17 minute read
CREATIVE DIRECTOR'S NOTES
FROM THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
OUR TEAM
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This issue marks our fourth issue, and a whole year of Eat Local Magazine - 4 issues in which we’ve explored all the seasons, shared recipes, told food stories, and fostered culinary connections. We are so grateful for the response that we’ve gotten from Edmonton – from notes about food stories that should be shared dropped into our inbox, to meeting people on the street who have enjoyed reading the magazine, we are excited to be bringing this platform to you, our readers! We hope you enjoy the Fall 2019 issue, and feel free to drop us a line at hello@eatlocalmagazine.com – we’d love to hear from you!
Heather is a local food photographer living her best life in an old farmhouse with her family just outside of Edmonton. With one foot in the country and the other in the city, you’ll find her at a local coffee shop or spending time with her chickens. heathermuse.photographer
Julienne has dabbled with photography and videography over the years. Her love for food and different cultures makes working with Eat Local a dream for her. She enjoys spending time with her family and going to the gym. Laura loves to create simple dishes using fresh, local ingredients. When not in the kitchen she enjoys curling up with a good book or spending time in nature. Anne is a graphic designer and landscape painter inspired by hiking and camping trips taken with her husband and four daughters. She also enjoys getting outside and spending time in her gardens.
LEFT: Roel Canafrance and Ariel del Rosario
BELOW:: Classic Chicken Adobo
FILISTIX
10621 100 Avenue NW, Edmonton University of Alberta, Students’ Union Building, Lower Level 0-71, 8900 114 Street, Edmonton
www.filistix.ca
WHY WE LOVE THEM: Started by cousins and second generation Filipino-Canadians Roel Canafrance and Ariel del Rosario, Filistix celebrates the flavours of the Philipines and Southeast Asia and offers good, hearty food. Filistix opened downtown earlier this spring, but they’ve actually been around for more than 10 years, starting with making grilled skewers out of a food truck. They soon moved into the University of Alberta food court, followed by a space at Grant MacEwan University. This spring, they took the leap and opened up a full-service restaurant in the downtown core, in a newly designed space with a mid-century, tropical patio vibe. Try their Breakfast Sando with house-made longanisa sausage and topped with a fried egg, or their Classic Chicken Adobo.
NOMIYA
11238 104 Avenue NW, Edmonton Other Nomiya Locations: 11160 Ellerslie Road and Unit 646, 3803 Calgary Trail, Edmonton
www.nomiyarestaurant.com
WHY WE LOVE THEM: Nomiya is a family-owned Japanese restaurant, originally opened in 2010. They now have three locations in Edmonton, including Noodle Bar by Nomiya, located in Oliver Square. Managed by Wing Chan, with a lot of support from her husband Patrick Mah and her father Jeff Chan, Nomiya makes traditional ramen noodles from scratch and house-made broth that takes 8 hours to simmer to perfection. Sushi and tapas also round out the menu, making it a great spot to grab a casual bite. The family consistently goes back to Japan to continue to hone their mastery of ramen and brings approachable and delicious food to Edmonton.
LEFT: Wing Chan ABOVE: Tan Tan Ramen
OLIVE ME
CELBRATING 20 YEARS
WORDS DANIEL JACK | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE
“SO, DO YOU LIKE OLIVES?”
Heather Muse and I were visiting Olive Me, a shop that specializes in gourmet olives and this was the first question the owner Isabelle Fontaine Ortiz Martinez asked us. We sheepishly looked at each other and I admitted, “Sorry, we actually find them somewhat awful.”
Rather than being offended by our extremely honest answer Isabelle gave us a slight nod, tapped her fingernails together, and told us she’d like to try change our view of the lovely little fruit that I had up to this point in my life, un-affectionately called “moose-poops”. Isabelle brought us into the kitchen area of her production facility and soon had us sampling olives that immediately changed my opinion. Olives stuffed with almonds, pecans, or feta cheese, and marinated with different combinations of sun-dried tomatoes, lime, basil, garlic, ginger, dill, and even maple syrup made me feel like I had suddenly grown into an adult. I was no longer scared of those salty little morsels I picked off my deluxe pizzas or that made a mysterious appearance in the odd tossed salad. As we sampled, Isabelle educated us about the olives she uses and how her operation runs. Grown in California and shipped to Edmonton, the olives arrive in their basic form in large five-gallon buckets. From there she and her team reduce the salt content, and then transform them into over twenty different, everchanging flavours that get sent to delicatessens around Edmonton, including one of her biggest customers, the Italian Centre Shop, or sold at farmers’ markets. Over the years her process has evolved from literally stuffing each olive by hand to an efficient machinedriven system, unique to her shop.
Isabelle started Olive Me twenty years ago selling her home-mixed creations at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. On her first day she remembers thinking, “If these don’t sell, how am I going to eat two buckets worth of olives?” But when she sold out by 11AM, Isabelle knew she had a start. She still has her booth at the market and is grateful to the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market for giving Olive Me that start.
From a humble beginning working out of her parents’ house, later moving operations to a shared kitchen, then a shop on 109 street, and finally to where she now has a production facility in the business park off 99 street, Olive Me
TOP TO BOTTOM:
French Connection – Pecan with a maple garlic dressing Manhattan – Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil Full Monty – Almond with feta, dill, and garlic
has grown into a successful business. But, like any small business, it hasn’t been without its hard times. Isabelle recalled a day over ten years ago when things were especially difficult, and she was ready to throw in the towel. A man came into the shop requesting her olives for his sister who was fighting cancer and the only thing she could stomach was Olive Me olives. That order provided a huge boost to the
CHALLENGE morale-o-meter and motivated her to YOURSELF TO GO push past a rough time. BEYOND CANNED While demand from her customers keeps GROCERY STORE her creating and producing, Isabelle knows OLIVES. she couldn’t have gotten to where she is without her family. Her parents’ love and support got her through the initial tumultuous years, and now she is joined by her husband, son and other family members who are all working and supporting Olive Me. Isabelle is passionate about her business and about olives. She shared her love of olives with us and now our evening snack tonight will likely include crackers, cheese, assorted meats, a glass of wine, and some lovely little “moose-poops” sprinkled throughout. If you don’t think you have reached that point in life where you can appreciate olives as a snack, challenge yourself to go beyond canned grocery store olives. Go to the Italian Center Shop or the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, find Olive Me’s assortment of olives, and your taste buds will be in for a surprise.
Olive Me, congratulations on your 20th anniversary, cheers to the next 20.
Find out more about Olive Me and see their full array of flavours by visiting their website www.oliveme.co or their facebook page www. facebook.com/olivemeinc/
ABOVE: Isabelle Fontaine Ortiz Martinez
LEFT: Lime & Ginger – Candied lime, ginger sauce and pear
Jim Bishop
H A P P Y N O M M I N G :
A LEGACY OF LOVE AND HOPE
WORDS BARBARA PARTRIDGE | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE
Happy Nomming, by Martine Partridge, is a legacy cookbook with a story of passion, inspiration and love. Using gluten-free, dairy-free ingredients its pages are filled with fun, easy to follow recipes with engaging and informative introductions where Martine shares fond memories of some of Edmonton’s festivals. Martine was devoted to the whole food/buy local movement shopping and sourcing ingredients locally and encouraging others to do the same.
Martine’s creativeness in the kitchen grew out of necessity as there were many foods she could no longer tolerate after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 15. She was determined to recreate the dishes she loved without sacrificing flavor using new ingredients. What began as a necessity grew into a passion to create and share with others who also had dietary restrictions but still wanted to enjoy amazing food and flavors. Her goal was to create dishes that the whole family could enjoy and share together. Friends and family invited to Martine’s home for a meal were always in for a treat dinning on locally sourced, whole foods prepared in unique and delicious ways. Martine believed that food binds us together and when served with love, is both a story and the perfect occasion for story.
Besides being gluten-free, dairy-free, yeast-free and refined sugar-free, Martine’s recipes are also free of nightshades. Vegetables like white (not sweet) potato, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, as well as spices like paprika, chili powder, curry powder and cayenne are from the nightshade family and are known to trigger inflammation, especially in anyone diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. For Martine, “spicing things up is not only achievable but absolutely yummy too!”
“Do you remember that moment when food became something more than just a substance to fill the void of hunger? Do you remember precisely what component of a dish brought that captivating discovery? For me the enchanting ingredient was Genovese basil. The first time my tongue discerned and truly enjoyed the feel and flavor of fresh, sweet basil. I was beyond smitten. I was taken”
- Excerpt from Happy Nomming: Nourishing Recipes for Healthy Living, by Martine Partridge
Martine Partridge In Happy Nomming Martine shares her passion for preparing a wonderful array of delicious, nutrient-dense foods that helped her heal and lead a very full and productive life despite being diagnosed with IBD, Crohn’s disease. For almost 25 years using dietary and lifestyle measures, working with both conventional and integrative medicine Martine was able to accomplish and fulfill many of her dreams including a BA Honors from MacEwan University and a MA, FirstClass Honors from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Through her popular blog “eathealthrive.ca” Martine touched the lives of people all over the world sharing her own vulnerabilities, victories and her delicious recipes. Her blog was well recognized: To quote Eileen Laird, author of A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, “She was such a unique blend of strong yet kind, irreverent yet wise, sassy yet eloquent. She made us laugh, she made us hopeful, and she made our meals incredibly delicious.” In addition, Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, stated “She changed the lives of countless people through her flair in the kitchen, her honesty about the challenges of life with autoimmune disease. … her legacy lives on in this cookbook, a must-have for every kitchen”
Martine lived bravely with cancer from January 2016 until May 2017; her light continues to shine brightly through Happy Nomming, her legacy cookbook and the life-changing wishes it will help to come true for many children offering hope, strength, optimism and joy!
Martine chose Make-A-Wish® Northern Alberta to be the benefitting charity of her legacy project with 100% of all proceeds going to them. Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, providing a chance for them to dream BIG and embrace the notion that anything is possible, even the future.
Happy Nomming can be purchased at:
Chapters & Indigo, Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Red Deer Audrey’s Books – Edmonton Knifeware, Edmonton
Amazon.ca
HAPPY NOMMING'S
double chocolate cake
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Serves 10 - 12
Ingredients:
¾ cup almond flour ¼ cup coconut flour ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp sea salt 1 oz. unsweetened pure chocolate ¼ cup pure cocoa powder ¼ cup boiling water 3 large eggs ½ cup honey 3 tbsp palm shortening, melted
Chocolate Glaze Topping:
¼ cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips 2 tsp coconut oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9-inch round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Combine almond flour, coconut flour, soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt the 1 oz. of chocolate and set aside. In another small bowl stir together the cocoa powder and boiled water until smooth. Beat the eggs, honey and shortening together in a large bowl. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder mixture, combine. Add flour mixture and beat to combine. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pan. For the glaze: melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a small saucepan, stir until smooth. Spread over cake and allow to drip down the sides.
HAPPY NOMMING'S
thai chicken
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil 2 chicken breasts (1 lb), sliced thin ½ medium white onion, sliced thin 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3-5 lime leaves 1 tbsp ginger, grated 1 can full fat coconut milk 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce 1 cup carrot, julienned 1 tsp arrowroot flour plus 1 tablespoon water ¼ cup green onion, diced ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken; cook until done. Remove and keep warm. Add onion and a little more oil if needed. Sauté until soft; about 5 minutes. Add garlic, lime leaves and ginger; stir and allow to cook for one minute.
Add coconut milk, lime juice, honey and fish sauce; and bring to a gentle simmer. Return chicken to skillet. Add carrot and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Mix water and arrowroot starch together and stir into skillet until the sauce just starts to thicken; 30-60 seconds only. Remove from heat, discard lime leaves. Stir in green onion and serve topped with chopped cilantro.
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ANNE DEJONG ART
www.annedejongart.com
Page 18-19 - Week in the Life – Riverbend Gardens
A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF
RIVERBEND GARDENS
PHOTOS BRI VOS
Every day our crew begins at 7am and works in the fields until 4pm. Some days the crew splits in order to sell at multiple markets and deliver our CSA, but we always have staff harvesting, washing and packaging veggies with Aaron from 7am3pm Monday through Friday! During the summer months, we typically have a crew of around 15. They’re dedicated, hard workers and without them, we couldn’t do what we do!
On MONDAY we harvest potatoes and carrots for the week. These crops can be picked, washed and packed earlier in the week because they store well for the markets later in the week.
TUESDAYS we harvest beets for the week, then some brassicas and a few other crops for
Tuesday and Wednesday markets. We pack up the truck and go to Beverly Farmers’ Market to sell from 4-8pm. WEDNESDAYS are all about our CSA (Community
Supported Agriculture) weekly veggie delivery! We select which crops are at their peak in the fields and should be harvested for our CSA bounties. Then we harvest, wash, pack, harvest, wash, pack, harvest, wash, pack!
And finally, pack up the 500+ CSA bounties to be delivered on Thursday morning. And while we’re doing that, we also load up a market truck and head to Southwest Farmers’ Market to sell from 4-8pm. THURSDAYS start by gassing up two of our delivery trucks and loading all the CSA bounties into them. We deliver the CSA through two different routes to make sure our veggies can be distributed across the city by noon for customers. We partner with other local businesses as our CSA pick up locations and they span as far as St Albert to south of
Ellerslie and Sherwood Park to the west end!
Once the CSA is delivered, we load up a truck and head to Fort Saskatchewan Farmers’
Market where we sell from 4-7:30pm. Heading in the other direction, we take a full truck load to Bountiful Farmers’ Market where we drop off veggies to spend the night in the cooler there so they will stay fresh for Friday. FRIDAYS are focused on markets! We sell at
Bountiful Farmers Market (9am - 5pm) but on the farm, we›re choosing what veggies to bring to which of our four Saturday markets. Fridays are all about harvest, harvest, harvest, wash, wash, wash, pack, pack, pack! We finish the night with our weekly Friday Fire. We have an open invitation to friends and family to stop by and crack a beer with us (usually Blindman
Brewing) and cook some sausages over a campfire while the kids splash in the pool we set up in the greenhouse. SATURDAY starts early getting market trucks packed up first thing in the morning. We sell at St Albert Farmers’ Market from 10-3, Old
Strathcona Farmers’ Market from 8-3, City
Market Downtown from 9-3 and Bountiful
Farmers’ Market from 9-5. At the end of market hours, we pack up at St Albert, City and
Old Strathcona, drive back home and unpack trucks.
SUNDAYS are our slow day. We deliver more product to Bountiful Farmers’ Market if required and sell from 9-5. At 5 we pack up the stall and head home to unpack the truck.
Sundays are also the day we take time to breathe and marvel at how grateful we are to live this amazing life, getting to grow healthy, delicious veggies for our community!
Aaron and Janelle Herbert own Riverbend Gardens, and along with their team, work hard to put fresh vegetables on Edmonton’s tables. For more information about their farm and where you can get your hands on their delicious veggies, visit their website at www.riverbendcsa.ca
something hot PHOTOS + WORDS JULIENNE SLOMP
Nothing beats a good bowl of chili or soup on these cooler fall days. These hot de arbol chiles are a surefire way to add some heat to your favourite fall chili, soup and stew recipes. They are similar in heat to cayenne peppers, but have a more complex flavour. (Also available in a ground version)
The Silk Road Spice Merchant
10818 82 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB
www.silkroadspices.ca
@silkroadspices
something cold
A warm chocolate rice pudding, topped with a creamy soft-serve ice cream and chocolate crisped rice is the dessert you didn't think you needed but will be craving once you try it. This warm and cold combo is one of Yelo'd Ice Cream and Bakeshoppe's best sellers. Think summer meets fall in one delicious treat. Pick one of their unique ice cream flavours such as Ube or
Barako Coffee or do both.
