Eat Local Magazine Spring 2020 by eatlocalmagazine

EATING WELL + BUILDING COMMUNITY TRY OU R CH

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KE D

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BISTRO PRAHA

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KNOW YOUR FARMER KEEPING URBAN HENS ED"MINT"ON JULEP OUR PICKS FOR PLANT-BASED CAFÉS

SPRING 2020 | EDMONTON

Flavours from all over the world are just minutes away from home. Grocery. Bakery. Deli. CafĂŠ. Italiancentre.ca

EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End CALGARY Willow Park

refresh’d PRE-SALE BEGINS JUNE 1, 2020 E D M O N T O N ’ S F O O D F E S T I VA L JULY 16-26, 2020 | CHURCHILL SQUARE | TASTEOFEDM.CA

6 #YEGFOODMAKERS 7

OUR PICKS: PLANT-BASED OPTIONS

MORE THAN JUST CHEDDAR

KNOW YOUR FARMER: NATURE'S GREEN ACRES

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF GET COOKING

CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: A MEAL WITH THE KASSAYE FAMILY

READ LOCAL: TAWÃ&#x201A;W

THE VINTAGE KITCHEN

SURVIVING THE AGES: BISTRO PRAHA

ENTERTAINING LOCAL

CHICKEN KEEPING: PART 2

FEATURE COCKTAIL: ED"MINT"ON JULEP

GATHER HERE: SEASONAL RECIPES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5 EDITOR'S NOTE

49 BEHIND THE SCENES 51 MARKETPLACE 52 ONE LAST MUSE

MAGAZINE Editor Twyla Campbell Creative Director Heather Muse Contributors Twyla Campbell Heather Muse Laura Muse Aditya Raghavan Phil Wilson Sandy McRory Production and Design Anne deJong

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EATING WELL + BUILDING COMMUNITY

BISTRO PRAHA

KNOW YOUR FARMER KEEPING URBAN HENS OUR PICKS FOR PLANT-BASED CAFÉS

SPRING 2020 | EDMONTON

On our cover: Heather Muse for our Haskap and Ricotta Baked Challah French Toast Recipe on page 44

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

On the back cover: All photos: Heather Muse

CONTRIBUTORS Heather is a local

food photographer living her best life in an old farmhouse with her family just outside of Edmonton. heathermuse.photographer

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR, TWYLA CAMPBELL In your hands is the first Eat Local magazine of 2020. I hope you are as excited to read the stories inside as I am to have had a hand in developing them. What an honour it is to work with this talented crew.  This issue is about past and present: from kitchen equipment 100 years ago to the release of Edmonton’s first locally made whisky; from the old guard, Bistro Praha, to modern farmers near Viking, Alberta.

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. lauramusecooks

Anne is a graphic

designer and landscape painter. She loves spending time outside— especially in the

We celebrate community by sitting down with an Ethiopian family who moved to Edmonton 40 years ago and we speak to a restaurateur about how community factors in when he looks at a location for a new restaurant.

mountains collecting

From the test kitchen, Laura presents some tasty recipes in anticipation of soon-to-arrive local asparagus. She gets creative with French toast, too, and caps the feature off with beautiful meringues infused with cardamom and topped with berries.

Aditya Raghavan worked

From cheese to chickens, and entertaining with local ingredients, we thank you for reading along.

food and currently cooks at

Twyla

inspiration for her art. annedejongart

as a postdoctoral physicist

before travelling the world to become a cheese and dairy consultant. He writes about Café Linnea. bigaddie

Phil Wilson is a food writer, the head food judge for the

Edmonton Heritage Festival, a web series host for CBC and enthusiast and creator of well-made comfort foods. realbaconhound Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

THEY ARE THE CULINARY MOVERS AND SHAKERS. THEY PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLES, HELP US CELEBRATE OUR MILESTONES, AND ENCOURAGE COMING TOGETHER TO FORGE RELATIONSHIPS OVER BREAKING BREAD. THEY INTRODUCE US TO NEW CULTURES AND WARM OUR HEARTS AND BELLIES WITH OLD, FAMILIAR DISHES.

#YEGFOODMAKERS THEY ARE THE

Nate Box’s restaurant career started in 2010 when he opened Elm Café. Fast forward 10 years, Box and his

business partner, Mike Forgie, now own District Café & Bakery, Fox Burgers, June’s Deli, and Highlands Liquor under the parent company, Black Box Hospitality Group. The success of these businesses, he says, comes down to community involvement—from initial consultations with neighbouring community leagues, to canvassing doorto-door or sending email surveys, to launching a successful Kickstarter campaign. “We look for a desire and opportunity, come up with a plan and continue to work diligently to become a gathering place for the people in that community. We want to bring people together and for them to feel valued. We want them to feel like spending their time and money with us is an excited choice,

Nate Box BLACK BOX HOSPITALITY GROUP @blackboxhg

https://www.bbhg.ca/ WORDS PAULINE DEHAAS PHOTOS JACK DEHAAS AND HEATHER MUSE 6

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

PHOTO HEATHER MUSE

something they’re proud of.”

OUR PICKS: PLANT-BASED OPTIONS This city seems to sprout a new crop of plant-based cafés every season. We chose these three restaurants not only for their thoughtful meat-free menus but for their beautiful interiors as well and to highlight the people behind this flavourful food. You don’t have to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet to know that incorporating more fibre into your eating routine is a good idea. So, go ahead, drink your cucumbers and eat your chickpeas. You’re going to like it, really.

LEFT: Owners Jillian Khuong, Thanh Lu, and Khuyen Wales BELOW: Delicious brunch options

THE MOTH CAFÉ 9449 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton

www.themothcafe.com WHY WE LOVE THEM: This hidden gem on the east end of Jasper Avenue is known as much for its diverse breakfast, lunch and dinner menus as it is for its lengthy and curious drink list. For breakfast, try the gluten free Chai Pancake with Cinnamon Banana and pair it with a Cardamom Rose latté. For dinner, the Yellow Curry Stew and a Mangosteen Hibiscus gin and tonic sounds like a great idea. Bonus: Besides offering a visually captivating space, the café regularly offers events such as workshops, yoga, book signings and plant swaps.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

OUR PICKS: PLANT-BASED OPTIONS

LEFT: Owners Neil Royale, Thomas Goodall, Shelley Hale, Karuna Goodall (not pictured) BELOW: Pickle Grill Cheese

PÊCHE CAFÉ 10255 97 Street NW, Edmonton

www.pechecafe.com WHY WE LOVE THEM: The owners of Edmonton’s vegan restaurant, Die Pie, thought the space they found for their new cheese making venture was too beautiful not to turn into a sweet little plant-based café, and so they did. Pêche Café is open for brunch and lunch and features a simple but delicious menu developed by chef Neil Royale. Try the Pickle Grill Cheese sandwich or the Chick ‘N Waffles and don’t go home without a package of their made-in-house, oat-based vegan cheese.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

KB&CO

10224 104 Street, Edmonton 5244 Windermere Blvd, Edmonton #210, 840 St. Albert Trail, St. Albert and coming soon to Kelowna and Calgary

www.kbandcompany.com WHY WE LOVE THEM: Kb&co started with a location on 104 Street in downtown Edmonton but have recently expanded to other areas in the city. More locations are planned for Alberta and B.C. in the near future. The menu focuses on fast but conscious eats with tasty foods made from scratch. Try the Coconut BLT sandwich made with smoked coconut bacon or one of their fresh smoothies like the delicious (and good for you!) Chocolate Chip Mint.

LEFT: Owner Kristina Botelho ABOVE: Chocolate Chip Mint Smoothie

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

More Than Just Cheddar: It’s Time to Level Up Your Cheese Tray WORDS ADITYA RAGHAVAN | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE

From halal butchers sourcing local meat, to exotic fresh herbs that have travelled from far-flung places, Edmonton’s food scene is brimming with diversity. While there’s a definite market for these products, most of Edmonton’s modern food trends bypass the mom-and-pop ethnic grocery stores that cater to thousands of Edmontonians on a daily basis. Take cheese, for example, an item that’s offered in staggering variety yet remains unknown to the average customer. In this article, we showcase some rare finds in hopes of enticing you to try or offer to guests at your next dinner party.

1 WEST GATE HALAL MEAT & DELI Owner Mohammed Jomha uses Alberta cow milk to make yogurt which he strains into labneh, suspends in a blend of canola and olive oil and displays in jars on the dairy counter of his west-end store. Smudge a ball of this lemony yogurt cheese over a slice of toast for breakfast and finish it with a crack of black pepper. Adjacent to the house-made labneh, are jars containing tiny labneh balls from Lebanon. These plump orbs are made of goat milk and have a piquant flavour—sort of like a pickled cheese. Plenty of other Middle Eastern cheeses, many of which are made in Canada, are available in the dairy aisle of Jomha’s store. If you’re looking to assemble an interesting cheese board, include some Old Rumi, a famous, aged cheese from Egypt, or two brined cheeses: Nabulsi and Akawie, both named after their places of origin.

2 POPULAR BAKERY It is easy to be distracted by the custard tarts at this Portuguese bakery, but you should know that the rugged Iberian Peninsula is also home to several goat and sheep cheeses such as Palhais, a mild-

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

flavoured goat cheese formed in the shape of a

medallion. Its firm, Haloumi-like texture means it can handle a touch of a sear in a hot pan. Queso Sao Jorge, a staple at Popular Bakery, is native to the Azores and similar to cheddar. The raw cow milk used in this cheese is aged at least 3 months which extends a mellow, dry grass flavour with notes of cultured butter that contrast the predominant flavour of lactic acid and salt.

3 POLISH FOOD CENTRE The former Eastern Bloc countries have dairy traditions that have been a form of sustenance for many generations. Poland’s hard-to-find oscypek certainly fits that category. This cheese, which is made by pastoral sheepherders in the Tatra mountains, is first heat-shaped into spindles, brined and then smoked. The Polish Food Centre carries golka, a modern version of it, made with cow’s milk. Usually enjoyed grilled with a side of jam, it is mildly salty, smoky and has a cooked chicken breast texture that softens easily when eaten. Twaróg is similar in texture to a cottage cheese and is often eaten for breakfast. It can be sweetened with fruit and used in crepes or seasoned with herbs and used in pierogies. The Polish Food Centre carries a twaróg produced by M & C dairy in Toronto. What makes this cheese special is that it is very high in protein yet contains no fat—great for those people watching their weight.

4 PARAISO TROPICAL Come here for the dried chillies; leave with the salty Cotija (named after a town) or some stringy queso Oaxaca (named after the Mexican state). Today’s Latin American cheeses have a fascinating historical lineage. While Europeans may have brought dairy to the Americas, it was the natural biome of the Americas that produced the tantalizing flavours of the tangy Cotija. It is tempting to use Greek feta or Italian ricotta salata as substitutions, but the next time you make chilaquiles, check out Paraiso Tropical for some good quality Cotija, produced by Sardillo Cheese in Burnaby, B.C. Queso Oaxaca is an example of a pasta filata cheese. This “spun paste” cheese is white in colour and shreds like mozzarella but is slightly tougher and squeakier than its Italian counterpart. It is the perfect melting cheese in a quesadilla.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

KNOW YOUR FARMER: MEET THE RUZICKAS WORDS TWYLA CAMPBELL | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE

THE STRESS OF CITY LIFE LESSENS with each passing kilometre

as I head east towards Viking. An unending vista of wind-whipped snowy fields spans the horizon under a brilliant blue sky. Two hours later, I turn into the yard of Nature’s Green Acres, the 320-acre farm owned by Danny and Shannon Ruzicka. Three dogs sun themselves on the wraparound porch of the house but the sound of tires on gravel sends them bounding down the steps. Tash, a doe-eyed, shorthaired beauty rushes in for head pats and cuddles. Bobby, a mix of Anatolian Shepherd and Great Pyrenees, is huge, loud and not as welcoming. Lanky Penny is indifferent to my arrival. She has a curly white coat, typical of her Hungarian Kuvasz lineage that allows her to blend in with the flock and surprise any predator looking for a vulnerable lamb. The door to the house opens and Danny’s tall frame fits the doorway. He greets us with a solid handshake and warm smile. The kids, Maddy, Josh and Molly, extend their hands and introduce themselves. Each has impeccable manners and a noticeably advanced vocabulary, even 10-year-old Molly who easily answers my questions about farm life and the pros and cons of being homeschooled. “We don’t have to walk to the bus...but we’re with each other all the time,” she says, emphasizing the last

few words. Recess gives them a break, though—they go their own way to do chores, so it’s not all bad. This is not my first visit to Nature’s Green Acres. In 2014, I attended a long table farm dinner hosted by the Ruzickas and chef Blair Lebsack of Edmonton. This August will see the 10th RGE RD dinner take place in the field beyond the house where Lebsack and his crew serve farmraised ingredients, most of which are cooked over fire, nearby. The Ruzickas met Blair in 2009 when he was the chef at Madison’s Grill. They stopped by to give him a sample of their nouveau beef, the term they coined for their grass-fed cattle. Typically, conventionally raised cattle are processed at 12 to 14 months. The Ruzickas process theirs at seven months. The beef is lean yet tender and has a clean, earthy and rich flavour, representative of its terroir. tBlair was impressed with the meat but also with how Danny and Shannon raised their animals and took care of their land. Their products have appeared in Lebsack’s restaurant, RGE RD, since it opened in 2013 and will soon be available for purchase once the restaurant’s butchery opens this spring. Inside the house, Shannon is busy preparing a lunch of beef liver pate, smoked lamb neck on spelt tortillas, slow-roasted pork hocks with green beans and cherries, and braised beef on mashed potatoes.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

She wants to showcase their product and I don’t complain. The heady aroma from various roasted things has my stomach already rumbling. Through the windows, we watch a herd of cattle munching on a hay bale that Danny hauled out an hour before. The half-ton truck that did the hauling is there, too, wedged in a drift of snow. “The truck got stuck,” explains Shannon. They hoped to pull it out with their tractor but it wouldn’t fire up so Danny went to borrow his dad’s tractor only to find it had a flat tire, and if you’re now humming the tune to the “Truck Got Stuck” song by Corb Lund, just know, at that moment, so were we. But the cattle are fed, and that’s what matters because animals don’t care who brings the food or how it’s delivered as long as it arrives when they need it. During the non-snow months, the cattle, sheep and pigs graze on grassland—yes, even the hefty Tamworth and Berkshire pigs are grass-fed. Plump sows and piglets chow down on leaves, herbs, shoots and THE MEAT FROM THE grass that grow in and around RUZICKA’S FREE-RANGE stands of trees and thick LIVESTOCK bushes. The pigs remain IS NUTRITIONALLY DENSE. outdoors in the winter, fully content to plow under stacks of straw for shelter while eating a mix of supplemental grain, peas and flax along with whatever food scraps have collected in the kitchen. Carrying the slop bucket and pails of feed over snowdrifts in minus 30-degree weather rates as one of the least fun things to do on a farm, says Maddy, the eldest, who has the twice daily job of feeding the pigs. Weeding the garden is Josh’s least favourite chore, but the reward of pulling a fresh, sweet carrot out of the ground lessens the boredom. Strapping on some headphones and listening to music helps, too. Other trade-offs that make chores more bearable are having access to wide-open spaces, being as loud as you want, and eating fresh-baked bread with homemade jam. The youngest, Molly, is in charge of grinding the organic spelt that Shannon orders from Grainworks in Vulcan. The flour is nutritionally dense compared to enriched flour used in most

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

store-bought breads where vital nutrients are stripped through bleaching and other processing methods. The kids say that not only does mom’s bread taste better than store-bought, but it keeps them feeling fuller longer than when they eat commercially produced bread. The meat from the Ruzicka’s free-range livestock is nutritionally dense, too. The lamb, beef and pork contain a proper balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and feature higher levels of protein, vitamins and essential minerals than conventionally raised meats. The price might be higher compared to commodity proteins, but like the bread, the body requires less of it to feel full. The added bonus is that you know “where your pigs dig” and “where your bovines dine” as Shannon often quips in her social media posts. As an interesting experiment—or as Shannon wrote in an October 2015 blogpost, “Who’s [sic] stupid idea was this?”—the Ruzickas committed to a year of living off their land. From August 2015 to August 2016, they subsisted on food grown on their property or received from neighbouring farms. They allowed themselves two staples, sugar and salt, but absolutely no restaurant meals, no frozen pizza and no quick trips through any drive-thru, tempting as it may be. It was a year that tested the mettle of every member of this family. Molly, six at the time, recalls some of the challenges, especially when they were in Camrose, an hour away, for choir or drama class. “We had to either pack a lunch or wait until we got home because we couldn’t go to a restaurant. We’d drive right by, but we couldn’t stop. That was hard because we’d be pretty hungry.” When Shannon went to Manitoba for a funeral, it was 10-year-old Maddy who took on the task of cooking meals. Along with being a farmer, Danny is also a farrier, a job that has him away from the farm sometimes for 10 hours. “I’d get home at 7 o’clock, go do chores and finally eat supper an hour later. Those were long days,” he says, “and stressful, too.” But, the best part? Everyone answers at once, “The bread! The cream! The cheese!”

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

The fresh milk provided by Belle, the Jersey cow, was a highlight—except when she’d ruin it by stepping in the pail or kicking over the bucket which seemed to happen when Maddy was milking her. Listening to the family recall what it was like to live off the land for 365 days has me wondering if I could do the same. How wonderful it would be to have quiet over sirens and wide-open spaces over traffic jams. I would grind grain to make bread, drink rich, sweet milk from my cow and skip through the meadow picking wild mint to a chorus of soft “moos” and “baas” in the background. Reality check. Could I really get up at 3 a.m. like Josh does during lambing season to tend a ewe in labour? Could I give up coffee for wild mint tea? What happens when the only thing left in the root cellar is beets? And if my tractor broke down or I found my chicken flock decimated by a coyote and I’ve just slipped in pig manure and spilled the bucket of feed, THEN WHAT?

“If you don’t have healthy soil and healthy grass, you don’t have healthy animals,” says Shannon, “and then, you don’t have healthy people eating the meat. It’s a direct chain reaction.” This all sounds like a lot of work.

And what about the land—that living, breathing thing that stretches over 320 acres? It needs tending, too. Maintaining the fence around the creek is necessary to protect the riparian area (plant habitats) near the water source because without water, you’re headed for some pretty serious trouble. Then there’s the fencing that keeps the animals in place. Every 45 days, those beasts need to be moved to new grass to give the land a chance to rest and recover.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

For now, I’ll write and let the Ruzickas farm. I’ll do my part by telling their story and by supporting them through the purchase of their product they work so hard to raise. You can too, by going to their website www.naturesgreenacres.com and purchasing grass-fed lamb, pork and beef through email orders directed to farmer@naturesgreenacres.com

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Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF

GET COOKING WITH KATHRYN JOEL PHOTOS SANDY MCRORY Get Cooking was founded in 2011 by Kathryn Joel, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London and Leiths School of Food and Wine. Kathryn taught out of her Edmonton home before moving into a space she designed in MacEwan University’s downtown campus in 2014. Along with selected guest chefs, Kathryn and her staff teach cooking classes that focus on culinary traditions of the world while supporting local producers and suppliers with the use of fresh, local and artisanal ingredients. In this feature, Kathryn schools us on what a typical week is like at Get Cooking. Mondays – One Monday a month, Shannon McNainy hosts Soup Sisters Edmonton and on another Monday, Elyse Chatterton hosts a class for MacEwan residence students and staff. Monday is when I sleep in, take care of email, schedule classes and work on menus. Evenings are for the gym, catching up with friends or losing myself in a book. Tuesdays – One Tuesday, the class might learn how to roll sushi; another Tuesday might have attendees learning the basics of pasta making. My assistant, Marissa, will have shopped for groceries so that we (usually Elyse and I) can start prepping by 3 p.m. for the class which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s usually 10 o’clock by the time we head for home. Wednesdays – These nights are often reserved for guest chefs like Mai Nguyen who specializes in teaching how to cook Asian dishes like dim sum or ramen, or Aditya Raghavan, who teaches the finer points of Indian specialties—from street foods to classic dishes. The chefs will have arrived hours earlier to begin prepping for the class that starts at 6 p.m. Thursdays – We focus on our core classes, like Thai or Moroccan, or Indigenous foods with Chef Scott Iserhoff. Ingredients for the week ahead—fish from Ocean Odyssey Inland, microgreens from Reclaim Farm, produce from Prairie Gardens—are delivered throughout the day. I’m on site taking care of admin issues but sometimes I’ll sneak off to

the gym for a work-out. I’m back by 2 p.m. to start prepping with the other instructor. These are long days and we often don’t get home until 11 p.m. Fridays – Our Friday Night Date Night classes feature tried and true recipes like French bistro classics, steakhouse favourites and the ever-popular flavours of Vietnam. People love learning how to make ban xeo, cha ca va long and a delicious noodle and pork rib soup that we infuse with dried squid and aromatics. Saturdays – We might have an afternoon class and often we host a private event in the evening, usually in our studio but sometimes at another venue too. We often collaborate on events at Prairie Gardens. These classes can be for a small group, like a family, or a long table dinner that seats 60. The offsite days are long and intensive, filled with prepping and packing up food and then travelling but no matter where we cook, it’s rewarding and always a convivial experience for my team. Sundays – I’m at home catching up on paperwork or spending time with my sons or with friends. At the school, Victor Hugo Raya might teach a Mexican food class or Mai Nguyen might instruct how to make dumplings, or pho. Classes with Owen Petervine on the basics of sourdough are always popular. Every week is different, yet every week is the same meaning it’s always busy, always fun and always interesting.

For more information on upcoming classes, go to www.getcookingedmonton.com

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

Celebrating Community: A Welcoming Meal with Abraha and Amelework (Amele) Kassaye WORDS TWYLA CAMPBELL | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE Abraha Kassaye left behind his family and a successful textile business in Ethiopia after communist rule came into power in 1974. His country of birth became a warring ground besieged by violent political campaigns and in 1978 he moved to Canada to start a new life in Edmonton—a city he says, that welcomed him and made him feel safe. Abraha has a perpetual smile and his large, brown eyes sport a glimmer of mischief while his wife, Amele, is soft-spoken and gentle. The two met when Abraha returned to Ethiopia for a visit in 1980. Amele followed him to Edmonton, soon after. They greet us with affection, and before we even remove our shoes, insist that we are welcome now, and always. I worry that Amele’s precious white, handmade outfit of spun silk will soon wear the splatters of cooking, but her movements are slow and graceful. As she prepares a feast of traditional Ethiopian dishes, she gives us an account of ingredients. Abraha embellishes along the way.

Rolls of soft, spongey injera, the national dish of Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea, are piled on a plate. The bread is made from teff, an ancient grain that is ground into flour, added to water and left to ferment for a few days. The liquid is poured into a hot pan, swirled and cooked much like a crepe. With that, she serves ayeb, a fresh cheese often placed over cooked greens like Swiss Chard. It is seasoned with chilies and butter and has a consistency like cottage cheese. Shiro wat is a smooth, aromatic stew made of ground chickpeas, ginger and garlic powder. This and the injera would be plenty, but Amele cooks on. She stir-fries chicken breast with rosemary, red onions and peppers to make doro tibs that gets finished with a sprinkle of berbere, a red chili powder blend that packs a wallop. A little goes a long, long way. Raw ground beef is mixed with niter kibbeh (clarified butter) and spices to make kitfo. It is similar Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

to beef tartare that we see in many Edmonton restaurants, except the spices used here are from Ethiopia. I recall tasting this dish at the Blue Nile on 107 Avenue, a restaurant that receives the nod of approval from our host. All the foods are presented on one platter. There are no utensils—no serving spoons, no knives or forks. Abraha gives us a tutorial on how to use the injera as a scoop. He tears off a piece, forms his fingers around and swirls the bread through the shiro wat. He turns to his wife and asks her to open her mouth. She protests and puts up her hands. Again, he offers, again she protests, and then she laughs and concedes. Abraha leans over and places the small handful of bread and stew into her mouth. Our host explains that we have just witnessed an East African social custom called gursha, a word that means “mouthful”

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

and an act that expresses friendship and love. Before we know it, each of us are at Abraha’s mercy, playfully protesting and then giving in to accept his offering. After the meal, Amele treats us to a coffee ceremony where she first lights small cubes of Frankincense to fragrance the air. That, combined with the smell of coffee beans roasting over a small burner, makes the room heavy with beautiful aromas. The coffee is much stronger than what we’re used to drinking. An ounce of this potent liquid will be more than enough to keep us fuelled for the next few hours. The ceremony is a lovely way to end this enlightening visit. Along with the good food, laughter and hugs, my stomach, my heart and my spirit are full. “Come back any time,” Abraha tells us yet again, “I mean it. You are welcome here, always.”

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READ LOCAL

tawâw:

Progressive Indigenous Cuisine WORDS TWYLA CAMPBELL

In 2015, chef Shane Chartrand invited his friend, food writer

through foster care, adoption and reconnection to his Cree

Jennifer Cockrall-King, to help him write a cookbook. By

culture, as well as details of his professional journey from

then, the Edmonton-born author had written Food and the

dishwasher at a truck stop to executive chef at SC in the

City and Food Artisans of the Okanagan—two books about

River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, Alberta, on Treaty 6

food; neither geared towards cooking it.

Territory.

“Recipe writing is very different from food writing,” she says,

Shane Chartrand wants this book to spark the imagination of

“I didn’t know the first thing about writing a cookbook.”

a new generation and to inspire all of us to put thought into

But she said yes because

TAWÂW (PRONOUNCED TA-WOW) MEANS “COME IN, YOU’RE WELCOME, THERE’S ROOM.”

how we cook, eat and share food, not only in our homes,

she knew well of Shane

but in restaurants and communities as well.

Chartrand’s creativity and

“Food is a place where the Indigenous and the non-

his passion when it came to

Indigenous worlds can easily connect,” he writes in the

food.

book’s Introduction.

For four years, Jennifer

With that in mind, I encourage you to pick up a copy

trailed after Shane in grocery stores and kitchens, furiously

of tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine and become

scribbling notes about ingredients, measurements and

enlightened; to try these recipes, to see what you’re capable

methods, hoping that everything would come together into

of creating, and to perhaps inspire you to explore your own

usable recipes.

roots.

As it turns out, his work and her scribbles came together just

Progress is within

fine in tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine, a 304-page

us all. An easy way

book published by Anansi Press, released in October 2019.

to achieve it is to

Within weeks, it garnered a World Gourmand Award for

open a book and

Innovation.

learn something new.

welcome, there’s room.” The book features over 75 recipes with accompanying photos plus interviews with friends, family and culinary influences. Chartrand reveals details of his personal life

PHOTO: CATHRYN SPRAGUE

Tawâw pronounced ta-WOW) means “Come in, you’re

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

THE VINTAGE KITCHEN 2

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

WORDS TWYLA CAMPBELL | PHOTO HEATHER MUSE

Cooking utensils and equipment have come a long way in the past 100 years. We snooped through the Old Strathcona Antique Mall to find kitchen utensils from days of yore—a time of woodstoves and candlelight and before small appliances were even a thing. No Le Creuset, no KitchenAid with attachments, no cappuccino machines. Utensils were single purpose items and many were made showing no manufacturer’s information anywhere. Can you imagine selling something today without a brand? Or, using equipment that required stamina to get the job done?

Check out these cool finds!

1. While the tiny tin sifter has no manufacturing

4. This utilitarian ricer has no manufacturer

stamped on the front. Bromwell’s was founded by

potato in and push!

information, the large sifter has all of that and more Jacob Bromwell in1819. He made the first rotary flour sifter that year but didn’t patent it until 1930 (patent no. 1,753,995). This company is still in operation making it the oldest flour sifter-making

information and no bells and whistles. Just put the

5. If you didn’t preserve food in the fall, you didn’t eat through the winter—at least things like fruit, vegetables and pickled goods. This Perfect Seal

company in North America.

jar with a wire closure was made in Canada by the

2. You’ll need some elbow grease to power this

prevent light from breaking down the nutritional

Dominion Glass Company. The blue colour helped

A & J hand mixer. A price for one similar and in

content and flavour of the food inside. The colour

good condition costs about $20.00—that’s a 2300%

was called Ball Blue, a turquoise shade named for

increase from the original price of $0.69 in 1923.

the Ball Corporation, a prevalent jar manufacturer at

3. This green and cream double boiler is typical of enamelware from Kockums, a company in Sweden

that started in the 1920s. Most enamelware hasn’t survived the ages without a few chips and gouges. These pieces are best used for decorative purposes

the time. Old Strathcona Antique Mall 10323 – 78 Avenue Edmonton, AB www.oldstrathconamall.com

as cooking with rusty equipment is an obvious no-no.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

FEATURE: SURVIVING THE AGES

BISTRO PRAHA

43 Years and Going Strong

WORDS PHIL WILSON | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE 28

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

IN THE DINING ROOM AT BISTRO PRAHA,

a mural of rolling hills and mountains looms larger than life behind co-owner, Daniel Shultz. It’s an idyllic European vista but not one that reflects the restaurant’s namesake, Prague (Praha), or any other location in the Czech Republic. The mural is a random scene of the Swiss Alps and the hills that lead up to them. The mural was a focal point in the restaurant’s original location on 101A Street off Rice Howard Way, but that mural was irreparably damaged in the 2009 fire that razed the entire block where Bistro Praha had stood since the late Frantisek Cikanek opened it in 1977. The mural that hangs today is a replacement. After the fire, Daniel, his wife, Sharka Svajgr (who’d worked at the bistro since she was 15), Sharka’s brother, Milan (also an employee) and his girlfriend, Alena, purchased what remained of the bistro from the Cikanek family and endeavoured to resurrect it in a new location.

They secured a space at 10117 101 Street and set about recreating the room that customers had come to love over the years. It seemed everything was replaceable except that mural—which Frantisek had received free with the purchase of a waterbed from a Woodward’s department store. The store had long shuttered its doors and Sharka's attempts to find another mural proved futile. The group reluctantly resigned to move on without it until they got a call from a customer named Tabea Schiewe. Tabea’s mural came from Woodward’s as well but instead of displaying it as she intended, she kept the mural tucked away in a cardboard tube where it stayed in her basement, for decades. When Schiewe heard that Sharka and her partners were resurrecting the bistro, she phoned to say she had something they might be interested in. Without hesitation, they happily accepted the gift. With the room’s focal point secured, the remaining elements were assembled. Soft light spilled from old, heavy lamps. Antique tables—their low tops responsible for so many bruised knees over the years— were once again surrounded by wellworn chairs with undersides autographed by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart, Zach Galifinakis and Alex Ovechkin. The room was familiarly warm and inviting. That was 2011.

LEFT: Many legendary signatures grace the bottoms of the chairs in the restaurant

FEATURE: SURVIVING THE AGES

Long-standing customers wasted no time in making their way to the new location to feast on recognizable Czech delicacies and listen to classical music in a restored version of Frantisek’s restaurant. That familiarity is what customers cherish and any change, big or small, does not go unnoticed or unchallenged. “[We] finally decided the lamps had become too cumbersome, so we replaced them. We had a customer, upset that they were gone, tell us, ‘That’s it, you’ve ruined the Bistro. I’m never coming back here,’” says Daniel, “and she never has.” And about that menu? While other restaurants change their menus to keep customers interested, Shultz says people keep coming back because their menu stays constant. The schnitzel prepared today, tastes the same as it did in 2010. Same with the goulash, the fried cheese and the steak tartare. The food remains simple, delicious and unpretentious. In addition to the room and menu, much of the staff is familiar, too. Seventy per cent of the employees

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

moved from the old location to the new, including head chef, Ty Kouch, who’s been with the bistro for 30 years. There is one change so deeply felt that it cannot be overlooked, that being the loss of Sharka, who passed away in 2019. A legion of customers mourns her passing but, in her memory, Daniel, Milan and the staff honour Sharka by keeping the Bistro Praha experience authentic to how it’s been for 43 years. Bistro Praha is an anomaly. It has survived because it has stayed true to Frantisek Cikanek’s dream of building a restaurant where people could eat Czech delicacies, listen to classical music and feel at home— and not only has the bistro survived, but it thrives with barely a presence on social media. Daniel knows they are fortunate. We know it, too. Here’s to Bistro Praha, may it forever stay the same. Bistro Praha

10117 101 Street, Edmonton www.bistropraha.com

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Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

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Chicken Keeping PART TWO: KEEPING URBAN HENS PHOTOS + WORDS HEATHER MUSE

So, you want to keep chickens in your city backyard? You’re in luck. In May 2019, the city of Edmonton lifted the previous cap of 50 permitted urban chicken sites to now allow anyone (upon approval) to keep three to six hens in backyard spaces. Before you run out to buy some birds and start collecting those freshly laid eggs, there is much to consider in order to keep your hens happy and healthy for years to come. The city of Edmonton requires applicants to take an approved urban hen keeping course before obtaining a license to keep chickens. River City Chickens (www. rivercitychickens.org) is a volunteer-run organization in Edmonton that teaches Chicken Keeping 101, an introductory course, and a great place to start. Applicants are encouraged to download guidelines and procedures for the process by searching for “urban hens” on the city of Edmonton’s website at www.edmonton.ca .

THE INITIAL SETUP Careful consideration must be given when building a coop. Since the maximum number of hens allowed in the city of Edmonton is six, I highly recommend building a coop large enough to house six because even if you plan to start with three, you may want to add a couple more hens in

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

the future—there’s a reason for those million memes about chicken math. Plan for about two to three square feet per chicken for the coop, and eight to 10 square feet per bird for the run. Be a considerate neighbour and place your coop away from houses as much as possible. While chickens aren’t super noisy, they can occasionally squawk and cluck especially after they’ve laid an egg (sometimes referred to as an egg-song), which can be quite early in the morning in the summer months. While certainly less noisy than a barking dog, they are still animals and do make some noise. A gift of fresh eggs once in a while will help keep your neighbours happy and lessen the chance of them being irritated with the sounds your hens might make. Instead of building your own coop, you can buy a ready-made one, but look for one with these specifications: Insulation: To protect the hens from the cold. Ventilation: Excess moisture - much of it from droppings - can make chickens ill and contribute to frostbite in the winter. Plan for a vent near the top of the coop that can be opened wide in warm weather and made narrower in colder weather. It’s important to keep the vent open year-round so

excess moisture can escape from the top of the coop, even in the coldest of weather. Cover the vent with hardware cloth or a metal cold air return grill to prevent predators from accessing the coop. Roosting bars: These should be installed in the least drafty spot in the coop, and higher than the nesting boxes. At night, chickens like to roost as high as they can so if the roosts are installed below the nesting boxes, chickens will climb up and perch on the edge of the box instead of on the roosting bar. As a result, the boxes will become soiled and make for dirty eggs. Unlike wild birds, chickens prefer wider, flatter roosts, as it’s easier for them to balance, and allows them to hunch down and cover their feet in the winter to avoid frostbite on their toes. If you plan to install a roost higher than a couple feet, you’ll need to install a few staggered roosting bars so the hens can hop their way up to the top and back down again in the morning without injuring themselves.

may end up with a rooster (or six). Roosters aren’t allowed in city limits, and with good reason—a rooster may start crowing when it’s still dark and continue to crow randomly throughout the day. If you live on an acreage outside city limits, you’re permitted to have roosters but if you’re inside the city, only hens are allowed. I don’t recommend hatchery birds for urban flocks. These birds are bred for production to pump out an egg a day yearround, for maximum profitability, and their health and laying

Nest Boxes: You can make these out of wood, use milkcrates turned sideways and mounted on the wall, or you can buy plastic ones from a feed store. Allow for two to three nest boxes per coop. Mine are made from salvaged wood, specifically sized around plastic dishpans that I picked up from a dollar store. The dishpan fits snuggly in a nest box but can be removed for easy cleaning. In my experience, chickens tend to pick their favourite box, so even if you have two or three nest boxes, you may end up with all the eggs being laid in one box. Runs: When building the run, cover it with a traditional shingled roof or with secured corrugated metal or plastic panels to keep the rain out in the warmer months and the snow out in the winter. Fine gauge hexagonal chicken wire should be avoided as predators can easily rip through the mesh. Use welded wire fencing (with 2-inch by 4-inch holes or smaller) and for extra security, dig down and run the wire at least a foot below the ground surface. Backfill the space to keep out digging predators. In Edmonton, the city requires that the run must also be wrapped with either plastic or a tarp in the winter to provide a sheltered place for the chickens during the day. Make sure it’s not airtight to keep some ventilation in the run. The door to the coop should be human-sized for easy access.

WHERE TO GET CHICKENS Urban chickens in Edmonton must be at least four months of age when you bring them home. These are called pullets, a term used for young hens under a year old. This rules out picking up chicks, as most of them cannot be sexed and you

abilities can severely decline after just a couple of years. Also, these chickens aren’t bred for personality or winter hardiness and are often flighty or stand-offish. I prefer heritage breed hens - pure breeds or cross bred hens. They will lay between three to six eggs a week and will usually take a yearly break from laying in the darker days of winter to molt and recharge. Heritage chickens can lay well for more than five years and, even when their laying slows, can live happily for seven or eight years, or more. You can find heritage chicken breeders online on Kijiji or with a Google search. You may have to drive an hour or two out of town to find the hens that are right for your flock. Ask questions about their breeding programs. Not all people

THIS PAGE: Urban Hen Keeper Laura Klassen Russell keeps six chickens in her backyard in Edmonton

who list birds for sale are responsible breeders and it’s important to make sure you are starting with healthy birds. If you arrange to pick up some hens and they don’t look healthy or something seems off about the place, please don’t take them to rescue them. Diseases can infect your coop and be difficult to rid, even after chickens are removed. Make sure the hens have healthy looking feet and combs, have no discharge coming from their nose and aren’t wheezing, and are bright-eyed and alert. You can ask the breeder to take them out of the box for a closer inspection. If you're interested in a coloured egg basket, some breeds, like Ameraucanas or Cream Legbars, will lay blue eggs and are often crossed with dark brown egg breeds such as Marans or Welsummers to create a hen that lays speckled, olive coloured eggs. Orpingtons are docile and lay light brown or even pinkish eggs and are a great choice if kids will be helping with your flock. Easter Eggers are friendly and curious and lay light blue, green or pinkish eggs and have small combs (called pea combs) that are more resistant to frostbite in the winter. Easter Eggers are usually crosses of the purebred Ameraucana but some breeders mislabel them as purebred Ameraucanas, so be aware of that. Cochins, Wyandottes, Brahmas, and Australorps are also beautiful and gentle breeds but there are many more interesting breeds out there, so do some research before deciding on which breeds are right for your flock.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

CARING FOR YOUR CHICKENS Chickens need proper food to get all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and lay eggs. If your hens aren’t laying regularly, the first thing to look at is their diet. Hens need layer feed with about 16-17% protein which is available in bags at Peavey Mart, UFA and feed lots. It’s also a good idea to offer free choice oyster shell in a bucket for extra calcium. Fresh, clean water is very important, even in the winter. You can purchase a heated water bowl or waterer for use in freezing temperatures to make sure your hens always have access to water. Chickens will eat vegetable ends, leftover bread ends and almost anything biodegradable from your kitchen that you would normally throw in the garbage. I keep a little covered compost bin on my counter which I empty daily in the run when I check their food and water and collect the eggs. Avoid giving the hens moldy or excessively salty, greasy or sugary foods which can harm their digestive systems. You can also give them a handful of black sunflower seeds or dried mealworms once in a while as an extra protein treat.

BIOSECURITY, CLEANING, AND MAINTENANCE Chickens can be susceptible to diseases so it’s important to practice good bio-security. If someone who also keeps chickens is visiting your site, ask them to bring clean shoes that haven’t been worn around their chickens, or offer an extra pair of yours. Find a vet that has experience treating

chickens in case your hens get ill or injured. Disease can wipe out a flock in a few days, if left untreated. Keeping your coop clean and dry and cleaning the waterer every few weeks will help keep your flock healthy.

and a little wood ash. Instead of making a wood box, you can also use an empty plastic kiddie pool.

To clean the coop, use the Deep Litter method. Start with an empty coop and lay down at least six inches of bedding. I prefer to use dry and clean wood shavings purchased in a compacted square bag from a feed store. Once a week, turn over the shavings and stir with a pitchfork to bring fresh bedding to the surface. As it compacts, keep adding more bedding to keep it at six inches to keep the coop dry. Twice a year (spring and fall), clean out the coop completely and put all the soiled bedding into a compost bin and use to enrich your garden the next year.

Now you’re ready to enjoy your chickens! There’s nothing quite like gathering freshly laid eggs and cracking them into a pan for your breakfast. As long as you have the proper set up, chickens are easy to keep and require little attention. Even small children can help with the daily feeding, watering and gathering of the eggs. As long as your backyard is securely fenced and you provide supervision, your chickens can be let out of the run to free range and eat grass and bugs around the yard. If they get used to you feeding them treats or kitchen scraps, they’ll follow you back into the run when you lock them up again before evening. At the end of the day, the chickens will go into the coop themselves to roost for the night, after all, they need a good night’s rest before making your breakfast in the morning.

It’s a good idea to also use straw, wood shavings or leaves in the run in the winter to keep it dry. These types of bedding are soft on the chickens’ feet. You should also set up an area for the chickens to dust bathe—an act that removes excess moisture from skin and helps keep the birds free of external parasites like mites and lice. Make a bottomless wood box that is 2 feet by 2 feet out of 2x6 wood studs and fill with several inches of sand, dry dirt

ENJOYING YOUR CHICKENS

Heather Muse is an avid chicken keeper on six and a half acres just outside of Edmonton.

It’s time to celebrate spring and with that, the release of Northern Eyes Rye, Edmonton’s first locally crafted whisky from Hansen Distillery. With the help of the distillery’s master mixer, Rylan Martin, we created an Edmonton-specific version of the Mint Julep—the Kentucky Derby’s official cocktail that is served 120,000 times over the first weekend in May during the Derby weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. Fun fact: According to Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller, Chris Morris, it should take you 22 sips through a straw over a course of 60 minutes to drink a Mint Julep. See if you can make that work. (Editor’s note: We couldn’t. We finished our Julep in far fewer sips and in less time. All in the name of research, you know.) While the classic Mint Julep is bourbon-based, we found that Northern Eyes, made of 100% Alberta rye, has a flavour profile that’s very complimentary to mint and a hint of sweetener. The whisky is aged for three years in a single American oak barrel lending flavours of dark caramel, mild vanilla, black pepper, and caramelized banana. The smoke you get with each sip (thanks to the char in the barrel) is the crowning glory to this well-rounded rye whisky. And so, to welcome Northern Eyes and to prepare for our own Canadian Derby that takes place at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino near Leduc every August, we present to you, the ED"MINT"ON JULEP!

FEATURE COCKTAIL:

ED"MINT"ON JULEP INGREDIENTS: 4 to 6 robust mint leaves 2 ounces Hansen Northern Eyes Rye ¼ ounce pecan simple syrup*

INSTRUCTIONS:

*PECAN SIMPLE SYRUP:

In a julep cup, add simple syrup and mint leaves.

In a medium saucepan, combine equal parts

Gently muddle, and add 1 ounce of Northern Eyes

Demerara sugar and water (1 cup of each for this

whisky.

recipe)

Fill half the cup with crushed ice.

Add a handful of chopped pecans

Swizzle, or gently stir with a bar spoon.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stir occasionally and strain

Add a second ounce of whisky and top with crushed ice. Pat down the ice like you’re serving a snowcone. Use a straw to poke a shallow hole and insert 2-3 sprigs of fresh mint as a garnish. Finish by fully inserting a straw and let the sipping commence. Note: You may wish to express the mint sprigs by gently clapping them between your palms before garnishing, just to wake it up, express the mint oils, and maximize mint fragrance.

Don’t have a julep cup? It looks pretty good in glass, too. Hansen Distillery plans to release a new batch of Northern Eyes at the beginning of each month, so if you missed the March 3rd release, hang tight. There’s more coming!

WORDS TWYLA CAMPBELL | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE

out the nuts. Cool and pour into a sealable jar. Will keep in fridge for one month—or longer if you add a pinch of salt and a splash of vodka.

gather here RECIPES FROM OUR TABLE TO YOURS RECIPES + WORDS LAURA MUSE | PHOTOS HEATHER MUSE

POACHED EGGS WITH PAN-FRIED ASPARAGUS TIME: 20 MINUTES | SERVES: 4 4 eggs (as fresh as possible) 1 Tbsp. vinegar 1 Tbsp. butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed of woody ends Fresh lemon juice Salt Freshly cracked pepper METHOD: Fill a pot with water a few inches deep, add vinegar, and heat to a very low simmer on a stovetop – the fewer bubbles the better. Crack each egg into a small bowl or ramekin and gently slide each egg into the water. Leave to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness. While the water is simmering and the eggs are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan and add minced garlic. Sauté for a minute or two until fragrant. Add asparagus and sauté until bright green and tender-crisp, about 5-10 minutes. Remove asparagus from the pan and arrange on four plates. Squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus, top with a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Notes: If you wish to make the poached eggs ahead of time, immerse them in an ice water bath after cooking to keep the eggs from cooking further. Store in the fridge and heat in hot water for a few minutes before serving. To reduce the amount of wispy egg whites when poaching the eggs, crack each egg into a wire strainer and allow the thin egg white to strain off before placing the egg in the ramekin.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP TIME: 30 MINUTES | SERVES: 4 3 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed of woody ends and chopped into 1-inch lengths 3 cups chicken broth, divided 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup cream 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice Freshly cracked pepper METHOD: Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add asparagus and 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. Puree the asparagus and onion mixture in a blender, reserving a few asparagus tips for garnish. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in the pot, stir in the flour and cook for 20 seconds. Whisk in the last cup of chicken broth and heat until thickened. Stir in the asparagus and onion puree and bring to a light simmer. Stir in the cream and heat through, but do not allow to boil. Add 1 tsp. of salt, or to taste. Stir in lemon juice and serve immediately with the reserved asparagus tips and freshly cracked pepper as garnish.

ABOUT LAURA I was brought up in a family of excellent and adventurous cooks—mom being the former; dad, the latter—but I didn’t really come into my own until after I left home about a decade ago. At first, I found cooking to be daunting but as I spent more time in the kitchen (and in the grocery store or farmers' market holding up some previously unknownto-me ingredient while asking, “What’s this and what can I make with it?”), I found a love for creating in the kitchen that I didn’t know I possessed. I hope you enjoy making these dishes as much as I've enjoyed creating them. Follow Laura on Instagram @lauramusecooks

Haskaps from Rosy Farms and challah bread from Bon Ton Bakery

HASKAP AND RICOTTA BAKED CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES + OVERNIGHT | COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES | SERVES: 4-6

HASKAP COMPOTE 2 cups fresh or frozen haskaps, divided 4 Tbsp. honey

METHOD: Combine all ingredients except ½ cup of haskaps in a saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Bring to a boil,

1 tsp. lemon zest

stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25

Pinch of salt

minutes, until thickened, adding the remaining ½ cup of haskaps in the last 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and cool to room temperature.

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST 1 loaf of challah bread

METHOD:

½ cup ricotta cheese

Grease the inside of a Dutch oven or casserole dish.

5 eggs 1 cup milk 1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. salt Optional Toppings: Whipped Cream Icing Sugar

Slice challah bread in ½-inch thick slices. Arrange slices of bread in pairs on your counter, as if you were making sandwiches. Spread a spoonful of cooled haskap compote on one slice, and spread a layer of ricotta cheese on the opposite slice. Sandwich the two slices together and repeat with the remaining slices of bread. Reserve remaining haskap compote for pouring over top after the French toast is baked. Place eggs, milk, cinnamon, and salt in a shallow dish. Whisk to combine. Take each “sandwich” and dip each side in the egg mixture for a few seconds to soak the outside of the bread. Place in the Dutch oven in a standing position. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Soak any cut off ends of the bread in the egg mixture and tuck into the cracks. Pour remaining egg mixture over all. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, pre-heat oven to 375°F. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Check at 30 minutes, and if the top is browning too quickly, tent the top of your dish with some foil. Pour reserved haskap compote on top and serve hot. Top with whipped cream or icing sugar (or both!)

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

LEMON AND CARDAMOM MERINGUE NESTS WITH SASKATOON FILLING PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 1.5-2 HOURS + 1 HOUR COOL TIME | MAKES: 8-10 NESTS 3 egg whites at room temperature ¼ tsp. cream of tartar ¾ cup icing sugar ¼ tsp. ground cardamom ½ Tbsp. lemon zest METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a clean metal or glass bowl that is free of any oil or fat. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl and beat with a hand beater or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in the icing sugar one tablespoon at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Once all the sugar has been incorporated continue to beat on high until the meringue looks glossy and forms stiff peaks. Sprinkle the cardamom and lemon zest over top, and gently fold in using a spoon or spatula. The less the meringue is worked the better. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (I used a Wilton 1M). Carefully pipe a circle of meringue onto the parchment paper, starting at the centre and moving outwards. When the circle is 3 inches in diameter continue piping a second layer on the outer edge to create the sides of the nest. Repeat until all the meringue is used. Bake in oven for 1.5-2 hours until meringues are dry. Turn off the oven and let cool in the oven for a least 1 hour up to overnight. While the meringues are cooling, make the saskatoon filling.

SASKATOON FILLING: 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen saskatoon berries 2 Tbsp. water 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. corn starch fresh mint leaves (optional) Combine berries, water and lemon juice in a medium pot. Whisk sugar and cornstarch together and add to berries. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until simmering and thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Spoon one tablespoon of berry filling into each meringue nest, garnish with mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately.

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WWW.STONEPOSTFARMS.CA INFO@STONEPOSTFARMS.CA 587-673-1077 . @STONEPOSTFARMS

BRETONA FARM CO.

Lazuli Farms

We are a small family farm just a few minutes southeast of Edmonton offering CSA subscriptions. Join our community and receive fresh weekly vegetables and flowers this summer!

Order your monthly Farm Box subscription - including naturally raised pork, chicken, beef, and lamb selections. Order on the online meat shop. Your Farm Box is shipped right to your doorstep anywhere in Alberta right from doors our farm in Camrose County. Know your farmer - follow our journey on IG or Facebook! WWW.LAZULIFARMS.COM INSTAGRAM: @LAZULIFARMSCANADA FACEBOOK: LAZULI FARMS

Pick up your fresh-picked box directly from the farm or Edmonton. WWW.BRETONAFARM.CA INSTAGRAM @BRETONAFARMCO 1-780-935-0651

Join a CSA near you. Create a personal relationship

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

K Y L I E & S C OT T B A RT M A N

BEHIND THE SCENES A glimpse of the fun and hard work of putting together our Spring issue.

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

EDMONTON’S NEWEST FULL SERVICE BUTCHER SHOP Excellent specialty cuts, creative ready-to-cook items, and many other local products.

MEET MIKE AND TREENA

Come in and say hello! We love meeting new people, talking about food, and passing favourite recipes back and forth.

6853 170 Street • popowichmeatcompany.ca • 587.462.8926 Wolf Willow Shopping Centre • Lots of parking available

ANNE DEJONG ART w w w. a n n e d e j o n g a r t . c o m @annedejongart

780.7 5 7.7 70 4

K I TC H E N BY B R A D.CA

# 1 0 1 , 1 0 1 3 0 – 1 0 5 ST R E E T

marketplace page 6

pages 10-11

BLACK BOX HOSPITALITY GROUP

WEST GATE HALAL MEAT & DELI,

www.bbhg.ca/ page 7 KB&CO

9550 163 St, Edmonton

PARAISO TROPICAL LTD.

9136 118 Ave NW Edmonton

www.kbandcompany.com

POLISH FOOD CENTRE

page 8

POPULAR BAKERY

PECHE CAFE

www.pechecafe.com

10133 Princess Elizabeth Ave 9307 118 Ave NW Edmonton pages 12-16

page 9 THE MOTH CAFE

www.themothcafe.com

NATURE’S GREEN ACRES

www.naturesgreenacres.com pages 18-19 GET COOKING

www.getcookingedmonton.com page 24 TAWÂW: PROGRESSIVE INDIGENOUS CUISINE

Available at most bookstores and through online distributors. pages 26-27 OLD STRATHCONA ANTIQUE MALL

www.oldstrathconamall.com pages 28-30 BISTRO PRAHA

www.bistropraha.com pages 32-33 BON TON BAKERY

www.bonton.ca PHOTO HEATHER MUSE

DUCHESS BAKESHOP

www.duchessbakeshop.com THE LITTLE MALLOW COMPANY

www.thelittlemallowcompany.com THE NORTHERN TABLE

www.thenortherntable.ca STUDIO BLOOM

www.studiobloom.ca SGAMBARO’S SIGNATURE SEAFOODS INC.

www.sgambaros.com MEUWLYS

www.meuwlys.com pages 38-39 HANSEN DISTILLERY

www.hansendistillery.com pages 40-47 HOLDEN COLONY PRODUCE – GARLIC, ONIONS

www.holdencolonyproduce.com ROSY FARMS – HASKAPS

www.rosyfarms.com BON TON BAKERY

– CHALLAH BREAD

www.bonton.ca

GOOD MORNING HONEY – HONEY

www.goodmorninghoney.com page 52 HERBOLOGIE

www.herbologie.ca Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

one last muse WORDS AGA WAJDA-PLYTTA | PHOTO HEATHER MUSE I spent several hours researching the best material, size, brand and origin of a mortar and pestle before choosing a set that I really liked, and honestly, I don’t even recall why I selected this particular one. It was probably a casual purchase I made thinking it would serve as a great decorative item in the kitchen. Classic. But as I became experimental with my cooking—specifically with spices—my attention was drawn to the intimacy that the mortar and pestle provides. I get into almost a trance-like state when I work with spices and herbs. The worldly aromas that come out of pounding peppercorns and coriander, smashing cardamom or fennel, and grinding cinnamon quills into powder sparks much of my creativity in cooking. The act of blending these freshly pounded, smashed and ground spices in the mortar is almost ritualistic as I watch and smell the spices integrate and complement each other. There is something to be said about witnessing ingredients break down and change into something new after a laborious process. This new “decorative” kitchen item has now become my most sought after tool in the kitchen.

Aga Wajda-Plytta is a chartered herbalist with a curiosity in emerging culinary innovations and the founder of Herbologie. For Aga, spices and herbs are the perfect intersection of culinary experience and wellness. Herbologie has curated an incredible selection of products, from worldly single origin spices and Canadian grown herbs to their unique blends which offer endless possibilities for both the curious home cook and professional chef. Website: www.herbologie.ca IG: @herbologie_

Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

COMING SOON

DOWNTOWN / HIGHLANDS 124TH STREET / ST. ALBERT bodegayeg.ca

12229 107 AVE NW, EDMONTON, AB T5M 1Z1

You’re getting married! LET A Cappella Catering TAKE CARE OF THE DETAILS

After nearly 30 years and hundreds of weddings, we are at your service, with pleasure - in planning your special day. From engagement celebration, wedding day breakfasts, limousine snacks and even a food truck for midnight lunch - planning a memorable meal for guests is what we do best.

Call us for a copy of our wedding package with planning tips, preferred vendors and catering menus.

780.454.2642

acappellacatering.com Eat Local • Edmonton • Spring 2020

@eatlocalmagazine

eatlocalmagazine.ca