ingredients.

The Butcher, The Baker, The Wine & Cheese Maker

Jennifer Schell An Okanagan Cookbook 2012. $29.95 I have been lucky to spend lots of time over the past 20 years in the Okanagan, and the subject of this book is dear to my culinary soul. I have met, bought from, eaten food by, and discovered many of the wonderful people showcased in the book, and it has been a joy to see them thrive and blossom.

This group is driven by their passion and is dedicated to bringing the best the

by KAREN MILLER

The recipes come from graduates, and many of those names will be recognized as part of the thriving culinary scene in Calgary. Although some recipes may seem daunting, they are not all complex; the technique is detailed enough to help the home cook raise everything to a professional level, both in taste and presentation. I loved the recipe for “Chicken Pita with Coriander sauce”, a simple idea, good for a family dinner, and the picture shows how a beautiful presentation makes it dinner party ready. Yes, there is a recipe with foie gras, but there is also a recipe for a grilled sandwich. There are also excellent

wine recommendations and stunning photographs to inspire all home cooks to test their talent with the help of the skilled SAIT professional team.

Okanagan has to offer to the table.

The book really is the journey of these people, many of whom have grown up in the area but also some who came from afar and never left. Summing it up best is the answer to the question so often asked of them “why does this carrot taste so good?” the answer being, “it was harvested this morning”.

with a view from heaven at Mission Hill Winery, or any meal at Waterfront Wines, to say nothing of the early mornings at Kelowna’s Farmers Market to get the fruit from Forbes Farm, and the loaded coolers when I returned to Calgary, this book truly reflects all the best experiences the Okanagan has to offer. So glad they could share!

With personal experience of the early days of dining at De Montreuil’s or lining up at Okanagan Bakery for a chocolate croissant, having lunch under the trellis at Silk Road Winery, and

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.

A LITTLE SIBLING RIVALRY NEVER HURT ANYBODY

c il a nt ro FOOD & DRINK

113 - 8th Avenue SW

747 Lake Bonavista Dr SE

FOUR SETTINGS, ONE PHILOSOPHY

340 - 17th Avenue SW

338 - 17th Avenue SW

crmr.com

Ask Culinaire

by CHEF JP PEDHIRNEY

What is the process to cooking the best poached eggs?

Answer: Poaching an egg is probably

one of the most common cooking practices/trends in today’s culinary scene. A poached egg can be found on most restaurant menus, whether it completes a benedict, a salad at lunch or paired with ingredients like asparagus and truffles during dinner.

Although the concept of poaching an egg is simple, it is important to understand how the process works so that one can be confident and consistent with the practice.

To start, the most important step is to make sure you are using the freshest eggs. The fresher the egg, the better the egg whites, which will yield the best results. Water is also very important.

The water should be at a temperature that is hot, but not too hot where it will overcook your entire egg. When

poaching, use a saucepot that can hold at least four litres of water. The large volume allows the water temperature to stay consistent.

Before adding water to your pot, try placing a heat-safe plate upside down in the bottom of the pot. This will prevent your eggs from sticking to the bottom where the temperature is much higher.

Using a thermometer, bring your water to 80º C. The water should be almost at a simmer and you should be able to see steam rise off the surface. Add a few pinches of salt and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice, or vinegar. This will help encourage egg white coagulation so when you drop your egg in the water, the whites won’t disperse.

After about four minutes at 80º, your eggs should be cooked with a nice silky yolk. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and roll the bottom of the spoon on a paper towel to dry off excess moisture on the egg. It is now yours to use as you’d like!

Now, it’s time for the egg to take a plunge. First, crack your egg(s) into a small soup bowl (maximum four eggs

The most important step is to make sure you are using the freshest eggs

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per bowl). Start to stir the water in your pot until you create a mini whirlpool.

Bring the bowl close to the surface of the water and gently drop the eggs into the spinning water, one by one. At this point the egg white should enrobe themselves around the egg yolks. You’ll want to keep stirring the water gently so the eggs don’t group together, and skim any excess egg white that has risen to the surface.

Chef JP Pedhirney is a Red Seal Certified Chef.

He led the kitchen at Rouge Restaurant as Chef de Cuisine and is now the Executive Chef of Muse Restaurant in Kensington

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A Deliciously Simple Guide To Baking Eggs Story and photography by RENEE KOHLMAN

Eggs are a staple in most kitchens, but they no longer have to be just poached, fried or scrambled. With a little preparation, baking eggs with a variety of ingredients can transform your breakfast, lunch or dinner into a whole new world. So long, sunny side up!

Shakshuka

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Shakshuka Serves 4

People always give me funny looks when I tell them I had Shakshuka for breakfast. Their quizzical looks make me happy because then I get to tell them about one of my favourite egg dishes.

There is even a restaurant in Jaffa, Israel called Dr. Shakshuka, where patrons heartily tuck into - you guessed it shakshuka. This versatile, North African dish is saucy and spicy. Feel free to swap around the herbs and spices, and be sure to use lovely garden tomatoes if making this in summer or fall. A chunk of good white bread is ideal for dunking into the glorious sauce and wiping your plate clean.

1 tsp ground cumin ½ cup (120 mL) olive oil 2 large onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 peppers, red, yellow and/or orange, sliced into 1 cm strips 1 Tbs (15 mL) honey 2 bay leaves 1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves ½ cup chopped cilantro ½ cup chopped parsley 1 can (796 mL) San Marzano tomatoes, or whole tomatoes (or 8 ripe, chopped tomatoes) 2 tsp paprika 2 pinches cayenne pepper salt and pepper 8 eggs ½ cup feta cheese chopped cilantro or thyme for garnish

Eggs en Cocotte with Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese

Preheat oven to 400º F.

1. In a very large pan, heat the cumin

over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the oil and onions, sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and peppers, stirring well. Cook about 3 minutes, then stir in the honey and herbs. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add the tomatoes, breaking them

up with the back of your spoon. Stir in the paprika, cayenne, season with salt and pepper. If mixture seems too thick, thin with water. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes. You want a pasta sauce-like consistency.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bay leaves. Divide the mixture into 4 individual small frying pans, or into 1 large one. Make little indentations into the sauce, and crack an egg into each.

4. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and

salt. Scatter feta over sauce and eggs.

Cover with lid or aluminium foil and bake until white is set but yolks are still soft, about 10 - 20 minutes.

5. Garnish with chopped cilantro or

thyme and serve with large chunks of crusty bread.

So long, sunny side up!

Each individual dish of eggs is like a little gift

Baked Eggs with Lentils, Rapini and Spiced Turmeric Butter

Eggs en Cocotte with Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Serves 2

Eggs en Cocotte is just a fancy way of saying baked eggs with cream. Each individual dish of eggs is like a little gift, beholding tasty morsels of smoked salmon, goat cheese and creamy leeks and kale underneath. Simple to make, yet dressed to impress.

2 Tbs butter 1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only 2 cups baby kale, spinach or arugula 1/4 cup (60 mL) heavy cream 60 g smoked salmon, chopped small 1/3 cup (70 g) goat cheese, crumbled small handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half salt and fresh ground pepper 4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400º F.

1. In a large frying pan, heat the butter

over medium high heat. Stir in the leeks, cook until soft, 4 minutes. Stir in kale, cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cream.

2. Divide the greens into four 4 ounce baking dishes or two 8 ounce baking dishes - be sure the dishes are brushed with olive oil first.

3. Evenly divide the smoked salmon

and goat cheese among the ramekins.

Crack one egg into each of the 4 ounce ramekins, or two eggs into each of the 8 ounce ramekins. Grind fresh pepper over eggs. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on top.

4. Place on a cookie sheet and bake

for 10-15 minutes, until the whites are set but yolks still soft. Garnish with pea shoots or arugula. Serve with hot buttered toast.

Baked Eggs with Lentils, Rapini and Spiced Turmeric Butter Serves 2-4

Nutritional powerhouses like lentils and rapini are cooked in an aromatic butter, providing a great bed for eggs to get all cosy in. Served with warm naan bread; this is comfort food at its best.

1 cup brown or beluga lentils, picked over and rinsed well 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 sprigs thyme 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil 4 Tbs butter (or olive oil) 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp chilli flakes 200 g (about 4 large handfuls) of coarsely chopped rapini, chard or kale 4 large eggs To taste salt and pepper Chilli powder

Preheat oven to 400º F.

1. Put the lentils in a medium saucepan with the garlic and thyme. Cover with plenty of cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 20-35 minutes until tender.

2. Drain and put in a shallow baking

dish, drizzle with 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan,

heat 4 Tbs butter over medium-high heat, add the onion and sauté for five minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the chopped greens, stirring

well and often, just until they are wilted and completely covered in the spiced butter. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Scoop the greens on top of the

lentils. Make 4 little dents in the greens and crack an egg in to each. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the white is set but yolk still soft.

5. Sprinkle with chilli powder before serving. Eat with warm naan bread.

This is comfort food at its best.

Renée Kohlman is a food writer and pastry chef living in beautiful Saskatoon. She writes restaurant reviews for The Saskatoon StarPhoenix and whips up delicious gluten-free dessert creations at Leyda’s Café. Check out her blog sweetsugarbean.ca.

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Twenty-six years ago, British baker Brian Hinton began Lakeview Bakery along with business partner, Mustafa Bilen. Originally an organic community bakery at the end of Crowchild Trail, Lakeview Bakery grew to become a British-themed bakeshop in 1990. It wasn’t until 1996 when the Calgary Chapter of the Canadian Celiac Association approached Hinton that the bakery began to produce organic gluten-free goods. Its products are now found at Calgary Co-op, Save-On Foods, Mrs Green’s Natural Market, as well as Community Natural Foods and Planet Organic.

“Gluten-free has gone from being celiac-classified products to the other diets and now there are all kinds of reasons people go gluten-free,” says Hinton.

Before Lakeview Bakery began producing gluten-free goods it focused on the low-carb craze of the late 90s and early 00s. Hinton even had the opportunity to meet the main man behind the low-carb diet, Robert Atkins, in Los Angeles.

Baking Up a Gluten-Free Storm Story by LAURA LUSHINGTON Photography by INGRID KUENZEL

Gluten-free isn’t just a fad anymore, it’s a way of life for many people in Calgary. From those with celiac disease (gluten-intolerant) to health-conscious folk introducing new grains or seeds into their diets, gluten-free foods have moved their way from specialty sections and shops onto the menus of mainstream restaurants and into our daily lives. At the forefront of this growing industry in our city, is the family-owned Lakeview Bakery.

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“At that time, my customers had been bugging me to make a low-carb bread but I couldn’t figure out how,” explains Hinton on the changing mentalities of his clientele. “But when I saw his products and read his ingredient list, suddenly the whole-thing clicked. The low-carb was just monster. We sold 3,500 loaves of bread a week.”

Customer demand is also how Lakeview Bakery began to bake gluten-free goods. Once asked by the celiac association to produce breads that its members could eat, Hinton began experimenting with different flours and ingredients to produce a range of gluten-free goods. Today, to preserve the integrity of the gluten-free items and avoid cross-contamination, all of the 200 gluten-free products are made at the bakery’s 90 Avenue SW location, which opened in 2011.

“Now, there’s more requests for nonGMO soy-free, corn-free and yeastfree,” says Joanne Schmidt, who is in charge of the bakery’s marketing and development. “Although it’s glutenfree, it’s much more than that. It’s people who need vegan and gluten-free, or corn-free and gluten-free. That’s where, although we are doing a lot of the baking, we’re bringing in products to meet those needs. We can’t do it all!”

It goes without saying, that to work at Lakeview Bakery you need to be knowledgeable about allergies and special diets to best serve your customers. Lakeview Bakery now stocks products from Judy G’s, Sweets From the Earth and El Peto, among many

For ideas, Schmidt says the team regularly attends gluten-free trade shows and even reads blogs to gather insights into trends. One of the biggest trends Schmidt says she sees is people who aren’t celiac or gluten-intolerant, removing it from their diets anyway.

“Although specific people with an illness can’t eat gluten, I think a lot of the alternative grains have health benefits that people are looking for,” she says.

“We make a gluten-free carrot cake that everyone loves. Although it might be because it’s covered in cream cheese icing!” she laughs. “But, we’ve had people who aren’t gluten-free come in asking for it.”

If you’re looking for traditional baking, Lakeview’s original store still carries gluten-ful baked goods including their popular power flax bread and mountain man cookies. All of their baking is organic with the majority of ingredients locally sourced, including grains from Highwood Crossing Farms, cheeses from the Springbank Cheese and flours from Saskatchewan.

Now there are all kinds of reasons people go gluten-free more brands to meet this demand.

However, they are always searching out how to best use different flours and ingredients to make goods to fill the desires of customer’s appetites.

“We started making cinnamon buns due to people asking for them, and now we’re onto scones,” says Schmidt. “Our kitchen tries out new things all the time.

Our bakers learn by experimenting.

With a lot of gluten-free recipes under their belt, Lakeview Bakery is now focusing on alternative (yet still glutenfree) grains like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and millet. Schmidt adds that it’s easy to make desserts like

Nanaimo bars gluten-free, but delicate baked goods like croissants are still in the process of being perfected.

“That’s what has made our business successful — our willingness to try things, “ she adds. “Even if it doesn’t work the first or second or tenth time, eventually we’ll get a recipe perfect and then people will keep coming back for it.”

Laura Lushington is a recent graduate of Mount Royal University’s Bachelor of Communication – Journalism program and Culinaire Magazine’s Digital media Editor.

She’s @LauraLushington or lauralushington.com

Come relax and enjoy.

3303 B oucherie r d . W est K eloWna Bc quailsgate.com | 1.800.420.9463

Chefs' Tips Tricks! story by FRED MALLEY CCC photography by INGRID KUENZEL

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There are a handful of chefs in Calgary who create their cuisine behind heavy wood doors. Many of us are aware of Calgary’s exclusive business and sports-oriented clubs, and some even enjoy the privileges of membership. Dining is an integral part of a club’s function, and consequently they employ very talented chefs to provide members with outstanding food.

Swiss-born Kenneth Titcombe is firmly ensconced in the Ranchmen’s Club, Calgary’s oldest, most prestigious club, with two restaurants and 14 private dining rooms. He had humble beginnings at age 14, working for friends in a Greek restaurant in Jasper. Titcombe says, “It’s important to create great food and be true to who you are. I found it boring when my father would explain mechanical engineering as there was not enough change”.

His career is punctuated with quality experiences that moulded his approach to cuisine. He apprenticed under the fabled Zimmerman at the Westin Calgary before employment in Switzerland and Canada under renowned chefs. By age 23 he held senior positions at the Pacific Rim Vancouver, Four Season’s Edmonton, and with Lidia Shire in Los Angeles and Mark Baker in Boston. The Post Hotel in Lake Louise recruited him at age 29, and he was

Kenneth’s Arctic Char on Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Soya Lime and Ginger Sauce, Shiitake Mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy Serves 6

6 Arctic char fillets, skin on (180 g each) 1 kg Agria Potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes 1 cup (250ml) 1% milk, heated 3/4 cup (200mL) sour cream 100 g unsalted butter 50 g wasabi paste 50 g parsley, washed and fine chopped to paste To taste sea salt

Sauce 1 cup (250ml) fresh fish or chicken stock 3 Tbs (50 mL) soya sauce 2 limes, juice and rind 1 ginger root, grated 3 Tbs (50 mL) Saki or dry white wine 1 shallot, finely diced 1 stalk lemon grass, grated ½ tsp cornstarch

integral in helping them achieve Relais et Chateaux status. The Ranchmen’s Club followed where, “I met the love of my life, Angela. As a member she fell in love with my cooking before we met”.

“My most memorable moment is becoming a father and watching my two children grow into beautiful human beings. Being invited to join the Châine de Rotisseurs at 29 comes a close second”. At home he shares meal prep with Angela, who is an excellent cook.

He tends to cook for guests, leaving fabulous décor to Angela. “I feel sorry for some wives when everything falls on their shoulders”.

Titcombe says, “Source the best and healthiest ingredients and treat them with respect. A fresh, modern approach to the classics is best”. The home larder must have Starbucks French Roast, Swiss chocolate, lemons and homemade chicken broth.

1. Boil potatoes until soft, puree until

smooth. Add milk, butter and sour cream, season with salt & wasabi. Mix in the parsley puree just before serving.

2. Prepare the garnishes so the dish

can be assembled quickly when the fish is ready.

3. Season and pan-sear char in olive oil

Heat all ingredients till translucent and lightly thickened.

and butter, skin side first. Gently turn and brown both sides. Either cover with a lid or place in 350º F oven for 3 - 5 minutes.

Garnish, per plate

4. To plate, form potato into a quenelle

1 shiitake mushroom 1 baby carrot 1 baby bok choy 3 heirloom cherry tomatoes 1 Cipollini onion, slow roasted 1 yellow pepper ¼ lime 1 stalk lemon grass Pickled ginger

shape, then ladle the sauce around and place char, skin side up on top. Arrange all the vegetables artistically, alternating the colours.

5. Garnish with lemon grass, lime and slices of pickled ginger.

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The Calgary Winter Club’s Jeff Merrin CCC, is both Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director. Most of his time is spent in the F & B role, and he is one of a handful of chefs in Canada pursuing the Certified Master Chef designation.

He finds the program both challenging and rewarding, not to mention timeconsuming, perfecting his craft. Time to hunt and fish is tougher, but he makes time with his son and does much of the cooking at home. Pork is his favourite ingredient due to its versatility, and he can’t live without butter and mushrooms.

Merrin grew up in Kingston, Ontario and initially pursued a BSc. degree. A stint in Japan teaching English sparked a love of Asian foods and he travelled and took classes while there. To this day he is a purist at heart when it comes to the flavours and how to combine them. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in NY, he has worked in London’s Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont Lake Louise and Banff Centre.

Memorable career moments include his first meal for 2,000 and his first Châine de Rotisseur dinner.

F & B at the Winter Club requires Merrin to be diplomatic, especially when dealing with member concerns. He must also fully appreciate the relationship between the front and back of the house.

In describing his food philosophy, Merrin says, ‘Making things from scratch allows us to control quality and reduce the amount of preservatives one finds in processed foods. The healthfulness is removed with processing. Cooks need to develop their skills to make food taste like what it is; a chicken curry should still taste of chicken.’

Dining is an integral part of a private club’s function

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Jeff’s Coconut and Chili Chicken with Lime and Cilantro Rice Serves 4 – 6

4 tsp (20 mL) canola oil 4 onions, finely chopped ¼ cup (60mL) garlic, minced 50 g ginger, minced 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised, minced 2 Tbs (30 mL) fish sauce 3 Tbs (45 mL) dark soy sauce 2 Tbs (30 mL) Thai red curry paste 1 small bunch Cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juiced (use zest for rice) 1 tin coconut milk 1 large red onion, fine sliced 1 red pepper, julienned 1 green pepper, julienned 8 chicken thighs 2 tsp (10 mL) salt ½ tsp (3 mL) black pepper Lime Cilantro Rice and Naan bread

1. Add 2 tsp (10ml) canola oil to a

cooking pot and sweat the white onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass to release the flavours.

2. Deglaze pot with soy and fish sauces, add Thai curry paste, cilantro and lime juice. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk, cook for a further 15 minutes, then strain through a fine strainer.

3. Heat a large frying pan and add

remaining canola oil. Fry the chicken on both sides for 5 minutes. Add red onion and peppers. Add the sauce to the

pan, reduce heat and cook chicken until tender.

4. Serve with naan bread and lime

cilantro rice (see culinairemagazine.ca for recipe).

Curried Cashew Nuts Garnish ¼ cup (60 mL) Sambal Oelek ¼ cup (60 mL) butter ¼ cup (60 mL) honey 1 Kg cashew nuts

Sautee the cashews in the butter, add Sambal Oelek and honey. When the cashews are golden brown, remove from heat and place on a lined baking sheet to cool.

Robberecht attended NAIT Culinary School when it was a male-dominated profession. She participated in her first competition while working at the Centre Club in Edmonton, and remembers being told, “Don’t put too much effort in as you are just a girl.” She credits Yoshi Chubachi for pushing her hard in her early years to make her better.

One of the few prominent local female chefs is Liana Robberecht, Executive Chef at the Calgary Petroleum Club.

She started cooking at a very young age, helping her mother. Growing up in Smithers, B.C., Robberecht supports local farm to table; the club’s kitchens make everything from scratch, down to juicing the oranges and using the peel for vinaigrette. She utilizes all of a product to keep her costs in line, and challenges her staff to come up with ways to maximize value from ingredients.

Robberecht returned to Smithers for a time to operate her own business.

She says, “I was the bomb”. Although pursuing excellence almost burned her out, she took away, “To be an effective leader you have to share, collaborate and trust others to do work.”

When not in the kitchen, she enjoys painting in oils and acrylics - and sells her work. The creative penchant does not stop there; she created the online ‘Lollipop Girl Accessories’.

Favourite ingredients are yuzu fruit and apples. She is not a fan of organ meats and believes people need to go back to real food to be more healthful. The recipe she is sharing uses Asian apples.

Robberecht’s Sake Ginger Poached Apple Pear Salad Serves 4

2 apple pears peeled, cored, cut in half 3 cups (675 mL) water 2 cups (450 mL) Sake 1 ½ cups (340 mL) sugar 4 slices ginger root 1 lemon, sliced ½ orange, sliced ½ tsp salt 1 bay leaf 1 thyme sprig

1. Place all ingredients, except apple

pear, in a saucepot, bring to boil, and then turn down to a simmer for approximately 15- 20 minutes. Add apple pear, bring back to a boil, and then remove from heat.

2. Allow for apple pear to cool down in

liquid. Refrigerate overnight for flavours to develop.

www.bernardcallebaut.com

3. Slice the chilled apple pears into

wedges, add your favourite greens, and drizzle with dressing.

4. Drizzle with dressing’ (see

culinairemagazine.ca for recipe).

Watch our flood story www.youtube.com/CococoChocolatiers

Kanuit’s Loin of Lamb with Spring Vegetables Serves 4

Dean Kanuit is the Executive Chef at the Glencoe Club. He says, “I finally realized I did okay for myself, when two years ago, I did a pop-up restaurant in Munich and was housed in a 5* hotel”.

Not bad for a native Calgarian, who as a youngster, watched the Galloping Gourmet. It helped that his mother was an excellent cook and his father enjoyed cooking Chinese food. He enrolled in SAIT’s Professional Cooking program, to which his father retorted, “Just what the world needs, another hamburger flipper”.

Dad ate his words, as last year Kanuit coached the gold medal ‘Best of the Best’ dream team challenge in Hong Kong. This fit his traditionalist approach to food, as three SAIT graduates prepared, served and paired wines for a 3-course dinner, tableside. “The trick is to take classical roots and evolve it into a contemporary presentation style”, he says.

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Kanuit worked at La Chaumiere before heading to South Africa to compete for Canada in the Commis Châine competition, where he placed third in the world. He was quickly snapped up and stayed in South Africa, where his wife made more money working the casino. His advice: “Follow your passion, as there is not necessarily a lot of money.”

Kanuit’s credits his mentors, Otto Daniels for instilling palate and taste, and Vincent Parkinson. He also believes in sending staff on plum opportunities to foster their growth.

Kanuit does much of the cooking at home. Foie gras is his luxury ingredient and cardamom a favourite spice. He sees food trends supporting more whole foods and wishes fewer menus listed Caesar salad. We are lucky to have Kanuit’s recipe for lamb loin with spring vegetables, as he is currently doing double duty while the F & B manager is on leave.

2 boneless lamb loins, trimmed (a butcher can do this for you) 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil 150 g haricot vert, cleaned and trimmed 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced on a bias 100 g snow peas, stemmed and seamed 3 baby hearts of Romaine lettuce, trimmed and quartered 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock, low sodium 2 Tbs (30 mL) chopped fresh mint To taste sea salt and cracked black pepper

1. Season the lamb loins with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil, add lamb and sear 3 minutes per side until nicely browned, remove and set aside to rest.

2. In the sauté pan, add 1 tsp (5 mL)

olive oil and the haricot vert; sauté for 30 seconds until glossy. Add remaining vegetables and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes, then add fresh mint and remove from heat.

3. Slice the lamb, present in shallow

bowls with vegetables, and drizzle with the pan and resting juices.

Fred currently validates Individual Learning Modules for Alberta Apprenticeship, for the trade of Cook. Chair of the Canadian Culinary Institute for five years, Fred actively mentors and examines chefs across Canada.

Find Your Best: Brunch Spot It goes without saying that everyone loves a good breakfast, especially on the weekend.

There is definitely no shortage of restaurants to head to when you’re craving something delicious in the morning, but there are also many factors to consider. To help make your A.M. dining decision a little easier this weekend, answer these questions to see which spot you fit in best!

1. I usually go for brunch with… a) my significant other. b) a small group of friends. c) the whole family and sometimes grandma too!

2. The coffee that a restaurant serves is… a) coffee? Did you mean caesars? b) a local roaster would be preferable c) As long as there’s something caffeinated, I’m happy!

3. My typical outfit I wear to brunch is… a) Very casual. Sweatpants and ball cap if possible b) Comfortable and weather appropriate. c) I never leave my house looking anything less than spectacular.

5. How far would you travel for a delicious brunch? a) I’m hungry, so ideally as close as possible. b) For really tasty, I would drive for days. c) Not too far, I’ve got young kids in tow.

6. I don’t mind waiting for a table if it’s only going to take… a) 20-25 minutes max. b) I usually anticipate a long wait, so as long as they’re serving me coffee or a drink in line, I’m content. c) Wait? I’d prefer not.

7. Making my brunch a boozy one is… a) definitely dependant on my activities the night prior. b) not always my focus, but I do like a well-garnished caesar.

4. If there’s one thing I look for first on c) I’ll stick with coffee or tea, I’m a brunch menu, it’s definitely: driving. a) an eggs benny, obviously. b) something healthy like a yogurt and granola parfait. c) bacon and lots of it!

8. When I decide where I’m going for a bite in the morning, I like the atmosphere to be… a) Décor? I’m more interested in the food. b) Hip and cool, I appreciate a ‘buzz’ in a room. c) Big, giving everyone at the table something to look at.

9. In terms of my breakfast ‘expertise’, I know… a) when my eggs are scrambled properly, but that’s pretty much it. b) that I can smell hollandaise made from a powder mix a mile away. c) menus with a lot of variety are what I need to find to make everyone happy.

10. The best part of going for brunch is… a) appeasing my appetite. Pure and simple. b) catching up with my friends. c) eating something that’s more than your typical homemade pancakes, not that there’s anything wrong with those!

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Diner Deluxe is practically an institution for Calgary brunchers

Diner Deluxe

Ever-popular Diner Deluxe of You Gotta Eat Here! fame, is practically an institution for Calgary brunchers.

the mood for a staple like Eggs Benedict with homemade buttermilk biscuits, or something more hearty, like the much-loved veal meatloaf that comes with Dijon mashed potatoes and savoury red pepper jelly, your gut is guaranteed gratification.

Serving up solid comfort food with a spin, this menu has something for everyone. 85 percent of items are gluten-free and there’s no fillers in any of the meat dishes. Whether you’re in

Breakfast poutine is topped with a notable basil hollandaise, but if you’ve got a sweeter tooth, be sure to try out the maple-fried oatmeal with tangy lemon curd. It’s not the traditional soggy

OEB Breakfast Co.

(the whole package, B) Vincci Tsui

a lighter start to their weekend, OEB offers many vegetarian and gluten-free options as well.

OEB took a huge risk when it opened just a stone’s throw from a major competitor - Diner Deluxe. Obviously they are doing something right though, because five years on, the bright and colourful diner is as busy as ever, with a steady line snaking out the door from open to close every weekend.

Behind the fun facade, however, OEB is serious about their ingredients. They have their own hen flock to produce the 3,000 free range, dark yolk, omega-3 eggs that the restaurant goes through every week, while local sausage maker Paolini’s Meats makes their exclusive gluten-free sausages.

To match their eclectic decor, OEB’s menu is full of creative twists on classic brunch items. A must-try are their “Box’d” breakfasts - a decadent combination of poached eggs, brown butter Hollandaise, duck fat-fried potatoes, cheese curds and various toppings all boxed up in a Chinese takeout container, with playful names like The Soul ‘N A Bowl and Gold Digga.

Pair one with a cocktail for the perfect hangover cure, without having to go to a greasy truckstop. For those who prefer

eatoeb.com, @OEB_Breakfast

(the classic diner, mostly As) Stephanie Arsenault and Linda Garson

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stuff, as it’s fried in a bit of butter to add a crispiness to the texture and served in cast-iron, so the vanilla cream bubbles when poured over.

Feeling famished? With Diner Deluxe’s generous portion sizes, there’s no way you’ll leave the restaurant with a grumbling belly. Head there early and get in line. The wait will be worth it. dinerdeluxe.com, @diner_deluxe

A must-try are OEB’s “Box’d” breakfasts

The Fine Diner

(Family friendly, mostly Cs) Diana Ng If you like the social aspect of going out for brunch, but can’t tolerate the idea of lining up for 45 minutes with Grandma and Grandpa, plus kids in tow, among hip crowds who shun booster seats and strollers, then this Inglewood fam-jamappropriate spot is what you’re looking for. The small diner on the 9 Ave SE strip is elegantly decorated with beige banquettes, wooden tables and chairs, flowers, and charming egg-shaped salt and pepper shakers.

Chef and owner Rob Greco makes everything from scratch -- he has a garden at his home in Dalhousie that supports around 25 per cent of the

diner’s produce demands -- and what he doesn’t make in-house, he purchases from local suppliers like Sidewalk Citizen Bakery and Care Bakery (for all your gluten-free needs). The menu covers everything from classic eggs and bacon breakfast and eggs Benny to modern comfort foods like lobster Benny and salmon frittata.

This small diner is elegantly decorated, and has charming eggshaped salt and pepper shakers

finedinercalgary.com, @FineDinerYYC

Borgo Trattoria

(the best kept ‘secret’, mix of As, Bs and Cs) Dan Clapson While the line-up of usual suspects are, well, lined up on the weekend, it’s almost guaranteed that this popular Italian eatery will have a table waiting for you. During the day, the room is big and

bright, with sun flowing in from their floor-to-ceiling south facing windows.

Once the weather warms up, you can sit on their small patio, as people-watching on 17th Avenue can always make for some table conversation.

Known more for their lunch and evening dining throughout the work week, people often forget that Chef Giuseppe Di Gennaro offers up a delicious Italian style brunch including frittatas, ‘Strapazzate’ (think smoked chicken, zucchini and egg scramble) and, my personal favourite ‘Purgatorio’, eggs baked in a sweet tomato sauce with fior de latte cheese, crispy pancetta, grilled to soak it all up and a lightly dressed fresh green salad on the side. Always a beautiful sight to see on the table.

Recently Borgo has started serving brunch Tuesday to Sundays - they’re closed Mondays - so no matter what morning you’re craving a traditional macchiato, an Italian pastry or a beautiful brunch plate, this dining destination in the Mount Royal Village has pretty much got you covered. borgo.ca, @borgotrattoria 23

Step By Step: Making Easter Bread

story and photography by NATALIE FINDLAY

These are basic instructions on how to colour eggs, if you would like to put them in the Easter bread. If you don’t want to include eggs, then go straight to the bread recipe.

Coloured Eggs 6 eggs food colouring, as many colours as you like ½ cup (125 mL) vinegar (depends on how many colours you use) 24

1. Put eggs in a pot big enough to hold just one layer, and cover in cold water.

Place on a medium-high heat. Once water is at a simmer, turn down to low and cook 10 minutes for hard-boiled.

Remove from heat and run under cold water to cool.

2. The easiest way to colour eggs is to add a few drops of food colouring to a small glass and add enough water to make sure the egg is fully submerged.

Add about 2 tsp (10mL) of vinegar to

This Easter bread makes for a beautiful presentation on your Easter table and is truly delectable. It’s also fun to get the kids involved in making the coloured eggs beforehand so they can be a part of the process.

the water to make the colour steadfast, and stir to combine.

3.Submerge the eggs, one at a time,

in the coloured water. The longer the eggs are left in the coloured water, the brighter they become.

4. Set on a wire rack above a couple

sheets of paper towel to dry. Can be stored in the fridge for a week.

Easter Bread ⅔ cup (160 mL) whole milk 1 ¾ tsp dry-active yeast 15 g sugar 2 eggs, room temperature, beaten 675 g all-purpose flour 60 g sugar pinch salt 125 g butter, cubed, room temperature

4. Brush a medium bowl with melted

butter; place dough in bowl. Brush the top of dough with melted butter and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 1 – 1 ½ hours.

5. Punch down dough. Divide into 2 or

medium heat until your thermometer registers 110°-115° F. Transfer milk to a 1 L measuring cup and stir in 15 g of the sugar. Sprinkle yeast over milk and stir to blend.

3 equal pieces (weigh for best results).

With lightly floured hands, roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 40 cm (16”) long rope with tapered ends. (If dough begins to bounce back, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the dough to relax.)

2. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5

6. If using 2 pieces then twist the 2

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over

minutes. If yeast does not foam then it is not alive and you‘ll need to start over with fresh yeast. Add eggs and stir until smooth.

3. Combine remaining 60 g sugar,

flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. With mixer running on low, add the milk mixture. Start adding the roomtemperature butter, 1 piece at a time, blending well between additions.

Mix on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes (set your timer).

pieces around each other and form into the size and shape you would like, placing eggs in the centre if making a round. If using 3 pieces, place ropes side by side and braid dough. Pinch ends together to secure. Tuck dyed eggs between braids, spacing evenly. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area 45–50 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 375º F. Whisk an egg with 2 tsp (10 mL) of water in a small bowl. Brush dough all over with

egg wash, avoiding any coloured eggs you have used. Bake until bread is golden, 20–25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Serve the day it is made for the most yums. Fantastic fresh or toasted, slathered with butter. If by chance you have any leftover bread, the following recipe will make sure that it’s finished off.

Bread Pudding with White Chocolate and Cranberries

2. Combine milk, cream, salt, eggs,

375 g egg bread, cubed 1 cup (250 mL) 2% milk 1 cup (250 mL) cream pinch salt 5 eggs 65 g brown sugar 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla 125 g white chocolate 125 g dried cranberries

3. Pour bread mixture into baking dish

Serves 6

1. Cube bread and leave overnight to

dry out or bake in a 250º F oven until dry (stirring occasionally). Transfer to a large bowl.

sugar and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Pour the milk mixture over the dried bread and let sit so the bread can absorb the liquid. Stir in white chocolate pieces and the dried cranberries. (these can also be made in individual ramekins for an elegant dessert option) and bake for 20-25 minutes for individual ramekins and approximately 50 minutes for a larger dish. Top should be lightly browned and the bread pudding should be firm to the touch.

4. Remove from oven. Let cool slightly and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

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Menu Gems We’re very lucky to have such great places to breakfast and brunch in Calgary, so we asked our contributors to pick a memorable dish from their favourite without knowing what each other would choose…

Breakfast Sandwich, Caffe Rosso

Although I am a fan of the sit-down, couple of Caesars and a well-composed plate of food sort of brunch, I can also appreciate the deliciousness in a grab-and-go. Rosso's take on a breakfast sandwich is made with a warm, homemade cheese and parsley biscuit with an egg and bacon, but it's the punch of the honey mustard that brings it all together.

Dan Clapson

Spanish Chorizo Benedict, Monki

Monki has a variety of delicious and unique egg benedicts that I would recommend to all. However, the Spanish chorizo, caramelized onion & goat cheese benedict topped with prosecco hollandaise is absolutely delectable. A great start to any day!

Andrea Fulmek

Red’s Original, Red’s Diner (Ramsay location)

I love going out for breakfast and having all the cornerstones present at my morning meal -eggs scrambled, sourdough bread, hash, and some pork product. I love the classics.

Tom Firth

Notable Skillet - Notable

After first trying this rich dish, I went back for the next three consecutive weeks for more. It's the perfect combination of textures, aromas and flavours. Who wouldn't love a hot skillet of smoky bacon, crispy potato cake, creamy hollandaise and Gruyere all toped with a runny yolky egg?

Robyn MacLean

Pain au Chocolat, La Boulangerie

Sometimes a girl just needs chocolate — or, chocolate wrapped in buttery goodness for that matter. Perfect with a latte, savour every last crumb while reading the morning newspaper. These pain au chocolats are the best in the city.

Laura Lushington

Lox Benedict, Grumans

Benedicts, Monki

I love eggs benny but sometimes the muffins are a little too much, so I was thrilled to discover Grumans’ house-cured lox on top of a red pepper artichoke spread, smothered in lemon hollandaise – on latkes instead! And with home-style hash browns and fruit salad too. Perfect for me.

Linda Garson

I am usually up long before most people and have already eaten something before brunch so I usually go for something savoury and not what I make at home. Any of the Benedicts at Monki are great, but I love the Smoked Salmon Asparagus and Crispy Shallots. Great strong flavours with a creamy light (ha!) hollandaise sauce.

Karen Miller

Grapefruit Brule, Monki

Potato Gratin, Briggs Kitchen & Bar

Winter is passing. Time to think fresher and lighter. This brunch dish is so simple, so good. They halve a grapefruit.

Sprinkle raw sugar on it. Then there’s the addition of fresh grated cinnamon. Finally it’s blowtorched to a glacé that delicately breaks with a spoon.

Tarquin Melnyk

26 26

The brunch menu at Briggs Kitchen & Bar may be small, but it's definitely mighty. Though all nine items (including the mimosa) are top-notch, my favourite has to be the potato gratin. Hot and cheesy, it is also loaded with kale so it doesn't feel too indulgent. Everything is dressed with a delicious local grainy mustard, which adds a nice punch of flavour.

Vincci Tsui 26

Ways to Spice Up Eggs Benedict

by LAURA LUSHINGTON 28

As a traditional brunch item, eggs benedict definitely has a reputation of being a bit tricky to make. These fun substitutions and an easy recipe will help you learn how to make this rich and filling dish at home.

Tip: For a picture-worthy looking poached egg, trim the whites with scissors or cook eggs in the ring of a mason jar to make a perfect circle.

Classic Eggs Benedict

1. Forgo the English muffin

Serves 6

The easiest way to spice up eggs benedict is to switch out the type of bread used as a base. Don’t forget to halve and toast!

Try: • a croissant • a baguette • buttermilk biscuit • or try putting the eggs on crab cakes!

2. Eggs Every Way I haven’t found a rule yet that states eggs benedict needs to be made with a poached egg. So go ahead, try a fried egg, scrambled eggs or sunny side up.

Or try using a different type of egg. Try poaching a duck or quail egg.

3. Bacon? Ham? What about brisket?

There’s no need to always stack your egg on top of the classic ham or bacon.

Switch out the meat and you’ve got yourself a brand new dish.

Try: • slices of smoked salmon • chorizo sausage • smoked brisket

4. Avocado Hollandaise Dr. Seuss must have been thinking about avocado hollandaise when he wrote Green Eggs and Ham. Well, maybe not, but it sure is a delicious change.

1 avocado, peeled and chopped 4 tsp (20 mL) lemon juice ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper In a food processor or blender, puree the avocado and lemon juice. Add a bit of water if it is too thick. Slowly (with food processor on), add olive oil. Stir in salt and pepper.

Hollandaise Sauce:

2/3 cup unsalted butter 1 ½ Tbs (22 mL) lemon juice 3 egg yolks ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp cayenne

5. Go Veg If you’re a vegetarian who eats eggs, it’s simple to switch out the ham or bacon in eggs benedict for a layer of wilted spinach or cooked mushrooms. Vegans can try the avocado hollandaise above, and this simple blend to fry tofu in: 3 Tbs flour 1 Tbs nutritional yeast ¼ tsp dry mustard ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Canola oil, for frying Mix all ingredients apart from canola oil, together in bowl. Coat thin slices of tofu in mixture. Fry each side in canola oil over high heat in pan.

Drain on paper towel before assembling eggs benedict.

6. Make a BLT Eggs Benny Spread a layer of mayo on a thick slice of toasted bread. Cook bacon. Mix a cup of halved grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes with two tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. Place bacon, then bed of greens (arugula, baby lettuce) on bread and mayo. Add egg and tomato mixture on top.

7. Ole! Mexican Eggs Benedict Replace English muffin with a warm tortilla. Add a heaping of refried beans, top with a poached or fried egg, slices of avocado and jalapenos (if you dare!) and finish with a drizzle of your favourite hot sauce.

1. Slowly melt butter over medium heat. Keep warm over low heat.

2. In a double boiler over simmering

water, beat egg yolks until thickened.

Add lemon juice.

3. Remove eggs from double boiler

and slowly add melted butter. Add salt, pepper and cayenne. Beat until sauce is thick.

Poached Eggs:

6 eggs, poached 3 English muffins, halved and toasted 6 slices back bacon or ham

1. Fill a saucepan ⅔ full with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat until water is no longer boiling.

2. Crack one egg into a cup. Bring the edge of the cup close to the water and gently slide egg in.

3. Simmer eggs for 3 to 5 minutes. The whites should be firm.

4. Remove eggs from water with

slotted spoon. Drain before serving.

5. Cook bacon or ham, and toast English muffin

6. Place slice of bacon or ham on

English muffin, top with poached egg and hollandaise sauce.

Laura Lushington is a recent graduate of Mount Royal University’s Bachelor of Communication – Journalism program. She’s @LauraLushington or lauralushington.com

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Dim Sum:

A Guide to Chinese Brunch

by VINCCI TSUI

What comes to mind when you think of Sunday brunch? Getting over a hangover at the local greasy spoon?

Mimosas with the girls at a trendy bistro?

For people in Hong Kong and southern China, as well as many in Calgary’s Chinese community, Sunday brunch means something completely different - banquet halls filled with large and loud families, and stacks of bamboo baskets with steamed goodies inside. Yes, I’m talking about dim sum.

Though the characters “dim sum”, pronounced dianxin (“dian sheen”) in Mandarin, do literally translate to “a

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touch of the heart”, Carolyn Phillips explains in Lucky Peach’s popular “The Essential Guide to Dim Sum” that it really just means a small snack or “a little something to eat”.

“Around the year 1300, dianxin turned into a noun that referred to snacks and very light meals, a definition that has more or less remained unchanged to this day,” she writes. “In the entry for dianxin in every authoritative Chinese dictionary, this always appears as a complete term that cannot be reduced and thus defined according to its individual characters.”

Of course, dim sum is no longer a small snack, as many dim sum-induced food babies can attest. Cantonese people actually refer to going out for dim sum as going to “yum cha”, which literally translates to “drinking tea”. This not only harkens back to dim sum’s roots

in teahouses in the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou, but also because tea remains a big part of the meal. While some of you may have only experienced servers plopping a pot of jasmine tea at your table, dim sum restaurants actually offer a choice of teas, from Pu’erh, a rich black tea now becoming known for its antioxidant properties, to Shoumei, a stronger white tea that tastes more like an oolong.

Interestingly, “yum cha” is the preferred term for dim sum in Australia and New Zealand.

Whatever continent you’re on, the dim sum experience will be similar. Most operate on a first come, first served basis, and some people argue that getting there early to “ba wai” (literally, “take over a spot”) is part of the experience. It’s not uncommon for one person to be waiting for a table for three generations of family members, because

the more people going for dim sum, the more variety you can order and eat!

Once you are escorted to your table, you can choose what type of tea you’d like. Occasionally there will be small complimentary snacks, like peanuts or pickles. In Hong Kong, many restaurants will add a charge per head for the tea and snacks, but most Calgary restaurants are not that “businesssavvy”. Yet.

Some people argue that getting there early to “ba wai” (literally, “take over a spot”) is part of the experience.

Now, it’s time to eat. Traditionally, the food rolls by your table on heated metal carts loaded with bamboo baskets pushed by Chinese aunties, hawking their wares repeatedly in one breath like a well-rehearsed tongue twister.

Often the carts are categorized by type of food, loosely timed with the different seatings. The first carts are usually small steamed dim sum, like har gow (shrimp dumplings), shiu mai (pork dumplings) and beef balls, plates of cheong fun (rice crepes filled with beef, barbecued pork or shrimp), or meats like steamed pork spareribs, beef tripe, and of course, the infamous chicken feet.

Next up are the heavier, starchy dishes - steamed rice wrapped in a lotus leaf, congee topped with scallions, fried garlic and peanuts, and stir-fried noodles.

Steamed buns, both savoury and sweet, are available, like the popular char siu bao (barbecued pork bun) and egg custard bun.

Then come the unheated carts, with freshly fried foods like spring rolls, panfried turnip cake and stuffed peppers.

And of course, dessert. Egg tarts, mango pudding and water chestnut cake are popular, but my favourite was always the tofu custard, which was scooped out of a giant wooden barrel and topped with a thin ginger syrup.

Sadly, this has largely become nostalgia as most dim sum restaurants have moved to Scantron-style ordering sheets. Not only does this help decrease food waste as well as labour and equipment costs, customers like it too as they are guaranteed to get what they want. Fresh and hot to boot!

Finally, the bill. In the past, each dim sum was categorized as a small, medium, large or special item, making it easy for the cart ladies to just initial or stamp a card based on what you ordered. Now that most dim sum is ordered with a sheet, pricing varies more between items. At most restaurants, payment is at the cashier at the front, so drag your full belly over there and don’t forget to tip before enjoying the rest of your weekend.

A registered dietician by day, Vincci is the food editor of Calgary is Awesome, author of Ceci n’est pas un food blog, and instructor for Start from Scratch. When she’s not cooking, eating or on the computer, Vincci can often be found training for her next Muay Thai fight.

Monki

Breakfast Club And Bistro: Something Worth Waking Up For

by DAN CLAPSON

It’s Saturday morning and you’ve already rubbed your eyes, shaken off the early morning haze with a quick shower and now what? You’re hungry, that’s what you are! As rewarding as making a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon is, or a stack of pancakes for yourself at home, it’s hard to ignore the siren’s call of hollandaise, caesars and mimosas at one of our many brunch hotspots.

I’ve travelled far and wide in the last few years, and I’ve come to realise one thing (well, a few things, but one that’s breakfast-related): Calgary is a brunch city through-and-through. The feeling of disappointment you can feel while in a foreign city and not being able to find a delicious morning meal, is akin to disappointing your grandmother; something you never, ever want to happen. Thank god our city has no shortage of A.M. eateries to keep us appeased.

Many Calgarians will have an unabashed appetite for breakfast giants like Cora’s, or the more standard greasy spoons, but it’s always nice to find a spot for brunch that aims to kick things up a notch.

You’ll find Monki Breakfast Club and Bistro tucked into the corner of 10th Avenue and 12th Street SW, right across the road from Community Natural Foods. Avid diners will remember this space as the original Petite restaurant that closed its doors after a fire in early 2011. It sat vacant for quite some time until two brothers, Tyler and Jaret Loria, grabbed hold of it to launch their popular establishment.

Parts of the menu here could be interpreted as Italian-inspired. You’ll find paninis filled with tender fior de latte, pesto and tomatoes, or monki-made (house-made) sausage, peperonata and provolone. Even the salads, like the shaved fennel and apple, are a great, light bite if you’re not feeling like the caloric intake of hollandaise and bacon.

Which is unusual, I know, but it does happen to the best of us.

At a whooping 24 seats, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you will need to wait a little bit to get into Monki bistro, but there is a silver lining here. Not unlike the Una Pizza’s ‘no reservation’ mentality, you can add your name to the waitlist here and service staff will give you a ring when your table is ready.

If you’re a ‘I don’t wait in line!’ sort of individual, then I’d suggest popping by Monki on the slower days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) or

It’s always nice to find a spot for brunch that aims to kick things up a notch.

aim to arrive for a bite well before 10 a.m. That being said, when the warmer weather rolls around - it’s almost here, I can feel it - Monki’s small patio opens up, adding another 20 seats or so, and alleviating wait times, which is nice.

Though the room here is tiny, that’s really part of its charm. Once you do have the chance to nestle into your seats, you’ll see exposed brick walls surrounding the tables, with subtle monkey paraphernalia hanging around (no pun intended). Brightening up the room are big north-facing windows and an eclectic array of local artwork - all for sale - that is as varied as the clientele.

From brunch aficionados who will drive just about anywhere for a good plate of food to neighbourhood regulars (admittedly myself included), there is definitely a varied mix of individuals here with one common goal: To be fed!

“I love the people and the culture here.

Just the gathering and camaraderie of like-minded people.” says Jaret Loria in regards to his customers at Monki.

“Unique food and atmosphere draws the most interesting and creative people into this one tiny, chaotic space and I love it!”

Having grown up in the restaurant industry, brothers Tyler and Jaret Loria, worked in their parents’ restaurant, Gnocchi’s, a long-time Italian staple in the dining scene here before it closed its doors in 2010.

“We were born and raised in [this industry]” he says about branching off with his brother to open their own restaurant. “We’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing this kind of business since we were born! It’s what excites us.”

Now, moving on to why we’re here in first place: Brunch. Monki does right by eggs benedicts, pairing glutenfree biscuits and poached eggs with anything from sliced Alberta beef and sautéed mushrooms to spicy chorizo and goat’s cheese, or grilled capicolla with tomatoes and pesto. Whatever benny variety perks your interest, all come topped with the signature prosecco hollandaise, which is as bright-tasting as it is rich.

Other favourites include frittatas, served in mini cast iron skillets, or steak and eggs, but the true savoury star of the brunch offerings here is definitely the Loria brothers’ Brisket and Monki Sausage Hash. Beef brisket is slow-cooked for 16 hours in a ‘top secret’ 12-spice blend and served up with potatoes, jalapenos, fried eggs and hollandaise. Perfect for anyone with a meaty appetite.

Bacon does not grace many dishes here unless ordered as a side, but you will find it candied and laying happily on top of the juicy burger. Add in a poached egg, chipotle aioli and Gouda inside a pretzel bun, and you’ve got a filling, albeit messy, meal on your hands.

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Your chance to win a multi-course, gourmet brunch for two!

Yes, you could be the very lucky person to win this amazing brunch experience – and with no wait at the door (the real prize at a popular brunch spot like Monki!)

“Watching people devour that burger, as all the juice runs down their face and arms and then nod with approval or with a smile. Especially the ladies!” explains Loria proudly about one of their most popular menu items. “Then, they usually run to the washroom to shower off. It’s the best!! Ha, ha.”

If there’s one thing the brunch eatery is short on, it’s options for anyone with a sweet tooth. That being said, the stuffed brioche French toast, finished with a sauce made of condensed milk and Nutella, is worth ordering even as a dessert if you still have some room after your main dishes. Wash it down with one of Monki’s Aperol mimosas to finish off the morning.

Last, but not least, it’s hard to ignore the fruit cups here. That may seem like a minute detail, but when most morning go-tos just toss a lukewarm piece of cantaloupe or orange on your plate, it’s refreshing to see a big pile of banana, apple and grapes, and occasionally more 34

exotic fruits like dragon fruit or blood orange. It’s little touches like this that diners appreciate, or at least I know I do.

The menu hasn’t changed much since Monki’s doors opened back in August 2012, but the duo are looking at bringing in some fresh ideas for the summertime. Though for now, they are just trying to keep a good thing going.

“We’re just keeping it real!” Jaret Loria explains on their aim to keep people coming back again and again.

“Respecting and acknowledging the people that truly appreciate and understand the effort that we all put into this - day in and day out...To this day, we haven’t done a single piece of advertising. It’s all just word of mouth from the amazing people that took a minute to tell a friend!”

Monki is located at 1301 10 Ave SW, 587-352-7131, monki.ca, @monkibistro

To win, simply go to culinairemagazine.ca and tell us what you love about going out for brunch. Is it your favourite meal? Or spending time with friends? Curing a hangover with a Caesar? Time to read the newspaper or catch up on your emails?

The brunch submission that Monki like the best will win this fantastic prize!

Good luck, we can’t wait to hear from you!

Monki Mimosa

Prosecco Hollandaise

4 ounces prosecco 1 ounce Aperol 3 ounces orange juice seasonal fruit, cubed (for garnish)

5 egg yolks 3 Tbs (45 mL) prosecco 1 Tbs (15 mL) lemon juice 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2/3 cup (160 mL) melted butter To taste salt and pepper

Build over ice in a Collins glass. Stir, garnish with fruit and serve.

1. Whisk yolks, prosecco, lemon juice and cayenne pepper together in a medium heat-safe bowl.

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Soup Kitchen

by DAN CLAPSON

As you may have noticed, we’re all about the deliciousness of morning dining this issue. Having said that, brunch soup isn’t really a thing - but hey, maybe it should be? Here are two great soup recipes that use the richness of egg yolks to bring out the best of their other ingredients.

Because, if restaurant menus have taught us anything, it’s that you’ll be hard pressed to find something that an egg doesn’t go well with!

Lemon, Avocado and Crab Soup Serves 4 Total cook time 45 min 2 avocados, seed removed, fleshed out 2 ½ cups (600 mL) half and half 2 shallots, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno, diced 2 ½ cups (600 mL) vegetable stock 2 tsp chili flakes 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice 2 tsp lemon zest 2 egg yolks

Garnish

1 cup good quality cooked crab meat 2 tsp (10 mL) white wine vinegar 1 tsp lemon zest To taste salt and pepper

1. Place avocado flesh, cream, shallots, garlic and jalapeno into a blender and puree until very smooth.

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2. Transfer to a medium pot, add the

stock and spices, and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. After 30 minutes, reduce to low

heat and add the lemon juice and zest to the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the

egg yolks, and temper them with several spoonfuls of the hot soup. Stirring quickly, pour the tempered yolks into the pot. The soup should thicken slightly. Remove from heat completely and cover to keep hot.

5. Right before serving, toss crab

together with vinegar, zest, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a couple generous spoonfuls of crab meat.

Sun-dried Tomato Carbonara Soup Serves 4 Total cook time 40 minutes

4 strips bacon, thinly sliced 1 yellow onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped 4 cups (1 L) homogenised milk 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock 1 pinch grated nutmeg 1 Tbs flour 1 Tbs (15 mL) water 2 egg yolks ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan To taste salt and pepper 2 cups cooked penne pasta

1. Cook bacon in a medium pot on

medium-high heat until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Add onion and garlic to the pot,

reduce to medium heat and cook until the onion begins to caramelize, approximately 10 minutes.

You’ll be hard pressed to find something that an egg doesn’t go well with!

3. Next, add tomatoes, milk, stock and nutmeg to the pot. Once the mixture begins to simmer, reduce to low heat and let cook gently for 20 minutes.

4. Whisk together the flour and water in a small bowl and pour into the pot.

Stir and wait a few minutes to help to the soup thicken.

5. Using the same bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and parmesan cheese.

Temper the mixture with some of the hot soup and then add into the pot.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, although soup should be salty enough because of the bacon. Cover and keep warm until you’re ready to serve.

6. To serve, portion out cooked pasta into bowls and cover with the soup.

Serve with warm bread for dipping.

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!

Tasting Room & Bistro open

April - December!

How To Cook The Easter Bunny

by ROBYN MACLEAN

Spring is in the air. This invigorating time not only brings warmer weather, longer days and serenading birds, it also brings a longeared, short-tailed creature that delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children. This can only mean one thing. Easter has arrived.

The Easter bunny has easily become the most recognized and prominent symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. Religion aside, many cherished Easter traditions have long flourished in Canada and all over the world, such as painting eggs, egg hunts, parades, the consumption of copious amounts of pastel candy, chocolate shaped rabbits, Cadbury cream eggs, and of course, the much anticipated Easter dinner.

I’m all for tradition, but I also like to shake things up. In keeping with the holiday theme, I’d like to venture beyond a traditional dinner this year by having the Easter bunny for dinner.

Literally.

Rabbit has been popular throughout many European communities for centuries, it is very common in Spain, France and Italy, and the national dish of Malta, but in North America people are still a little squeamish and can’t help envisioning Peter Cottontail hopping off their plate, resulting in a lack of mass appeal. It’s seems there are only a handful of people who eagerly embrace

rabbit: chefs, hunters, and food lovers (aka foodies).

In recent years, the rabbit’s popularity in the culinary scene across our country has been multiplying like…well, you get the point. It can be found in select grocery stores and most butcher shops.

You’ll find either wild or farmed, and generally sold whole, skinned and gutted. You can ask your butcher to break it down into smaller pieces for you, but it’s easy enough to do at home (and fun!).

Rabbit is an incredibly versatile ingredient to work with and is often referred to as the other OTHER white meat. It’s leaner than chicken, veal or turkey with less fat and cholesterol.

Some say its flavour is comparable to chicken, some say veal. It’s denser and drier than chicken, and can easily be used as a substitute in many chicken dishes. Of course you should try it for yourself since its delicate flavour is so uniquely its own. Because a rabbit has practically no fat, the best methods of cooking are braising, grilling or frying.

To really wow your guests this Easter and show them what’s up…Doc (yep, went there) try out the tasty rabbit recipes below.

Braised Tuscan Rabbit With Olives, Capers And Pine Nuts Serves 3-4

1 rabbit, cut into 8 pieces 6 slices of bacon, diced Salt and pepper 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 4 sage leaves, roughly chopped 3 rosemary sprigs 1 cup (240 mL) dry white wine ½ cup (120 mL) chicken broth (or rabbit broth which can be made from the ribcage) 1 bay leaf 1 cinnamon stick ½ cup pitted kalamata olives ¼ cup capers Juice of 1 lemon 3 Tbs pine nuts

1. Rinse and pat dry the rabbit, remove any bone splinters if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a pot or Dutch oven and fry

the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pan. Set the bacon aside for later. Add rabbit to the pan and brown well on all sides, remove them from the pot and set aside.

3. Add the onion, celery and carrot

and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the

garlic and herbs and cook for another minute.

4. Deglaze the pot with the wine and broth, add the bay leaf and cinnamon.

5. Return the rabbit to the pot; cover

and simmer on a low heat for about 25 minutes. Remove the rabbit from the pot.

6. Strain the sauce through a fine-

meshed sieve and return it to the pot.

Add the rabbit as well as the bacon,

olives, capers and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer covered on a low heat for another 5 minutes or so.

7. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a

dry skillet until they are golden brown.

Serve the rabbit in a serving bowl or deep serving platter sprinkled with pine nuts. Add extra sage leaves for garnish.

Rabbit is often referred to as the other OTHER white meat

RETRO. CASUAL. FUN. roosevelt933 .

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Fried Rabbit Masala Serves 3-4

1 rabbit, cut into 8 serving pieces canola oil (for frying)

Brine: 3 cups (720 mL) buttermilk ¼ cup kosher salt 2 Tbs sugar 1 ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground pepper ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Dry Coating: 1½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp garam masala 2 tsp ground pepper 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp cayenne pepper 40

1. To make the brine, mix the

buttermilk with all the spices in a large bowl. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Add the rabbit, ensuring all pieces are covered in brine, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (the longer the better).

2. Heat 1 inch of canola oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350° F.

rabbit pieces and fry for another 9-11 minutes.

5. Remove rabbit from the oil and let them rest on a rack set over a paper towel to drain away any excess oil.

6. Serve immediately. The spicy

flavours pair well with a refreshing Indian yogurt (Raita).

3. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the

remaining spices. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Put a few pieces of rabbit at a time into the bag and shake to fully cover in flour.

It’s leaner than chicken, veal or turkey with less fat and cholesterol.

4. When the oil is hot, fry rabbit pieces for 9-11 minutes in smaller batches, making sure not to crowd the pan.

Fry gently — you want a steady sizzle.

Adjust the heat as required. Turn the

Robyn is a public relations professional with a passion for the food and beverage industry. Despite being a recent Calgary transplant living in Houston, you can still find her @robynalana on Twitter.

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Beer Is For Festivals

by DAVID NUTTALL

In the last twenty years or so, beer tourism has been growing. Historically, breweries have not been popular destinations (except for their taprooms), mainly because tourists weren’t usually welcome. Most of the breweries in Europe used to be family owned or operated by religious groups who, quite frankly, didn’t want strangers poking around their property.

That, and the fact that the working guts of most breweries pretty much look alike, required an additional incentive to make people think of beer travel somewhat the way they thought of wine travel. Voilà, the arrival of Beer Festivals on the tourism calendar.

rebirth of the craft brewery in North America, that the beer festivals we know today emerged. It is next to impossible to quantify how many beer festivals there are world-wide, as there are new ones popping up constantly, but it is safe to say there are thousands of them.

Since 1810, when the first, biggest, and most imitated festival - Munich’s Oktoberfest began, beer festivals have been held the world over. However, it has only been the last 35 years or so, since the birth of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in England and the

So what is a beer festival? Simply put, it is a one-to several day-beer tasting event which has multiple breweries pouring a selection of beers to the general public. There may also be special beers, beers brewed just for the festival, and/or new releases. Ancillary events such as judging, seminars, food pairings, dinners, etc. may be included as well.

The advantage that beer festivals have over wine festivals is that they can take place any time of the year, and in almost any location imaginable.

Here are a selection of events in Canada and the western United States within driving distance or a quick flight away, this spring through the fall.

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Seattle Beer Week May 8-18, 2014 In the past few years, great beer cities have started “beer weeks”, essentially a week-long celebration of suds. As a city with over 30 breweries, Seattle certainly qualifies, and there are over 200 tasting events happening throughout the 11 day “week”. seattlebeerweek.com

Great Vegas Festival of Beer

April The 4th Annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer April 26, 2014. Las Vegas, Nevada Throughout the streets, lots, and local establishments of the Fremont East Entertainment District of downtown Las Vegas, there will be brewers from all over the world pouring more than 250 brews including one-off production beers, special releases, and festival exclusives. There are also talks, tours, games and much more.

GreatVegasBeer.com

May Calgary International Beerfest May 2-3, 2014 Celebrating its tenth year, this little festival has grown to one of the biggest in Canada, and it’s growing again this year, adding another 50,000 square feet of exhibit space at the BMO Centre. The exhibit hall is open seven hours on Friday and eight hours on Saturday. Expect to find over 500 beers and ciders from more than 150 producers, as well as delicious foods from local restaurants, seminars and entertainment. There will also be beer dinners and other events around Calgary in the days surrounding Beerfest. calgarybeerfest.com

Vancouver Craft Beer Week May 30-June 7, 2014 Vancouver is the capital of western Canada’s craft brewery scene, with more than a couple of dozen breweries.

This is the fifth year for the VCBW’s “nine-day celebration of fermentation”.

With more than 60 breweries participating in over 30 venues during the nine days, this is for the true lover of craft beer. vancouvercraftbeerweek.com

June Mondiel de la Biere June 11-15, 2014. Montreal, Quebec Quebec has one of Canada’s strongest craft beer scenes, with over 20 breweries and brewpubs in Montreal alone. At 21 years old, this festival is one of Canada’s oldest and the biggest.

Last year, more than 100,000 people sampled over 600 beers, meads, ciders and other products. Admission to the festival is free, with tasting coupons costing $1.00 each. There are also seminars, tastings, workshops and a host of other events over the five days. festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca/en/festivals/ mondial_de_la_biere_montreal_2014/

CamRA Fundraiser Beer Festival Calgary’s best little summer beer festival. A fundraiser for Calgary Health Trust, expect to see more cool beers and cask conditioned ales than any other festival in Alberta. Exact date and location will be announced soon. www.calgaryhealthtrust.ca Edmonton Craft Beer Festival 2014 June 6-7, 2014 Put on by the same people who bring you the Calgary International Beerfest, this festival is in its second year. This festival features many of the same breweries that are in the Calgary show, but with food supplied by local Edmonton area restaurants. edmontoncraftbeerfest.com East Kootenay Beer Festival June 13-14, 2014 The 3rd Annual East Kootenay Beer Festival takes place on Mountainside Golf Course at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. In addition to beer, there is live music, great food, and the option of staying in the Mountain Lodge or camping nearby. fairmonthotsprings.com/beer Montreal

Calgary International Beerfest

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Ontario Craft Beer Week June 15-21, 2014 As a province-wide celebration of craft beer, the fifth annual Ontario Craft Beer Week is hosted by over 35 Ontario Craft Brewers, with events held on-site at breweries, pubs, restaurants, and other venues in more than 40 cities and towns throughout the province.

Last year there were greater than 200 menu pairings and more than 200 other events. ocbweek.ca

Seattle

Great American Beer Festival October 2-4, 2014. Denver, Colorado In its 33rd year, the GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world, with 2800 beers from over 600 American breweries. While the 50,000 attendees get unlimited oneounce samples for their entrance ticket, needless to say, one can barely make a dent.... greatamericanbeerfestival.com

July Oregon Beer Festival July 23-27, 2014. Portland, Oregon Held at Waterfront Park along the Willamette River, this is one of the oldest and largest outdoor American beer festivals, celebrating its 27th year.

With around 40 breweries in the Portland area and barley and hop fields only a stone’s throw away, this is one of the western USA’s must attend festivals. oregonbrewfest.com

Oregon Beer Festival

August Seattle Beerfest August 22-24, 2014 This three-day outdoor event held at the foot of the Space Needle features over 200 rare and exotic beers from 16 countries. Beer costs are different for all beers, allowing consumers to try otherwise expensive beers for a fraction of their real cost. seattlebeerfest.com

September Great Canadian Beer Festival September 5-6, 2014. Victoria, B.C. Vancouver Island has a strong craft beer scene, with around a dozen breweries.

This two-day outdoor event features about 250 beers and ciders from over 60 breweries from across Canada and the northwest United States. gcbf.com San Diego

Toronto’s Festival of Beer July 25-27, 2014 In Canada’s largest city there are over two dozen breweries, so it is not surprising that this is one of the country’s biggest outdoor festivals.

Over 30,000 people sample more than 100 mostly local beers, while enjoying live music and southern BBQ. beerfestival.ca 44

October

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest October 10-18, 2014 The largest Bavarian celebration outside Germany began in 1969 and attracts almost one million people donning lederhosen and dirndl, sampling bier and bratwurst at the five festhallen. There are over 40 other happenings taking place throughout the festival, including family, cultural and sporting events. oktoberfest.ca

November San Diego Beer Week November 7-16, 2014 With more than 50 breweries in San Diego County, there is a beer festival every week here. However, the San Diego Brewers Guild has held this tenday festival for the last three years as a way to promote the local craft beer culture. Thanks to the area’s almost perfect weather, many of the hundreds of events not held at the breweries are held outdoors. sdbw.org

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Hot Okanagan:

5 Cool Wineries For 2014

by JEANNETTE MONTGOMERY

Mention the Okanagan Valley and someone within earshot is likely to pipe up about their latest vacation or wine find. With more than 200 wineries in British Columbia and over half of them in the Okanagan, this hot spot is about more than just warm temperatures.

The summer Okanagan landscape reveals tended green vines reaching up sloped hillsides, creating vibrant blocks of colour surrounded by dusty sagebrush and golden grasses. The area emits a boomtown vibe, and each year fresh faces join the quest to stake their wine claim.

Growth in this wine industry means increased variety for consumers, which

can be challenging to navigate. As rows of unknown names stare at you from store shelves, choosing a newer label can feel somewhat risky â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sometimes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to slip into the familiar than to try something new.

With that in mind, here are five wineries doing cool things in hot BC wine country.

Terravista Vineyards 46

a few weeks after it lands on the valley floor - which can mean a slightly longer hang time for their grapes. Pinot blanc and semillon respond well up here, and under the guidance of Gene and his team the bigger reds like syrah, zinfandel, and petit verdot are also quite happy to be there.

Covert Farms Family Estate

Terravista Vineyards Why it’s cool: they grow delicious grapes we’ve probably never heard of Wine to watch: pour-me-anotherrefreshing-glass-please white blend 2013 Fandango The job of winemaking is anything but glamorous, with grapes to press and tanks to clean, not to mention long harvest days. So when Bob and Senka Tennant sold their Okanagan winery in 2007, it was nice to see the couple literally roll up their sleeves and start Terravista Vineyards the following year.

Bob and Senka have planted 4.5 acres of albariño and verdejo on the Naramata Bench – two white wine grapes heralding from Spain, and not planted anywhere else in Canada. Winemaker Senka prefers to take the road less traveled; use of oval-shaped stainless steel tanks in the cellar is part of this philosophy.

The couple do most of the work here themselves, from pruning the vineyard to playing host in the modernist concrete tasting room all summer. Bob is constructing a movable tasting bar that can play multi-function, and Senka can talk for hours about art history or literature. They’re a kind and generous renaissance couple.

At present, Terravista produces 1,200 cases of wine per year with a capacity

for 1,600 as demand increases – and with wines like these, it will.

1853 Sutherland Road, Penticton, B.C. terravistavineyards.com

Covert Farms Family Estate Why it’s cool: their 600 acres has furry cows & roaming sheep – these folks live farming Wine to watch: happy, big, luscious red blend 2010 Amicitia (A-mee-chee-teeah) Covert Farms is a study in history – of the people who made it their home and the geography that provides a unique agricultural microclimate. Grandpa Covert settled his family here in the 1950s; Gene Covert has maintained and grown the family farming business, expanding ground crops like tomato and muskmelon to include 325 acres of vineyards.

With the majority of their vines under contract, Gene and Shelly maintain 25 acres to support Covert Farms Family Estate winery and produce approximately 3,000 cases per year. All wines are made from organic grapes – the entire farm is certified organic, right down to the pumpkin patch.

If you visit, be sure to ask about their permaculture program: those furry cows and roaming sheep provide the farm with much more than a great photo-op.

107th Street, Oliver, B.C. covertfarms.ca/winery

Liquidity Wines Why it’s cool: old vines, new wines – and summertime outdoor live theatre Wine to watch: slightly-brooding, in-avery-good-way, 2012 Pinot Noir A less-heralded but quite remarkable region in this valley is Okanagan Falls – home to eight wineries, with four more in neighbouring areas. Small wineries are starting to join the few that have been here since the 1980s. In 2014, Liquidity Wines officially opens to the public and is a stellar addition to this group.

On entry to the grounds, outdoor art sculptures guide you along the laneway to a contemporary tasting room with a perfectly framed postcard-worthy view of vineyards and nearby McIntyre Bluff.

Lucky for us, this is where Liquidity Wines president, Ian MacDonald’s love of art, food, and wine intersect.

Liquidity Wines

As Covert’s acreage is tabled atop McIntyre Bluff at an elevation of just over 600 meters (2,000 feet), in autumn, frost visits Covert vineyards 47

Mention the Okanagan Valley and someone within earshot is likely to pipe up about their latest vacation or wine find An open-kitchen bistro headed by Chef Rob Walker features a fresh sheet program serving lunch and dinner, with wines from around Okanagan Falls.

Starting in July, Liquidity will host fringe-festival style stage productions on their crush pad complete with outdoor wine bar. Dinner and a show, at a winery? Yes please.

In the cellar, winemaker Matt Holmes has acted in what he describes as “helpful observer” capacity here since 2010. Matt’s hands-off winemaking style results in approachable wines with subtle layers and complexities, showcasing the terroir of Liquidity’s 20+ year-old vineyards as well as its newly planted ones.

4720 Allendale Road, Okanagan Falls, B.C. liquiditywines.com

TH Wines Why it’s cool: super small lot wines, made by hand, in a garage – literally Wine to watch: luscious-and-fresh, 2013 Viognier Some wineries boast luxurious tasting lounges with snazzy stemware and majestic views. Not so here. In 2011, TH Wines

Upper Bench Winery & Creamery

Tyler Harlton leased a space in a small Summerland industrial complex and opened TH Wines: a fledgling winery wedged beside a fleet of vintage automobiles – and seasonally, a boat in winter storage.

Tyler’s by-your-own-bootstraps business approach has meant a slow and modest start; 1,000 cases in 2012 with 1,500 expected for the 2013 vintage. TH Wines reflects Tyler’s wine preference: crafted by hand with minimal interference, the greatest influence being the land and how it’s farmed. His grower partners are like-minded.

Their grape press is old school, can press a small amount of grapes at once, and requires a hands-on approach that larger wineries wouldn’t easily be able to facilitate. Smaller production means the use of this softer press method that results in less juice, but the wines better fit with the TH Wines way of thinking.

Here, “small lots” is taken literally – as in two or three barrels at a time.

Why it’s cool: a really good winemaker married a really good cheesemaker Wine to watch: takes-me-to-a-happyplace, 2012 Pinot Noir Destiny, at times, has a funny (and tasty) sense of humour. Like when a winemaker met a cheesemaker and they fell in love, got hitched, and opened a wine and cheese shop. If this sounds like a fairytale, it kind of is.

Gavin and Shana Miller are a husbandwinemaker and wife-cheesemaker pair who in 2011, along with business partners Wayne and Margareta Nystrom, opened Upper Bench Winery & Creamery outside Penticton. Shana is known for making delicious cheeses, and Gavin has a solid reputation for crafting bold red wines.

TH Wines is open this summer, newly finished and freshly painted – likely by Tyler.

This year, Upper Bench anticipates expanding wine sales – including into Alberta. The winery and creamery are open seven days a week; if you visit, you might catch Shana singing to the cheeses.

#1 – 9576 Cedar Avenue, Summerland.

B.C. thwines.com

170 Upper Bench Road, Penticton, B.C. upperbench.ca

Here, “small lots” is taken literally 48

Upper Bench Winery & Creamery

Jeannette Montgomery lives in BC wine country, with access to plenty of research material - and a large cellar.

The Caesar Gets a Craft Makeover

by TARQUIN MELNYK photograph by CORY KNIBUTAT

enchant

In 1969, Calgary Inn Manager Walter Chell was a tasked with creating a special drink to celebrate the opening of an Italian restaurant in the Inn (now home to the present-day Westin Hotel downtown).

The Red Snapper 1.5 oz Premium Vodka or Gin 2.5 oz Caesar Mix .25 oz Fresh Lime Juice 2 dashes Celery Bitters 2 drops Tabasco Sauce 3 drops Worcestershire Sauce

1. Combine liquid ingredients in a

Boston Shaker. Add ice and shake hard.

2. Strain into a coupé with a fleur de Taking inspiration from Spaghetti alle Vongole and the existing Red Snapper (Bloody Mary) cocktail created by Fernand Petiot for the New York’s St. Regis Hotel in 1934, Walter stumbled on a formula that had legs. Serious legs, and the Caesar was born.

Enter Walter All-Natural Craft Caesar Mix. A small-batch, craft product with better ingredients, more flavour, and significantly less salt - is a solid alternative to the leading Caesar mix, all stored in a glass bottle.

Walter Caesar has launched in Toronto and Vancouver, expanding into the Alberta market in late March with two recipes available. One mildly spiced with a white cap, and a well spiced one with a black cap that contains grated horseradish.

sel rub on one side, allowing the person enjoying the drink the option to choose more or less salt.

3. Garnish is entirely up to your

creativity so think fresh herbs, olives, celery or bison jerky.

The move to a Caesar simply requires the addition of more Caesar mix, to taste.

We suggest serving it in a rocks glass with a side part of fleur de sel.

AT A FINELY-SET TABLE ASIDE HIS OPEN KITCHEN, BE SPELLBOUND BY CHEF LY & HIS TEAM AS THEY INTERPRET FRENCH MODERNE CUISINE

Trust me, you’ll never have had a better morning cocktail than this.

Tarquin Melnyk is a Bon Vivant Cocktologist, Certified Specialist of Spirits, Traveller & Adventurer. Always down to try something new, especially when he can write about it.

KENSINGTONRIVERSIDEINN.COM

World Malbec Day: A Day Of Its Own

by TOM FIRTH

Malbec is a big deal in Argentina. Its signature grape is as closely tied to Argentina as sauvignon blanc is to New Zealand, or zinfandel to Sonoma. Most wine drinkers love malbec, with its big, almost jammy fruits, silky textures, and firm tannins, it is a perfect match to walk hand in hand with our love of big beef and barbecue in Calgary.

In Argentina, the high elevations and dry conditions of Mendoza seem to let this grape reach its full potential. In other locations it can tend towards greenness, but in the higher altitudes of Argentina’s wine country it becomes floral, spicy, and while it will never be mistaken for subtle, it packs a nuance that is rarely seen in this grape elsewhere.

The Argentineans take malbec rather seriously and it is definitely its most well-known wine export, so a few years ago they chose to promote “World Malbec Day” which has been surprisingly well received. Taking place on April 17 (chosen I’m sure to coincide with my birthday), a number of malbec themed events happen all over the world, including Canada.

Perhaps taking time out of your week to celebrate a grape strikes you as a little too weird, but experience leads me to think that in Calgary, we have a good chance of some snow on the ground on April 17, but it should also be relatively warm. So dig out the snow around the barbecue, make some homemade burgers or marinate some steaks, and pour a glass of malbec. Or two…

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Norton 2010 Reserve Malbec Exceptionally good and at a very fair price, the tannins are well rounded, and a bit of smokiness complements the fruit.

Homemade burgers with cheese and mushrooms call out for wine like this. $19

CUMA 2012 Organic Malbec A popular choice for malbec drinkers, it has all the big plum fruit and spice a malbec could want - plus it’s organic. Serve with a roast or if you are prone to charring your burgers slightly on the grill. $14

Enrique Foster NV Sparkling Malbec Malbec? Sparking? Yes is can be done and with some style too. You may not be able to tell it’s made with malbec by looking at it, but all these wonderful floral aromas come through along with a bit of berry fruits.

Drink now, on its own or with a little cheese or charcuterie. $16

Punto Final 2011 Reserva Malbec Black plums and raspberry fruits with the right amount of vanilla bean and spices.

A chocolaty finish and some firm tannins should complement homemade bacon cheeseburgers, maybe on a Kaiser bun with some aioli… $18

Zuccardi Q 2011 Malbec I love this malbec, plenty of fruit, good complexity, and just the right amount of intensity for swirling in a big glass while watching steaks sizzle. If steaks aren’t your thing, consider pairing with some great Spolumbo’s sausage. $21

Masi Tupungato 2010 Passo Doble No one else that I know of is making malbec blended with corvina – let alone one with slightly dried grapes as in Amarone. Good fruits ranging from inky and black to softer summer berry fruits and a touch of sweet character. Burgers all the way. $17

Recuerdo 2011 Malbec Slightly brooding fruit and earthy flavours might scare you off, but some savoury spice and a chocolate and jam finish really open it up. Very tasty, and perfect for barbecuing with homemade rubs or sauces. $25

Catena Alamos Malbec The entry-level tier from the very well known (and regarded) Catena, Alamos has juicy, jammy fruits, easygoing tannins, and no hard edges. At this price buy two for your next big barbecue. $15

Argento 2012 Malbec Soft and generous fruits with a chocolaty texture softening some beef-friendly tannins.

It’s one of those red wines that you want to have on hand over the summer for last minute guests or barbecue invitations. $13

Luigi Bosca 2010 Finca Las Nobles A field blend of malbec with a little petit verdot, this is a top-shelf bottling. All the rich plum and black fruits you want in malbec with the intense colour and floral character of PV. Wonderful spiciness on the back end call out for top sirloins or something peppery. $60

Dona Paula 2011 Estate Malbec Another classic malbec familiar to fans of the grape. Largish tannins, some intense fruits, and a bit of a floral character. Plenty of jam and cocoa flavours great for just chilling out with a glass of red. $17

Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec 3-Pack Malbec is all about the terroir, and recently several premium locations for malbec have emerged. Compare and contrast 3 different premium malbec (perhaps with a few friends and a few steaks) and see where your favourites come from. $150

Malbec is a big deal in Argentina

Tom Firth is the contributing drinks editor for Culinaire Magazine and the competition director for the Alberta Beverage Awards, follow him on twitter @cowtownwine. Happy birthday for April 17, Tom!

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Organic and Biodynamic Wines: Good — and Good For You

by STEVE GOLDSWORTHY

I once asked Michel Chapoutier what he meant when he described his wines as biodynamic. I understood organic, but biodynamic was a term I was unfamiliar with seventeen years ago. Like most French wine makers, he made it simple.

“Like my Grandfather would say, ‘Why would you S#!% where you eat?’”

I had to agree with Michel. Like all wine makers and grape growers, Michel is a steward of the land. Like the old African proverb says, we don’t own the land, we inherit it from our parents, and hold it for our children. Chapoutier have never put anything foreign in their soil, why would they start now?

What Is Organic?

Most people are familiar with the word organic. With “100 Mile Diets” and “Omnivore’s Dilemmas” everywhere, the term has become synonymous with healthy mindful eating and drinking. But what does it really mean? In the wine world it describes wines that are produced without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

Today there are nearly 2,000 certified organic wineries world-wide, with almost 900 in France alone. Practices vary from country to country, as do organic laws, so do a little research. While grapes may be organically grown, the wine they make may not be organic. Many US wines for example, bear the label, “Made from Organically Grown Grapes”. While still classified as organic, this label means that the wine was not organically produced. Certain additives or preservatives were used during the wine making process that are not considered organic - such as added sulfites.

The aforementioned biodynamic process involves strict organic practices while taking it all a step further. There is an ethical and spiritual component involving moon cycles, interconnected eco-systems, and cow horns filled with manure and pulverized quartz. Confused yet? Are you a little weirded out?

Organic and biodynamic practices are all part of the larger philosophy of sustainable farming. Many wineries have been around for generations and wine makers like Michel Chapoutier plan to pass their legacy on to future generations to come. Farming organically just makes sense.

While grapes may be organically grown, the wine they make may not be organic.

May Contain Sulfites Many people seek out organic wines because they want to avoid sulfites. Sulfites are a preservative used in wine making.

They help stabilize the wine, prevent oxidization and halt fermentation. While they are often added during wine making, they do occur naturally with grapes. Most wines contain between 30 and 150 parts per million (ppm).

Many drinkers are convinced sulfites are the reason for wine headaches. In reality, less than 4% of North Americans have a true aversion to sulphur dioxide. The “bastard behind the eyes” is more likely due to tannins, histamines and other enzymes also present in the wine. Again, these all occur naturally, even in organic grapes. So more organic doesn’t always mean a lesser hangover. Just remember, if a wine has the words, “Contains Sulfites” on the label, its sulfite count is more than 10 ppm.

Many wine makers, particularly our European cousins, believe wine is made in the vineyard. What they put in the soil and on the grapes affects the wine they will become. Conversely,

R

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educating Calgary palates since 2005

Sunday, September 21 Thursday, October 2, 2014

Last four places available for our luxury Wine and Culinary Tour of Tuscany!

This all-inclusive tour is for solos, friends and couples to soak up Tuscan life on this superb vacation.

For details visit:

vineanddine.ca/luxury-wine-and-culinary-tour-of-tuscany.html or contact linda@vineanddine.ca • 403-870-8902

Visit vineanddine.ca for food and wine events in Calgary too!

April Events at Willow Park Wines & Spirits Tuesday, April 8 | 7pm $25

Mireia Torres – An Evening with Spanish Wine Royalty

Friday, April 11 | 7pm $35 Second Annual Mead and Meat

Tuesday, April 15 | 7pm $45

Come Tango with Us - Argentinian Pairings

Thursday, April 17 | 7pm $40 World Malbec Day Festival

Tuesday, April 29 | 7pm $35 The Big B’s - Brunello and Barolo

For tickets call 403.296.1640 ext. 277 or email events@willowpark.net.

Tickets also available on eventbrite.ca www.willowparkwines.com

Willow Park Wines & Spirits 10801 Bonaventure Dr SE Calgary, AB T2J 6Z8

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avoiding chemicals in the vineyard ensures that a wine reflects its own distinct “terroir”, or place of origin. Organic proponents insist their wines are unique and vibrant in the glass. While this is all up for debate, many farmers agree, a more balanced, sustainable approach to wine making just makes sense.

An Old Idea Of course, the practise of organic grape growing is as old as the grapes themselves. But biodynamics are a relatively new phenomenon.

Biodynamic agriculture sprung from the mind of Austrian philosopher and esotericist Rudolph Steiner. In 1924, he delivered a groundbreaking series of lectures called the ‘Agriculture Course’ to a group of European farmers. Steiner saw the farm as a self-sustaining organism, with animals and crops all interdependent on one another. While many of the practises involved in biodynamics may seem eccentric to

Organic and biodynamic practices are all part of the larger philosophy of sustainable farming. say the least, (the nine biodynamic preparations include the aforementioned cow horn ritual, as well as stag’s bladders, goat skulls and the spring equinox), just the simple idea that grape growers are practising mindful farming ensures a finer crop.

These ideas soon spread to California where the freethinking vintners of the 60s and 70s embraced the philosophy gratefully. Many of today’s organic farming practises morphed out of these radical ideas.

The process of achieving organic certification is a long one.

And it is not cheap. There are many fine, sustainably grown, organic wineries that have been operating for decades that have never gone in for certification.

Free-range sheep that eat weeds, ladybugs that hunt fruitchewing insects, rows of snap-peas growing in between vines; there are countless ways wineries are striving to ensure a more natural approach to winemaking. In the end, it makes for some great stories, and above all, some sensational wines.

Steve Goldsworthy is a free-lance writer, children’s author and screenwriter and filmmaker. He has spent 17 years “learning” about wine while running Britannia Wine Merchants.

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Chapoutier 2011 Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, Rhone Valley, France This Côte-du-Rousillon Villages is a complex Rhone blend of syrah, grenache and carignan. Hints of tobacco, black pepper and sage give way to a rich black berry fruit on the palate.

The 2011 scored a 94-96 from Parker and has been on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 for two years in a row. Find it on shelves at $35 Benziger 2012 Merlot, Sonoma, California Benziger have been producing biodynamic, sustainable wines in California’s Sonoma Valley since they received certification in the mid2000s. Known for full-bodied cabs, their merlot is a real treat.

Rich ripe plum and redcurrant notes develop into black cherry and spice. An extremely drinkable red for any occasion.

Retails for around $25 Dominio de Punctum 2011 Tempranillo/Petite Verdot, Spain Spain’s Dominio de Punctum has been producing some very interesting biodynamic wines in recent years. Value is the key word for their tempranillo/petit verdot blend. Robust and full-bodied, this tangy red matches well with red meats, game and nippy cheese. Try a bottle for $20 Elios 2011 Priorat, Spain Hailing from the famed Spanish region of Priorat, the Elios is a hand-harvested, biodynamic blend of garnache, carignan, cab sauv and syrah.

Age-worthy, yet ready to go, this food friendly red is a steal at $25 Johan 2012 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon An elegant Alsace-style white from the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Notes of stone fruits, apricot and peach, with great acidity. A lively companion for white fish or risotto. $30 La Bérangeraie 2009 La Gorgée de Mathis-Bacchus, Cahors, France Sourced from 35 year-old malbec vines, an incredible expression of this wonderful grape. In barrels for 2 years, it’s ready to go now or cellar for the long haul. $41

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Versatility in a Bottle:

Vermouth

by ERIKA TOCCO

It’s great to see the returning surge of interest in cocktails on the Calgary scene. As well as the large focus on artisanal beers and the ever-growing wine trend here in YYC, cocktails have become once again the “in” thing to drink. With a growing number of interesting products that are, almost daily, entering our market - one product that is catching eyes again is vermouth in all its forms.

Flavour components can include flowers, herbs, bark and spices

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Vermouth’s history can be traced back as far as 400 BC where, in Greece, a liquid concoction was derived from wormwood bark (the word Vermouth comes from the German-Wermut for wormwood). Evidence also exists of similar elixirs being produced in countries such as China (1250-1000 BC under the Shang/Western Zhou dynasties) and in India in 1500 BC.

and perfected the Manhattan recipe in 1874. In 1869 it became world famous with the creation of two very important cocktails: the Negroni and the Vermouth Cocktail (chilled vermouth, twist of lemon and a maraschino cherry). Soon America caught on to the craze and vermouth cocktails were all the rage throughout the 1880s to early 1900s.

Italian versions. The extra bitterness results from excess nutmeg and bitter orange peel used in the recipe. Classic brands that have domineered the stage are Cinzano (created in 1757), Martini & Rossi (1863) and Noilly Prat (1813).

The commercial beginnings of what we now know as vermouth began in the 16th century

But the commercial beginnings of what we now know as vermouth began in 16th century Europe, where evidence of production can be found in Germany and in particular, Italy. In Piedmont, a man by the name of D’Alessio was creating medicinal wines known locally as “wormwood wine”. Wormwood was known the world over for treating medical ailments, particularly those of the intestinal tract and stomach disorders. And just like cough medicine, it came in two very distinct flavour profiles: dry and bitter, or red and sweet.

Guess which one was more popular…

The first modern version of the product was created in Turin, in 1757.

Style-wise it was flavourful with a strong, herbaceous bite and slightly bitter quality, which consumers found pleasing. Soon to follow in 1786, was the successful launch of Antonio Benedetto Carpano’s sweet, luscious version that became uber-popular with the people at that time. Not to be outdone by the Italians, the French followed suit and between 1800-1813 Joseph Noilly perfected his recipe for the first truly successful pale dry vermouth, that is still followed today.

In the 19th century, when the art of the cocktail became all the rage, vermouth became the ideal component to mix other spirits with. In the 1860s, with the creation of the martini, it rose to fame,

Vermouth can be found in a variety of styles: amber, white/bianco, rose and golden. The base is always made from a neutral wine (from grapes such as trebbiano, clairette blanche, piquepoul, and catarratto) and is fortified with neutral grape spirit. Flavour components are macerated in the concoction and can include flowers, herbs, bark and spices; it depends on the recipe or manufacturer.

The usual suspects that can often be found as ingredients in vermouth are clove, cinnamon, quinine, citrus peel, cardamom, marjoram, chamomile, coriander, juniper, hyssop, and ginger.

Cane/caramel syrup can be added if sweet vermouth is the desired finished product.

Vermouth can also be coloured, and caramel is commonly used to tint the final product. When it is bottled it will be between 8-18% in alcohol. Lower alcohol vermouths are quite useful in bringing down the overall alcohol content of cocktails when mixed with stronger spirits, and also accenting the spirit’s core aromas and flavours.

Italians and the French make very distinctive styles of vermouth. Italian vermouth tends to red, mildly bitter and slightly sweeter styles. The French prefer vermouths pale, dry and usually more bitter on the palate than the

There are two very recent arrivals on our market that have caught some attention. In 1891 a man by the name of Guilio Cocchi founded a vermouth company by the same name in the town of Asti, near Turin. He created his world famous versions Storico Vermouth and Cocchi Americano, based on the Moscato d’Asti wines. His Americano is regarded as the original. The recipe is still the same as it was in 1891 and features only natural ingredients from a secret recipe of herbs and spices, which we know at least include gentian, cinchona bark and bitter orange peels.

Enjoy both vermouths chilled over the rocks with a zest of lemon peel or with a light press of sparkling mineral water.

Do it and enjoy it the way the Italians do, and have it as a classic aperitif at the end of the day.

Currently on maternity leave, Erika is the wine director at the Vin Room. She began as a chef, and completed WSET levels 1-4 during her nine years working in the Okanagan. She is a WSET educator, wine writer and wine traveller.

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Wayfarer: Kelowna More Than Wineries, Kelowna Is A Food And Beverage Paradise

by LAURA LUSHINGTON

As a city of just over 100,000 people, the vast number of appetite-satisfying restaurants in Kelowna is unparalleled. Where many of us know about the phenomenal restaurants that adjoin some of the area’s wineries, there’s no shortage of delicious food morning, noon and night in this lakeside city. As one of Calgarian’s favourite places to vacation, Kelowna always delivers on sun, sand and of course, wine.

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Smack Dab

way through the restaurant’s “Slush Fund” (Try the Broken Down Sailboat) or grab a pint of the Okanagan Spring Brewery’s 1516.

Start your day with a trip to the consistently top-rated coffee shop Giobean Espresso. It’s location on Water Street makes it easy to grab a cup of Joe and head out for an early morning stroll along the boardwalk before the temperature rises. Breakfast lovers should also indulge in a pastry from Okanagan Grocery. The bakery is known for its hand-shaped breads but on Saturday mornings, crates full of warm pain au chocolat and croissants arrive. (Order ahead of time if you like to sleep in!) While you’re at the Okanagan Grocery, pick up a baguette for dinner and browse its fridge and shelves full of local cheeses and jams.

Located next to the Okanagan Grocery, is Codfathers Seafood Market. Codfathers’ was the first full-service fish market to become part of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program. Its wide-range of sustainable seafood is the perfect accompaniment to your loaf of bread from the Okanagan Grocery. If you’re planning ahead for your meal, visit the Codfather’s website for a full list of seafood they have in stock, where its from, if its Ocean Wise or not and how it was caught.

Springfield Road and Dilworth Drive.

Operating on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, you can find fresh Okanagan produce including the juicy cherries and peaches that Calgarians love to buy crates of. Visit the Simply Delish Soup and Salad Company’s booth for a gift that travels easier than wine. Its homemade packages of soups and salads contain the base ingredients needed for chilis, breakfast cereals and more. All you need to do is add water and stir!

If you’re looking to partake in a few water sports during your stay, head over to the Hotel Eldorado located on the banks of Okanagan Lake. This boutique hotel has everything you’ll need for a stay in Kelowna including a marina, restaurant and liquor store (wine, anyone?). After playing in the water, grab a lakeside table at the restaurant and feed your appetite with the fish n’ chips or shrimp and smoked salmon pizza. By this time, you’ll also need to quench your thirst so work your

Stroll a bit further down the boardwalk and you’ll find Smack Dab at the Manteo Resort. Opened in 2013, Smack Dab has one of Kelowna’s best patios with seats for up to 150 sunsearchers. Its simple food along with 12 craft beers on tap makes this the place to spend an afternoon with friends.

Settle into one of the comfy couches for a flight of craft beer or wine and watch the sun set over the lake for a perfectly romantic evening.

No trip to Kelowna is complete without a visit to Carmelis goat farm. After oohing and awing at the baby goats, or laughing at some of the older goat’s beards, head inside to taste amazing cheeses and gelatos. Try the Misty soft-ripened cheese with a rootvegetable ash or the Goatgonzola.

Don’t leave without a cup of the goat gelato though! The salted caramel is to die for. Not a goat milk fan but craving ice cream? Head back downtown to Bernard Avenue and choose from classic ice cream shop Moo-Lix’s dozens of flavours.

For take-out or a quick bite, visit Jimmy Ho’s and Okanagan Street Food. At Jimmy Ho’s get fresh and flavourful

April will see the return of the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market to its summer location at the corner of 59

Okanagan Street Food

Asian cuisine like the Buddha’s Coconut Curry served in a traditional Chinese food takeout box, perfect for a stayat-home dinner on your balcony. Chef Neil Schroeter of Okanagan Street Food, who trained at Calgary’s SAIT, prepares the best fish tacos in the city.

Buy stocks, soups, entrees and sauces to take home too. Okanagan Street Food is only open until 3 p.m. though, so grab your fix early in the day.

Once you’re done parlaying in the sun, tidy up and prepare to hit Kelowna’s late-night dining scene. A Kelowna staple, RauDZ Regional Table is led by Chef Rod Butters and local wine expert Audrey Surrao, and serves deliciously simple local food, including fish from Codfathers. Always lined up, RauDZ’s is known for its 21 ft. communal table and

Okanagan Street Food

liquid chefs who use local ingredients in their cocktails. Next door to RauDZ, you’ll find the newly opened micro bar. bites. A sister restaurant, to RauDZ, micro focuses on a menu of 10 beers, 10 wines 10 premium well highballs and 10 small plates that changes monthly. Chef Evelynn Takoff of micro (and formerly RauDZ) is competing in the fourth season of Top Chef Canada leaving no question that the food at RauDZ and micro is some of the best in B.C. Also high on the list of best fine dining eats in Kelowna is the awardwinning Waterfront Wines. Using Okanagan ingredients, chef and sommelier Mark Filatow serves unique versions of comfort foods along with carefully selected wines and handcrafted cocktails.

Poppadom’s

For a departure from classic Okanagan flavours, reserve a table at Kelowna’s best Indian restaurant, Poppadom’s.

Run by the Dosanj family from Southhampton, England, Poppadom’s opened in 2009 and has been a Kelowna hot spot since. Mom, Jas Dosanj leads the kitchen while brother Harry Dosanj has created Indian-inspired cocktails to complement the food. Poppadom’s infuses local ingredients into its family recipes for unparalleled freshness.

So, next time you hop on the one-hour flight to Kelowna or take your time driving through the Rockies to this bit of paradise, bring your appetite. Kelowna is, most definitely, a food and drink lover’s dream come true.

Okanagan Eats Peachland

Situated between Kelowna and Penticton, Peachland is the perfect place to search out the Okanagan’s infamous lake dragon, Ogopogo. After your Ogopogo expedition, grab a table in the Gasthaus on the Lake’s outdoor garden. It’s pub and fine dining menus offer food with a European touch.

Okanagan Falls

Located 19 kilometres South of Penticton, Okanagan Falls is a small town that happens to be home to the Okanagan’s best ice cream shop – Tickleberry’s. With over 50 flavours of ice cream featuring fresh Okanagan fruits, it’s easy to take a day trip down to Okanagan Falls and explore the tail end of Skaha Lake.

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Penticton

Salty’s Beach House is a local favourite in Penticton. It’s great location along Okanagan Beach and fun patio have Salty’s very busy on sunny days. Try the crab cakes to start and then the Fisherman’s Pot, a curried seafood bowl with a spicy kick.

Oliver

Further South, you’ll find the desert town of Oliver. Close the U.S. border, Oliver calls itself the Wine Capital of Canada. But, if you’re not in the mood for wine, try the Firehall Brewery. Led by Brew Chief Sid Ruhland, the Firehall Brewery produces unfiltered and unpasteurized ales using Oliver’s groundwater.

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BRYON KING – Charcut Roast House King has been working as a mixologist for several years, currently at Charcut Roast House. He enjoys working with products that allow his creative freedom to flow in all directions.

PUNCH: The Dutches

Alberta Cocktail Competition 2014

by LINDA GARSON

At 6:00pm on Monday May 5th, battle will commence for the title of Alberta’s Top mixologist.

Competitors are tasked with creating two cocktails - a “Punch” for 300 people, utilizing a spirit, sour, sweet and a bitter, and also a “twisted classic cocktail”. The four top scoring competitors will then go head-to-head in the “Black Box” challenge, using a spirit revealed only moments before.

Here’s a sneak peek into ten of the cocktails and their creators - two more you’ll meet on the night are wild cards from Edmonton and Red Deer!

The Canadian Professional Bartenders Association Alberta Cocktail Competition takes place on Monday, May 5th, 2014 at 6:00 pm at Hotel Arts, 119 12th Ave SW. 62

1½ oz Skyy vodka ¾ oz Aperol ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice ¾ oz Honey Syrup 2 Dashes Bittered Sling “Western Elderberry”

Garnish: Lemon Wheel Flower

Combine all ingredients, add ice, shake, and double strain into martini glass.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Gin and Tonic (My twist: The Jimmy Haze Experience) 2 oz Hendrick’s Gin ½ oz Homemade Mint & Cucumber Juice ½ tsp Citric Acid Tonic Water

Garnish: Cucumber Flower Combine gin, mint & cucumber juice with citric acid. Add ice, stir for 25-30 seconds then strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top with tonic water and stir again.

GRAHAM MASTERS – MARKET Masters is a bartender, chef & artist.

With over 12 years cooking experience, he has turned his eye to serving up boozy concoctions, promoting local musicians and artists, and throwing rock & roll shows. He also REALLY enjoys Mozart.

PUNCH: Bourbon N’ Beet Sweet - T

PUNCH: Bittersweet Symphony 1 oz Skyy Citrus ¼ oz Campari ½ oz Lemon Juice ½ oz Honey Syrup Bittered Sling “Orange & Juniper”

Garnish: Campari Rose Foam Combine all ingredients, add ice & stir.

Pour foam into coupe glass followed by the stirred ingredients.

PUNCH: Rhubarb Margarita 1½ oz Milargo Silver Tequilla

1½ oz Wild Turkey 81 proof

1 oz Rhubarb & Orange Zest Cordial

¼ oz Beet N’ (white) Balsamic Shrub

½ oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

2 oz Roasted Rosemary & Lemon Iced Tea Syrup

DOMINIK ASCHAUER – Cilantro Aschauer has been bartending for 5 years at Cilantro. He loves working with local, fresh ingredients. Coming from a home where his father is a Chef inspired him to try to use ingredients in uncommon ways.

JASON WANKEL – Charcut Roast House Cocktails are Wankel’s passion. He believes that understanding the true classics and using them as building blocks, are the key to evolving and pushing forward the craft of mixology.

2 dashes Bittered Sling “Zingiber Crabapple”

Garnish: Sprig of Sugar Cured Rosemary Combine all ingredients and serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass.

TWISTED CLASSIC: The Masters Gimlet 1 ½ oz Hendrick’s Gin ½ oz Bénédictine 2 Bar Spoons Fernet Branca ½ Fresh Lime

Combine gin, Bénédictine, lime juice and half the Fernet Branca, with ice.

Shake vigorously and double strain into a footed Collins glass. Float remaining Fernet Branca over.

4 Drops Bittered Sling “Clingstone Peach”

Garnish: ¼ oz red wine Combine ingredients, shake with ice, and double strain over ice in oldfashioned glass. Float red wine over.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Ode to Boon 1 oz Hendrick’s Gin 1 oz Cherry Heering Liqueur Lime Layered Ice Cubes 2 oz Benedictine House Made Soda

Garnish: Angostura Flake Fill Collins glass with lime layered ice cubes. Add gin and liqueur, and stir gently. Top with soda and garnish.

TWISTED CLASSIC: No Speak Americano 1 oz of Campari 1 oz of Punt E Mes 1 oz of Black Tea & Anise Simple Syrup ½ oz of Lemon Juice Dashes of Bitter Truth “Orange Bitters” Topped with Soda

Garnish: Candied Campari Lemon Wheel

Combine all ingredients except soda, add ice, shake vigorously and strain over ice in chilled sparkling glass. Top with soda.

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MATTHEW HENDRICKS – The Balkan Restaurant Hendriks is from Banff, where he is bar manager at The Balkan Restaurant. He enjoys everything to do with food and beverages, especially being behind a cocktail bar and educating people on alcohol.

ROD REDFORD - Milk Tiger Lounge Redford has been composing traditional cocktails at Milk Tiger Lounge for three years. With meticulous attention to detail, he adheres to a classic style, augmented with original ingredients and modern techniques.

PUNCH: “Punch”

PUNCH: Bright-Side Betty

1 oz Appleton’s V/X Rum

2 oz Appleton V/X

1 oz Aperol

1 oz Blood Orange Juice

1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice 1 straw Bittered Sling “Grapefruit & Hops” ½ oz Honey Syrup

1 oz Lime Juice 3/4 oz Nutmeg infused Agave Syrup 5 mL Western Elderberry Bitters

Garnish: Dehydrated Blood Orange Wheel & Fresh Grated Nutmeg Combine all ingredients, add ice and shake hard. Strain over ice into a punch bowl glass and garnish.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Lucky Locura

½ oz Milagro Silver Tequila 1 oz Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey ½ oz Basil Hayden Bourbon 1/3 oz Alpen Blend tea infused simple syrup 3 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters Twist of Orange Oil

Garnish: House brandied cherry wrapped in orange zest Combine all ingredients, add ice and stir, pour into Double Old Fashioned glass over a perfectly clear sphere of ice, and garnish.

REBECCA DAVIS – Wurst & Justcocktails.org

Shake and serve over ice in a Double Old Fashioned glass.

Apprenticing at Tales of the Cocktail Vancouver, Davis competed in the Alberta Cocktail Classic, Made with Love, Bol’s, and Giffard. Her style of bartending is culinary-based and spiritforward.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Deconstructed Ramos Gin Fizz

PUNCH: Aperol Spring Punch 1 oz Aperol ½ oz lemon juice ½ oz ginger syrup 2 oz Champagne 2 Dashes Bittered Sling “Orange & Juniper”

Garnish: Mint spring Shake all ingredients, except Champagne, in a Boston Shaker. Double strain over ice into Collins glass, and crown with champagne.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Aztec Cacao 1 ½ oz Milagro Silver Tequila ½ oz Cointreau 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice 1 oz Spiced Agave Syrup ½ Bar Spoon Mexican Vanilla 1 Dash Aztec Chocolate Bitters

Garnish: Lime twist & rim of salt/ chocolate blend Rim glass with the salt/chocolate blend.

Combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Double strain into coupe glass.

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2 oz Hendrick’s Gin ¼ oz Cinzano Bianco Dash of Simple Syrup 1 Straw of Bittered Sling “Orange & Juniper” 1 Drop Orange Flower Water

Garnish: Salted lemon gelatin wedges and Grand Marnier orange flower water foam Stir, and serve in chilled coupe glass with foam and wedges on the side.

TARQUIN MELNYK - justcocktails.org Melnyk is a bartender, writer, nerdy historian of cocktail culture and winner of the 2013 Alberta Cocktail Challenge.

A certified Specialist of Spirits he aims to see Alberta raise the bar to earn respect nationally and internationally.

PUNCH: Hurtin’ Albertin’ Punch 1 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon 81 Proof

SAVANNA BEACH – Raw Bar by Duncan Ly ACC last year was Beach’s first big competition and she uses the knowledge and confidence she has gained since then. In the last year she has competed in 15 competitions, including the nationwide Made with Love.

PUNCH: Punch, Drunk, Love 1½ oz Appleton Estate Rum Reserve 1½ oz Spiced Cream Soda Syrup 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 2 oz Cloudy Apple Juice 3 Dashes Bittered Sling “Plum And Root Beer”

Garnish: Vanilla & Mint Aromatic Combine all ingredients into rocks glass, stir and serve over a cardamom icesphere.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Breakfast with Ramos 1½ oz Hendrick’s Gin 1 oz Honey Syrup 1 Egg 1 Heavy Spoon Citric Acid Mix Orange Blossom and lemongrass ice cubes

Garnish: Breakfast fruit and gummy vitamins Combine gin, honey syrup and egg into a shaking glass, add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into empty milk container. Add flavoured ice to rocks glass. Pour contents of the milk container over. Add citric acid mix. Blitz with hand blender.

TEGHAN NIGHTENGALE Posto Pizza and Wine Bar Nightengale enjoys pairing Priorats with Wild Boar Pizzas. He has worked behind bars in Calgary since he was 19 and attributes most of his knowledge to the two lovely bartenders he had the pleasure of working with at NOtaBLE and YouTube.

½ oz Hendricks Gin

PUNCH: “Dear Clementine”

½ oz Campari

1oz Wild Turkey Bourbon 81 Proof

1 oz Chamomile Tea & Bittered Sling “Marrakech Lemon”. Infused Alberta Fireweed Honey Water

1oz Superfine Sugar, Orange, Rosemary Oleo Saccharum

½ oz Fresh Lime Juice

7 Drops Denham Bitters

Garnish: Cinnamon and Star Anise Combine ingredients and stir until mixture is blended fully. Ladle over ice in rocks glass and garnish.

TWISTED CLASSIC: Suffering Bastard Cocktail (Joe Scialom, Cairo, Egypt - 1941) 1 oz Hendricks Gin 1 oz Tullamore Dew ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice ½ oz Maple Syrup 2 dashes Bittered Sling “Denman” 2 dashes Bittered Sling “Crabapple” Dry cider

Garnish: Lemon peel twist Combine ingredients in shaker. Add ice.

Hard shake and strain over shaved ice in a tall sling glass. Top with Dry Cider and serve.

1oz Sour Lemon Tea

Combine all ingredients, shake and pour into rocks glass.

TWISTED CLASSIC: “Alitalia 156” (The Americano Highball) ¾ oz Aperol ¾ oz Cocchi Americano infused with passion fruit red tea 2 oz Lindemans Peche Lambic

Garnish: Lemon oil and Campari candied blood orange peel.

Stir first two ingredients and strain into rocks glass over hand-carved ice. Add Lindemans Peche Lambic over a bar spoon. Spritz and rim the glass with a lemon disc, and garnish.

Open That Bottle

by LINDA GARSON photography by INGRID KUENZEL

Erin Rosar arrived in Calgary from Toronto in 1991 after finishing school, a few years after her father was transferred here.

A hospitality course at Humber College and some work at Ryerson had led to her being hired at Disney to work at Epcot Centre, but Rosar turned it down as she’d met a snowboarder in Calgary, “which seemed like a good idea to come out here for”. It didn’t last, but it got her out west.

She was a manager at Moxies in 1992, before getting married and having kids (the boys are now 19, 17 and 13 years), but eventually, as Rosar explains, “Thomas the Train was sucking the brain out of my head and I needed to be away from Harold the Helicopter, so I looked into wine courses.”

“For eight Tuesdays I would be away from my children, and that was the original catalyst. It was something I was interested in,” she adds, “but I didn’t take the course thinking it would spur on a new career, I didn’t think it would become a life passion, I just needed to get out and be around grown-up people.

Like any great love, it had me before I realised that I could ever live without it.”

In the middle of a divorce, Rosar went to UC Davies, taking courses in wine chemistry and viticulture, and started to travel. “There was a theme in all of it, but it was a perfect zigzag to where I ended up. There was no plan. I just loved it,” she says. “There was not one part of it that said stop. My career had a life force of it’s own”.

Calgary Co-op came knocking looking for ideas on tasting rooms as, for eight 66

years, she had taught many of their managers their ISG diplomas. “They came to me and that turned into a two and half year gig, developing the sommelier program, private locker program, website and social media, and it was really exciting. It was busy and fun.”

Then Rosar was offered a position at Willow Park Wines and Spirits. “I joked, what would I do for you?” she laughs.

They created a brand new role for her, “And now to come at twenty years, with an amazing new store renovation coming into place that will blow the socks off everybody! There’s so much to play with, it’s a big sparkly carrot – or sparkly glass of wine, I guess!”

So what bottle is Erin saving for a special occasion?

“My girl, she’s been my girl since the first time we met fifteen years ago, is the Salon Champagne. It’s the most elegant, feminine bottle of Champagne

I know. Any grand occasion, she’s my go-to. Kind of like your little black dress that’s THAT dress, this is THE wine.”

And when will Erin open her bottle of 1997 Salon Champagne? “If the day is right,” she says, “or if I ever get married again – she’s my girl. She’s a classic like Chanel.”

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