Savour Calgary 2020 September October by savourcalgary

SEPTEMBER » OCTOBER 2020

FRESH. LOCAL. STORIES FOR FOOD LOVERS.

Social Gastronomy

Meet the Producers

Raising Foodies

Mid-Century Nosh

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Welcome | F R O M T H E E D I T O R

Contents 12 ne of the blessings of 2020 has been the opportunity to see Calgarians shine through adversity. This issue of Savour Calgary celebrates the leaders in the local food community – and there are so many. Whether they’re taking on animal welfare, hungry school kids, gender stereotypes or environmental sustainability, Calgary is full of people who do good through good food. There’s no time like the fall harvest to celebrate the producers that bring fresh, local produce and meat to our restaurants and our tables all year long. In this issue, we meet a few of those local folks who keep environmental sustainability, the humane treatment of animals and the highest level of quality front and centre every day. Check out Catherine Van Brunschott’s cover story on Page 16 to get to know a few of these leaders and visit the Producers’ Marketplace on the following pages for some more great ideas. Speaking of leaders, Shelley Boettcher introduces us to some of Calgary’s social gastronomists who have led numerous initiatives through the pandemic (and before) as they change the world through food. You’ll recognize many of the local heroes in the Social Gastronomy story on Page 12. Nicole MacKay gives some tips on how to nurture future food leaders in her Raising Foodies story on Page 22 and Tanya Schaap takes a trip to the past with her Mid-Century Nosh feature on Page 24. Settle yourself into the plush steakhouse banquette and take in some classic recipes and reminiscences.

16 22

24 Features 12 Social Gastronomy

There’s so much to do in the kitchen in this issue as well with recipes and masterclass projects – we hope your copy will be covered in spots and stains by the time you’re through with it. You can always pick up another copy at one of our many locations in and around the city.

16 Meet the Producers

I invite you to check out the new-and-improved Savour Calgary restaurant directory at savourcalgary.ca. This curated list of great places to eat, drink and shop is your go-to resource for the best Calgary has to offer.

24 Mid-Century Nosh

It’s really such a pleasure to put this publication together for you every issue. Our team is constantly seeking out stories, recipes and information we hope move and inspire you to try new recipes, restaurants and products that enrich your lives. And we’re always open to your ideas. Please drop us a line with your comments, tips and hidden gems – after all, Savour Calgary readers are also leaders in this community. And we couldn’t do it without you!

Camie Leard, Editor camie@savourcalgary.ca

22 Raising Foodies 26 Calgary's Women of Wine

The Regulars 5 9 10 14 20 28 30

Savour Selects Fresh Market Julie’s Kitchen Master Class Shop Local Quick Bites Back of House

SAVOURCALGARY.ca S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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Open daily from 9 am to 7 pm PUBLISHER

Debbie Lambert debbie@savourcalgary.ca EDITOR

Camie Leard camie@savourcalgary.ca A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

Wanda Baker wanda@savourcalgary.ca MAGAZINE DESIGN

Cheryl Starr Design Group stellardesign.ca COVER

Rob Milton is a Calgary-based caricature artist and illustrator with a bachelor of design from ACAD. CONTRIBUTORS

Wanda Baker Shelley Boettcher Jenny Burthwright Brit Hart Bernice Hill Ellen Kelly Nicole MacKay Alison Martin Tanya Schaap Catherine Van Brunschott Julie Van Rosendaal ADVERTISING SALES

www.biteyyc.com

Ellen Kelly ellen@savourcalgary.ca Jennifer MacTavish jennifer@savourcalgary.ca

1023 9th Ave S.E.

WEBSITE TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Todd Robertson web@savourcalgary.ca

open 9 am to 3 pm www.beaseatery.com 1023 9th ave. s.e. (inside bite)

PRINTING

CentralWeb DISTRIBUTION

James Norman distribution@savourcalgary.ca Savour Calgary is a bi-monthly magazine published by Savour Calgary Ltd. Savour Calgary is published six times per year. Winter, Early Spring, Late Spring, Summer, Fall, Holiday C O N TAC T I N FO RM AT I O N

403.475.5809 info@savourcalgary.ca M A I L : c/o 153 Somercrest Circle S.W., Calgary, AB T2Y3H1 PHONE:

EMAIL:

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BREAKFAST LUNCH

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FO R M O RE I N FO RM AT I O N S E E U S AT

savourcalgary.ca FO R E D I T O RI A L I N Q U I RI E S C O N TAC T

camie@savourcalgary.ca Savour Calgary has made all efforts to ensure that content in the magazine is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s) opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or editor. The published material, advertisements, editorials and photographs along with all other content is published in good faith and Savour Calgary cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by any errors, omissions and for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers or any other contributors. All trademarks presented in this magazine are owned by the registered owner and Savour Calgary will be held harmless in the event that the advertiser or contributor has submitted trademarks for which they do not have authorization from the owner. All rights reserved by Savour Calgary and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of the publisher at Savour Calgary Ltd.

T O P P I C K S f rom Savour staf f | S A V O U R S E L E C T S

Savour selects

The Guru pizza at Avatara

Avatara Pizza 3406 3rd Ave. N.W. 403.457.4992 avatarapizza.com

For 11 years, Avatara Pizza has been providing Calgarians with authentic- tasting pizza. They started back in the day toting a pizza cart, progressed to the Avatara Food Truck and finally a sit-down restaurant in Parkdale. Three years later, they changed their menu to provide healthier choices and gluten-free pizza increasing their customer following to include those willing to drive across town to indulge. Owner and General Operations Manager Chris Iturbe has a passion for the science behind food and works hard to perfect new recipes using methods he tests many times before adding to the menu. His travels inspire new recipes like the Taco Fiesta pizza he created this year for the (unfortunately cancelled) Calgary Stampede. During a trip to Mexico, he obtained an authentic family recipe for tacos al pastor, this became the inspiration for this pizza available on his menu. Sauces are made in house, ingredients sourced locally, and toppings always fresh. Follow them on social for future expansion plans.*

Wanda Baker

SMALL SPACE BIG HEART

Veg In YYC East Meets West Bowl.

Veg-In YYC 215 6th Ave. S.E. 587.351.5253 veginyyc.com

When Sehra Bindal, a vegetarian, started Veg-In YYC four years ago, she set her mind on opening a restaurant featuring vegan and vegetarian cuisine fused with Indian flavours. With previous experience owning restaurants and hotels, Bindal wanted to create a unique dining experience in downtown Calgary for plant-based eaters. The menu offers vegan burgers, samosa chaat, veggito wraps, bowls, flatbreads and chai tea. Her team is involved in community, supporting local events where there is a fit, has won awards in a variety of categories and is often sought out by celebrities visiting Calgary as her walls are adorned with photos of those who have dropped in for a bite. Bindal also seeks out local bakeries who make vegan desserts to offer in her cafe so she can focus on the savoury items.*

*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

A NAME YOU CAN TRUST Cal & Gary is the newest brand addition to Calgary Co-op grocery stores and based on the name of our city. The products feature ‘isms’ that Calgarians will understand and appreciate. For example, milkchocolate raisins are sweet, like a game-seven victory. Chocolate bridge mix is finally a bridge we can agree on and kettlecooked peanuts are nuttier than parade day traffic. The Artizan bread is crusty like rush hour on Deerfoot. You get the picture. Cal & Gary knows a thing or two about how Calgarians eat. A line-up of new items includes several of the well-known food items you love to buy and eat, like burgers, utilizing many locally sourced products. Founders & Farmers is the means to providing quality goods in the stores ensuring their products play a role in your food story. A local company, supporting local, bringing you the best of the best, this is what Calgary Co-op is all about.*

Calgary Co-op Grocery Stores calgarycoop.com

A WELL-TRAVELED MENU Accomplished fine dining chef, Ashish Damle, has worked in kitchens around the world over the last 25 years of his career. He left India more than 20 years ago with a few stops along the way before finally landing in Calgary. He spent some time as the chef de cuisine at OEB working in both locations before scooping the empty space they left on Edmonton Trail a couple of years ago. It’s here he and his wife Mira opened Namo Café and Bistro, a breakfast and lunch café that has dabbled in opening for dinner but are currently closed in the evenings. One look at his menu and you will see the inspiration from his travels. The menu is meat based but many of the meals can be made vegan or vegetarian. As they try to navigate these strange times, the plan is to focus more on take-out and delivery in the future and re-open for the evening crowd. We enjoyed the black forest bacon benny and look forward to returning for the marsala chicken and waffles, far east duck bowl and vegan farmers perogies.*

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Wanda Baker

GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA NEVER TASTED BETTER

Black Forest Bacon Benny

Namo Café Bistro 824 Edmonton Tr. N.E. 403.475.7010 namonaturals.com

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Beirut Street Food's shawarma

Beirut Street Food Bay C, 7220 Fairmount Dr. S.E. 403.512.7772 beirutstreetfood.ca

AUTHENTIC LEBANESE FOOD WITH A TWIST

V-IS FOR VICTORY… AND V-BURGER

Within a few minutes of speaking with Ramzal Salem, you immediately feel comfortable, like chatting with an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Ramzal Salem's parents are from Lebanon, and she, like so many other entrepreneurs, wanted to showcase her food and family traditions by opening a restaurant. Four years ago, Salem set to work designing, purchasing, decorating and creating the recipes which led to opening Beirut Street Food. What sets her apart from other shawarma eateries is they use a charcoal grill that she uses to cook the meat on a spit horizontally infusing it with a hint of smoke you won’t find in other Lebanese restaurants. She makes fresh pita bread every day, forming and cooking the bread one pita at a time, on a grill right behind the counter where you can watch the magic. In addition, she uses local, fresh ingredients and imports spices from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon to grind them making her own delicious za'atar, also available for purchase.

Chef Andrea Harling (Made Foods) has come up with a spectacular vegan menu at 17th Ave.’ V-Burger. With a vast choice of patties, sides, sauces and desserts, this cute little burger joint is a dream for vegan diners. Chef Andrea’s favourite? The chickpea kimchi burger. We had the creamy mushroom burger and loved it. But the star of the show for us was the milkshake. Choose from soy, oat or coconut milk bases for V-Burger’s proprietary ice cream mix and Chef Andrea Harling at V-Burger prepare to enjoy one of the finest milkshakes you’ve ever tasted. We had the strawberry with coconut milk ice cream, but are confident any of the 11 flavours would be fantastic. Watch for more of these as the model is designed for franchising and a health-conscious fast-food place like this is sure to catch on.*

BREW ON PREMISE Village Craft Winemaker is simply the best!

45 minutes of your time gives you 30 bottles of quality wine

Camie Leard

Photo supplied by Beirut Street Food

T O P P I C K S f rom Savour staf f | S A V O U R S E L E C T S

V-Burger 819 17th Ave. S.W. 587.387.7272 heyvburger.com

Meet passionate Sommelier, Lori. She loves to share her knowledge to help you craft your favourite wine. It’ll be a fraction of the cost – in the state-ofthe art Uwinemaker. The only Brew on Premise store in Calgary with a Sommelier.

villagecraftwinemaker.ca Close to the north end of Chinook Centre

#105, 358-58th Ave. SW Calgary 403.276.1967 6 S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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Camie Leard

FARM, FIRE AND FALL

Farm and Fire's chicken rillette

Farm and Fire Banff, AB banffjaspercollection. com/dining/farm-fire

If you’re headed to Banff this fall (and you should, it’s beautiful this time of year!) don’t miss the latest offering from Pursuit Group: Farm and Fire in the Elk and Avenue hotel. This beautiful new space offers a robust menu of thoughtful but accessible food by Head Chef David Ryc. For the starter, don’t miss the chicken rillette with bannock featuring a sweet Saskatoon-berry preserve that provides a perfect counterbalance to the profoundly flavourful rillette. This is one of our more pleasant surprises of dining in 2020 so far. We very much enjoyed the porchetta for our main course and a great twist on an old classic “Baked Alberta” for dessert. Make a night of it, book a room and enjoy some of their great cocktails as well.*

STARBELLY TAKES ON THE BELTLINER

Camie Leard

We love this marriage of two great Calgary eateries as the Starbelly Group (under the leadership of Managing Partner Derek Mihalik) took ownership of The Beltliner in June with a vision to have fun with high-low concepts, expand the dinner and cocktail menus and grow the Coffeeland takeaway program with decadent, from-scratch pastries and house-made sandwiches. We had the beef carpaccio, which was beautiful as well as a delicious and also enjoyed the sweet and cool banoffee pie – a diner classic done well here. The expanded cocktail menu also has a few delightful surprises and, when health regulations allow, the Beltliner will feature a weekly tableside sousvide cocktail for your sipping pleasure.* The Beltliner's beef carpaccio

The Beltliner 243 12th Ave. S.W. 587.955.1555 thebeltliner.com

WHO’S WHO OF THE WHO’S NEW While the pandemic has unfortunately seen the closure of some of our favourite eateries, others have opened their doors over the last few months. We’ve been able to try a few of these great newcomers and are looking forward to noshing on the rest! Here’s a list of what’s new on Calgary’s food scene: Pizza is on the menu with Fresh Slice opening in East Village and Our Daily Brett’s pivot to Actually Pretty Good Pizza in Bankview. Asian influences pervade as Paper Lantern serves up some Vietnamese deliciousness in Chinatown and Terry Ke (Tokyo Street Market, Ke) opens his third spot, Ikusa, in Bridgeland. Speaking of Bridgeland, Made by Marcus and L’il Empire take over the old Tazza spot across from Bridgeland Market. Leslie Echnio expands Annabelle’s Kitchen into the core to take over the Blink spot on Stephen Avenue, while the folks at Thank You Hospitality (Native Tongues, Calcutta Cricket Club) transform Two Penny to the very cool shopand-eat A-1 Bodega in Victoria Park.

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Sunterra Market • Britannia Kitchen & Home Britannia Dermedics • Britannia Wine Merchants • The Ritual • Chinook Optical Village Ice Cream • Owl's Nest Books Ginger Laurier • The Tech Shop Bon-A-Pet-Treat Bakery • A1 Cantina

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W H A T ’ S F R E S H this season | F R E S H M A R K E T

Plums and pluots and apriums, oh my! B y E L L E N K E L LY I l l u s t ra t i on b y A L I S ON M A RT I N Plums, as well as pluots and apriums, are part of the same stone fruit family as almonds, cherries, peaches and apricots. Botanically they are called drupes; simply put, fleshy fruit surrounding a single seed encased in a hard shell. Plumcot, the original cross between a plum and an apricot, was developed by the pre-eminent American horticulturist Luther Burbank, the plum being a personal favourite of his. His outstanding contributions to agricultural science include well over 800 plants ranging from the Santa Rosa plum to the Russet Burbank potato with numerous flowers, nuts and grains in between. We’ve been seeing these interesting (and delicious) crosses more and more often in markets in recent years. The original plumcot was an equal cross between a plum and an apricot. Now, many years and permutations later, we have pluots, plumdominant, and apriums, apricot-dominant. They are both described as having an intensely sweet and spicy flavour, frequently surpassing the qualities of either parents. There are hundreds of varieties of plums, divided into two types, European and Japanese. The European plums are very often chartreuse, green or yellow skinned, while the Japanese tend more often to be red, blue or purple. For instance, the Greengage plum is considered European and the Santa Rosa, Japanese. What is fairly common to both is that the ripe flesh is sweet and the skins are very tart. They range in size from cherry-tomato sized to the size of a peach. The season is quite long — May to October — so keep an eye out for various varieties throughout the summer and into the fall. When buying plums, look for fruits that are heavy for their size, and blemish free, without cracks, soft spots or otherwise damaged skins. Many plums have a pale, silvery - dusting. This does not affect the quality; in fact, it suggests the fruit has been minimally handled as the dusty appearance easily rubs off. Choose firm fruit that yields slightly to palm pressure. Don’t be that person who pokes a finger into fruit and then puts it back. Very firm plums will soften at room temperature. These can then be refrigerated in plastic for up to 4 to 5 days. In my estimation, plums make stellar jams, chutneys, sauces and baked tarts. As a matter of fact, oven roasting improves the flavour considerably through caramelization. Jam made with oven-roasted Santa Rosa plums is superb, but feel free to experiment with other varieties, including pluots and apriums. Damson plums (small, oval and dark blue) are a little hard to find. They aren’t especially good to eat out of hand, having a pronounced and slightly astringent taste. The skins have been used to dye fabric a deep purple. However, they do make a lovely cheese which, much like quince cheese, is perfect to serve on a cheese board. A “cheese” is one step beyond a “butter” in that it is long-cooked, becoming stiff when set, and then easily sliced to serve. Use a straight-sided jar as the cheese needs to slide out in order to be sliced. A little

glycerine rubbed on the inside of the jar will facilitate this. Personally, I prefer a damson jam and find it even more versatile, equally as good on toast as it is with warm nutty cheeses like French Compte and Swiss Gruyere. Many recipes for damson plum jam tell you to cook the whole fruit and scoop out the pits as the fruit breaks down. They say the stones float to the surface to facilitate this, but I pit them first and worry less about dentist bills thereafter. Plums contain lots of pectin, so they make a good starter jam. Stone about 5 lbs. of damson plums and begin to cook the fruit down with 1 cup water and 12 cardamom pods in a cheesecloth bag. Add 4 cups of white sugar and bring to a boil. Put a saucer in the freezer for testing. Cook until a set is reached, about 20-25 minutes. Pull the pan off the heat and put a spoon of jam on the saucer, returning it to the freezer for a minute or two. If you are able to run your finger through the jam and it doesn’t flow back, you’re set, or at least your jam is. If not, continue the process. When the jam is ready, remove the cardamom and stir in a knob of butter. Jar and process as per general canning directives. Another excellent use for plums is making your own plum eau-de-vie. And just in time for Christmas gift-giving! Mirabelle plums are a good choice. Haunt the markets for these small, round, yellow-skinned plums. They are sweet - considered by most to be the sweetest of all plums — with thin skins. Mirabelles are a little hard to find, so any tasty plum will work. It’s as easy as letting your choice of plums macerate in alcohol for eight or ten weeks. My preference is gin, but damsons in brandy, with some orange zest and a cinnamon stick tossed in, will give you an interesting Slivovitzstyle tipple. For a liqueur, you simply strain the eau-de-vie, sweeten with a sugar syrup (to taste) and Voila! you now have your own holiday aperitif to share… or not. The addition of a small amount of glycerine will help create a desirable creamy mouth-feel. You can even use the leftover fruit to make a boozy jam if you’re so inclined.

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Savoury Pies Photos and story by J U L I E VA N RO S E N DA A L Harvest season is pie season, with so much produce at its peak at the same time, affordable and abundant, begging to be piled into pastry. And while fall brings to mind mile-high apple and spiced pumpkin pies, it’s also the perfect time for savoury pies — interesting combinations of meat and veg you can wrap in pastry and bring straight from the oven to the table for a single-dish dinner.

Roasted Squash & Greens Pie

Pastry: 1¹⁄ ³ cups all-purpose flour

Tomato Galette When considering savoury pies, chicken pot and shepherd’s may come to mind, but potential filling combinations are as limitless as they are for the dessert variety. Generally speaking, savoury pies have fillings that are pre-cooked before being turned into their pastry-lined plates, which makes them simple to pull off — there’s little concern over cooking time or sliceability. If you don’t want to slice yours at all, a pot pie requires only a lid; spoon any stew-like mixture into a baking dish, top with regular or puff pastry, cut a few steam holes and bake until bubbly and golden, then serve with a spoon. Yes, it still counts as pie.

When tomatoes are at their peak, as they still are in early fall, they make the best, simplest galette — a free-form pie that requires only a baking sheet or shallow pan. Make it with sliced beefsteak or plum tomatoes, or tiny cherry or grape tomatoes.

Another shortcut that doesn’t produce a lesser pie: galette-style free-form pies you can bake on a sheet (or in a pie plate, if you want more support around the sides). They can be assembled using traditional or thawed puff pastry, require no trimming or crimping, and though tomatoes are wonderful, can be made using virtually any vegetable you like, along with herbs and cheeses and perhaps a smear of pesto or olive tapenade before you pile it all on.

¼ tsp salt ½ cup butter, chilled ¼-¹⁄ ³ cup cold water Filling: ¹⁄ ³ cup basil or tomato pesto or olive tapenade (optional) 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved Olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 2-4 oz crumbled feta or blue cheese, or slices/ pieces of Brie 3-4 chives or a few leaves of fresh basil, chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten (optional)

To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Grate in the butter using the coarse side of a box grater and toss to combine. Add the water and stir until the pastry comes together. Gather it up into a ball, pat into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for half an hour. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread the bottom with pesto or tapenade, if you like, then scatter with tomatoes and cheese, leaving an inch or two border around the edge. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives. Fold the edge haphazardly over the filling, pressing the folds gently to hold them in place. If you like, brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Serves 6.

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Most winter squashes can be used interchangeably — butternut can be easier to handle, but feel free to swap some hubbard, kabocha, pumpkin, or any big, gnarly winter squash you come across, whether or not you know it by name. (This is very similar to a Bon Appétit recipe circa 2016, but the ingredients and technique are different.) 1 medium butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cubed (4-5 cups) Olive or canola oil, for cooking Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2-3 green onions or 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 bunch chard, kale or spinach (or a combination) 1 garlic clove, crushed 4-6 phyllo sheets ¹⁄ ³ cup melted butter or olive oil 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 4 oz crumbled soft goat cheese* Chili oil, for serving (optional) *(ed: try Dancing Goats from this issue’s cover story!)

W hat’s cooking | J U L I E ’ S K I T C H E N Slab -st yle Tour tière

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Spread the cubed squash out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss around with your hands to coat the cubes well. Season with salt and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and turning golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 375˚F. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat (it could be the skillet you plan to bake the pie in), add a drizzle of oil and cook the onion for a few minutes, until soft. Roughly chop the greens, discarding any tough stems, and add to the pan with the garlic and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for a few minutes, until wilted, then transfer to a bowl to cool slightly. Unroll the thawed phyllo and remove a sheet, covering the rest as it waits. Lightly brush the sheet with melted butter or oil (you don’t need to coat it completely) and top with another sheet. Repeat, brushing with butter or oil between each sheet, then transfer the stack to a large (9-10-inch) ovenproof skillet, pie plate or baking dish, letting the excess hang over the sides. Spread the roasted squash into the bottom. Pour the beaten egg over the wilted greens and stir to combine them, then spread over the squash. Crumble the goat cheese (or drop it in pieces) overtop. Pull the pastry up over the sides to partially enclose the filling, scrunching it up a bit if you like.

This French-Canadian classic is traditionally served during the holidays, but it’s perfect for familystyle meals year round. This version is baked as a slab — a square of puff pastry filled and folded into a long rectangle, baked and served in slices or wedges. It’s a technique you can use for any number of sturdy fillings, sweet and savoury. 1 onion, finely chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 carrot, chopped or grated 2 garlic cloves, finely crushed 1 lb lean ground beef ½ lb ground pork (or 1-2 cups chopped leftover roast pork) 2 sprigs fresh thyme Z(or 1 tsp dried) 1 tsp dried sage Salt and pepper, to taste ½ cup chicken, beef or vegetable stock or water 1 medium thin-skinned potato or ½ small rutabaga, peeled and diced (or ½-1 cup leftover mashed potatoes) 1 pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over mediumhigh heat. Sauté the onion, celery and carrot for 4-5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, beef and pork; cook, breaking meat up with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. As it cooks, sprinkle with thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Pour in the stock and potato (or rutabaga) and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until most of the moisture has cooked off. Set aside to cool slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to a 14-15-inch square and transfer to a parchment-lined sheet, positioning it with half the square on the sheet and the other half hanging over (the overhang will fold over the other half). Pile the filling onto one half of the pastry, leaving about an inch around the edge, and fold the remaining pastry over it. Press down around the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Brush the top with egg and cut a few slits with a knife. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serves 6.

Second location coming September 2020 Lina’s Italian Market is expanding!

Our second location will be opening in the Southeast quadrant. It will include an authentic Italian café, one-of-a-kind European deli, a real Italian pizzeria, a beautiful bakery and hundreds of imported Italian products.

Super service, super imported food selection, super locally farmed meats and grown produce. ***************************

Lina’s Italian Supermercato #100, 4916 130th Ave SE | Calgary | AB | T2Z0G4

Located one block east of Canadian Tire! 403.523.7713 | www.linasmarket.com | @linasmarket Check out our new website!

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Drizzle with chili oil, if you like, before serving, or at the table. Serves 8.

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By S H E L L E Y B OE T TC H E R Illustrations by C A M I E L E A R D

How people are changing t he world t hrough social gastronomy

GOOD FOOD

The term social gastronomy may be new or unfamiliar.

But if you love supporting local restaurants and culinary events, chances are good that you’ve already been part of this global culinary movement.

Here are 10 cool contributors to the local social gastronomy scene.

> Social gastronomy is about making a positive impact in the world through food. Maybe it means donating a bag of groceries to a food bank. Maybe it means a splashy black-tie dinner, with ticket sales going to a favourite charity. There are as many ways to define — and practise — social gastronomy as there are people interested in it, says Nicola Gryczka, the Brazil-based co-founder of the global Social Gastronomy Movement. “Social gastronomy, to us, has an extremely broad and inclusive definition: Using the power of food to generate social change, along all parts of the food production chain — from sowing and harvesting crops, to preparing and cooking meals, to utilizing food waste,” she says. “Everyone can participate, no matter what your background, level of expertise, culture, language or geographic region.” What matters most is that you’re helping to make the world a better place. “The Social Gastronomy Movement sees food as a means to achieving real social change,” she says. “We are all making a difference.”

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lets restaurants put the Mealshare > Mealshare logo next to items on their menus. Every time

Cider and other local businesses have > Sunny recently teamed up to release Courage, a

May 2020, Chef Roy Oh (Anju) and his > Inteam at Roy’s Korean Kitchen collected

someone orders those dishes, the restaurant gives a dollar toward Mealshare to help supply a meal to a youth in need.

Participating Calgary restaurants include River Cafe, Native Tongues Taqueria, Ten Foot Henry, Cucina and Una Pizza. Learn more at mealshare.ca.

year, the team at Willow Park Wines > &Every Spirits raises money for local non-profits

— millions of dollars since the store opened more than 25 years ago. In 2001, the team established The Vintage Fund, now the store’s official community investment program. Different charities benefit from the store’s event ticket sales and auctions; recently, the store contributed $35,000 to Wellspring Calgary, which helps people with cancer, their caregivers and families. Learn more at willowpark.net.

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cherry-vanilla cider. Proceeds go toward The Alex’s programs for vulnerable Calgarians. Learn more at sunnycider.ca.

cash donations from customers, and then bought gift cards for independent local restaurants, including Bar Von Der Fels and Foreign Concept. Then they sold raffle tickets through their website for an opportunity to win the cards, plus one for their own eatery. All proceeds went to the Calgary Food Bank.

Sharon Hapton started Soup > Calgarian Sisters in 2009, believing soup could make

a difference to homeless youth and people escaping domestic violence. Now, a national group of volunteers makes and delivers homemade soup — more than two million servings since starting — to more than 40 residential shelters. Learn more at soupsisters.org.

Using the power of food to generate social change

THE SEASON FOR PIE

K ENS INGT ON

1081 2ND AVENUE NW • 403.287. 8544 S PRUCE CLIF F / WILDWOOD

@piejunkieyyc piejunkie.ca

year, some of the city’s top chefs > Every participate in the Calgary edition of Canada’s

Great Kitchen Party, a national series of events that seeks to build and celebrate excellence in Canadian food, sport and music. Each winning regional chef goes on to compete at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa. All proceeds go toward MusiCounts, Community Food Centres of Canada, and B2ten, which supports future and current Canadian Olympic athletes.

This spring, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, organizers moved the celebration online. Supporters were encouraged to order takeout from independent local restaurants and then watch virtual concerts by Canadian musicians. Learn more at greatkitchenparty.com.

When the COVID-19 lockdown started in > Alberta, food writer Julie Van Rosendaal

realized thousands of kids in Calgary would be going hungry without access to school breakfast and lunch programs. She teamed up with Rouge’s Olivier Reynaud and Paul Rogalski to feed them. Rogalski and Reynaud shared their restaurant kitchen and resources, and scores of others, including Westjet, Gravity Café and the Bownesian Grocer got involved, too. The result? Fewer hungry kids during the pandemic.

year, Andrew Ferguson, owner of > Each Kensington Wine Market, his friends, co-

workers and fellow whisky lovers organize the MS Whisky Festival. The event features master classes from world-famous distillers, as well as tastings of 300 or so whiskies. Proceeds go toward the MS Society of Canada, Calgary and area chapter.

8 SPRUCE CENTRE SW • 403.452 .3960 MAHOGANY

2171 MAHOGANY BLVD SE • 587.623.1144

Me. And our family and friends, old > You. and new (as long as we practice safe

physical distancing, of course.) “I love to gather people around a table and have a meal with them. This is one way we can all relate to one another, share valuable and meaningful personal experiences, and find common ground,” says Gryczka.

Juan started the Leftovers > Lourdes Foundation in 2012 as a way to keep

edible food from restaurants out of landfills and to people who need it. Now the non-profit organization has volunteers in Calgary and Edmonton and, in 2019, they helped 47 charities and redistributed more than 300,000 pounds of food from eateries including Sidewalk Citizen. Learn more at rescuefood.ca.

“Food is universal. It allows us to have difficult conversations about challenging topics — from politics to religion to relationships — and look for solutions together.” Nicola Gryczka

Find out more To learn more about the global social gastronomy scene, email contact@socialgastronomy.org or go to socialgastronomy.org.

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S t or y a n d ph ot o s b y BE R N IC E H I L L

CANNING

Preserving season runs all year long, but summer and autumn are when canning enthusiasts really ramp up production. Fresh produce is readily available, lower in price, and best of all; at its prime. Chances are if you’ve been to any farmer’s markets lately, you have also gone home with a case of perfectly ripened fruit or vegetables. Maybe your internal dialogue went something like this: “What the hell was I thinking… what am I going to do with all of these (insert name of fruit or vegetable here?!)” If you’re a seasoned canner, you’ll already have a recipe in mind and be prepared ahead of time. But if you’ve never preserved before, the process can be daunting. It’s valid to be concerned about flavour, food waste and food safety. After all, the guidelines for canning have changed within the last few generations. Along with every canning recipe on my blog, I always include a safety disclaimer: Properly preserved fruits and vegetables should be sealed (and remain so for a year or slightly more). If the contents appear to have drastically changed colour, contain mold, become cloudy, or have an offensive odour; bin them. My motto (and that of many preservers) is: When in doubt, throw it out. Despite these dire warnings, dear friends; please do not panic. You’ve got this. Home preserving is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. Purchasing canning equipment is a small investment when compared to the price tag of other hobbies, and having the proper gear makes the process easier and produces more consistent results. Begin by investing in a good-sized hot water bath canner with a rack or silicone mesh liner. Then purchase jars and lids. You can buy all three of these at any grocery or hardware store. The 250 ml jar is a great size for jams, jellies, and sauces. For larger fruits and vegetables, choose the 500 ml jar, preferably the ‘wide mouth’ style. This makes it much easier to pack ingredients as tightly as possible. Other tools that aren’t necessary but make the process easier are jar tongs (for grabbing hot jars), a magnetic wand (for retrieving hot lids and metal rings), and a jar funnel (for filling jars cleanly.) Let’s start simple with garlic and dill pickled carrots. Begin by breaking down the process into three parts: food prep, canning prep, and processing. Dividing up the tasks makes the entire process less daunting and can be used for most canning recipes. 14 S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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Pickled Carrots Makes 5 - 500 ml (pint) Jars For the brine: 4 cups water 4 cups white pickling vinegar ½ cup salt (pickling salt or sea salt) 1 tbsp dill seed For the jars: 6 lbs baby carrots; scrubbed or regular carrots; peeled 5 heads of flowering dill 5 cloves garlic; peeled and cut in half lengthwise Food preparation begins with peeling, slicing, and trimming the carrots to a length two centimeters below the rim of a 500 ml (pint size) jar. Next, wash the dill blooms, then peel and slice the garlic cloves in half. Finally add the brine together in a saucepan and heat it to a slow simmer. Canning preparation always starts with filling the hot water bath canner 2/3 full of hot water. Set it to boil while washing and inspecting the jars, lids, and rings. Position the jars upside down in a baking pan and fill it to the halfway point with hot water. Leave the pan in a 250 F (121 C) oven for ten minutes to sterilize the jars. Next, submerge the lids and rings in a saucepan filled with hot water. Bring it to a boil and keep warm.

Once the jars are sterilized, use jar tongs to remove two jars from the oven. Working quickly, deposit two garlic clove halves and a dill head in each of the jars. Pack the carrots in as tightly as they will go then pour in the hot brine to just cover the carrots (1-2 cm below jar rim). Wipe jar rim with a clean cloth and cover with a jar lid and fasten the metal lid just slightly (not too tightly). Hot water processing is the easiest step! Use the tongs to lower the jars into the boiling water of the hot water bath canner, then process accordingly. Processing time varies, by altitude. Here in Calgary, 25 minutes at a rolling boil is recommended. When processing is finished, remove the jars from the hot water bath and allow them to cool undisturbed for 8-12 hours. Listen for the telltale ‘pop’ indicating the jars have sealed. Note: This recipe can be used as a basic pickling recipe for beans, cucumbers, beets, and asparagus.

So, you’ve pickled everything in sight and now you’re wondering what’s next? Let’s just say you have bought an extra bottle (or two) of alcohol during the pandemic. Boozy canned fruit is about getting pickled in a whole new way! Future winter-you will be ever grateful summer-you whipped up these homemade cocktail cherries with maraschino liqueur and brandy/bourbon. They’re delicious on a charcuterie board, on ice cream, or in a classic Manhattan cocktail.

Homemade Cocktail Cherries Makes 6 – 250 ml (half pint) jars 2 lbs (907 g) sour cherries; pitted (or sweet cherries) 2 cups sugar ½ cup water 1 cup Luxardo maraschino liqueur 1 cup brandy or bourbon 1 lemon; juiced & peeled into 6 strips 2 cinnamon sticks 5 whole cloves

Again, let’s break down the process for this recipe. Begin by inspecting, washing, and sterilizing the jars, lids, rings, and jar funnel. Assemble the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel and cloves together in a large saucepan and allow sugar to dissolve over low heat (add small amounts of additional water if needed). Add the cherries to the syrup and allow to simmer for one minute. Remove the cherries from heat, then stir in the alcohol. Turn heat back on and heat until just about simmering (do not allow to boil). Fill the jars using the funnel, then top up with syrup as needed. Using the same jar filling method as the pickled carrots, working quickly, so that every aspect (fruit, syrup, jars and lids) remains very hot (fingerprints…who needs them?). Once the lids are on, no need to advance to the hot water bath stage. Simply listen for the pop and refrigerate any jars that haven’t sealed.

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MEET THE PR

I l l u s t ra t i on s b y ROB M I LT ON

SPEND SOME TIME WITH MODERN FARMERS AND YOU'LL FIND THEY'RE A THOUGHTFUL BUNCH. Especially these Calgary-area producers, who are getting noticed for doing things differently. Some even call themselves “nerdy.” They're focused on building community around quality local food — and on mindful stewardship of the planet’s resources.

Here’s a peek at why they’re turning heads:

Jessica & Christopher - Bear and the Flower Farm

Bear and The Flower Farm

When Christopher and Jessica Fasoli traded their city jobs for farm life in 2015 to run a few hogs on family land near Irricana, they thought they were going old school. Bringing it back to the way their great-grandparents’ generation might have produced food, even. Five years later, they're deep into lifestyle enrichment to give their pigs happy outdoor lives, breeding tweaks to get the marbling just right, and continual adjustments in care and nutrition to keep their charges at their healthiest from -30C to +30C.

"We're really nerdy about what we do," says Jessica. With a swine nutritionist, they’ve created their own hormone-and-antibiotic-free feed mix that incorporates natural probiotics, prebiotics and flax. (Seems piggy tummies like probiotics, too!).

“The newest thing we’ve implemented is feed alternatives, which is really exciting,” says Jessica. Since February, that feed has included spent grain from lentil and flour production: waste that was destined for landfills now reduces the farm’s costs. In addition, Bear and the Flower is the first outdoor pork producer to get CQA accreditation for meat quality, rearing techniques, traceability and transportation. And just what does that mean for Calgary eaters? A product rich in Omega-3 that’s jumping with the kind of flavour that chefs love. It’s on the menu at UNA Pizza, OEB, and at Banff's Sky Bistro and Farm & Fire. Look for it, too, at Sunnyside Natural Market, Empire Provisions and at fine butchers throughout the city. | www.bearandtheflower.com

The Dancing Goats Farm at twilight

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Bear and the Flower

DUCERS

B y C AT H E R I N E VA N BRU N S C HO T

Photo courtesy of Dancing Goats Farm

Grand Trunk Veggies

“I LOVE MY GOATS. THE Y ARE ENDLESSLYFASCINATING ANIMALS... WITH HUGE PERSONALITIES”

Kye Kocher with his green onion harvest

Kye Kocher with his baby

The dancing goats

Grand Trunk Veggies/Chef's Farmer

Dancing Goats Farm

Kye Kocher doesn’t just want to grow food; he wants to re-ignite our imaginations.

Their goats are named for great ballet characters, like Esmeralda, Odette and Myrtha. Cute goat pics lace their Instagram feed, along with heaps of cool info about farming, goats and cheese. They’re husbands Craig Sanok and Paul Chambers of Dancing Goats Farm, two former professional ballet dancers who sold their Calgary condo in 2014 to build a 128-acre farmstead and artisanal cheese creamery near Acme.

A tireless advocate for urban farming, Kocher has been walking the talk since 2014 through Grand Trunk Veggies: his 1/3-acre farm composed of ten donated yards in three NW Calgary neighbourhoods. He's been turning city lawns into vegetable plots, producing leafy greens, radishes, and herbs to share with the landowners and to sell to Calgary grocers and restaurant owners. “I really like when people are surprised by what I’m doing and are excited about it,” says Kocher. "And the notion that you can't grow anything in Calgary – it excites me a lot when I get to challenge the norm." To spread the net further, he's created Chef's Farmer, a one-stop ordering website connecting Calgary chefs and other food purveyors with a collection of small-scale growers producing vegetables, micro-greens, fruit, and mushrooms within 90 minutes of the city. A pandemic pivot now allows individual shoppers to subscribe to the Chef's Farmer Salad Box: a weekly basket of mixed greens and other seasonal produce, paired with fresh dressings crafted by various local chefs. “It’s prorated so you can come in on it at anytime,” says Kocher. Come October, he’ll be launching a Soup & Stew Winter Box that will include a chef-made stock with each offering. In the meantime, look for his produce at Blush Lane, Sunnyside Natural Market, and SPUD, and on the menus at The Nash, Yellow Door Bistro, Oxbow, and The Hyatt. | www.chefsfarmer.com

“I love my goats,” says Sanok. “They are endlessly-fascinating animals... with huge personalities. I love making cheese. The immense amount of variation you can get with just a few little tweaks of ingredients and process – the alchemy of it is so interesting.” Every step of their small-batch production is completed by hand - right down to hand-washing their Two-Step cheese with Village Brewery's Blacksmith Ale. The Two-Step is just one of five dance-dubbed varieties, including award-winners Waltz, a three-day-fresh spreadable and easygoing cheese, and Pavane, an ash-aged cheese with a dramatic black-and-white bloomy rind that's sure to be the prima ballerina on your next cheese board. “All of the recipes for the cheese are ones I've developed myself,” says Sanok. “We want to do our part to help foster local food culture and a local food identity.” The Calgary food community is paying attention. You’ll find Dancing Goats products on the menus of NOtaBLE, Rouge, The Nash, Pie Junkie, and Scotland Yard, and at fine cheese counters across the city. Check the farm’s website for an up-to-date list. | www.dancinggoatsfarm.com

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Gourmet Mushrooms & Seasonings

ET RM

U GO

[Paleo, Gluten Free]

F U

Oyster Mushrooms, Garlic & Green Onion

OO S SH MU

ALBERTA,CANADA

Healthy, wholesome and sustainably produced local food and farm products for your home and table.

Community Natural Foods Blush Lane Organic Market Bruhe, Calgary Okotoks Natural Foods Rusticana Grocery, Canmore and online at cultivatr.ca

Grand Trunk Veggies

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M I L L A R V I L L E ,

A L B E R T A

Live extraordinary… drink flower wine.

Our in-house blended sausages are always a customer favorite!

“The way Spirit Hills manages to craft such structure and balance with flowers, honey and berries is impressive.”

Éric Beaumard | Winner, Best Sommelier in France and Europe, and vice-champion Sommelier of the World.

Book your wine tour and tasting at www.spirithillswinery.com

www.harry’snaturalmeats.com 403.452.1989

Spirit Hills Flower Wines

Harry's Natural Meats 134 Mahogany plaza se

calgary, alberta

BACKWOODS BUFFALO RANCH

Homegrown Everything

Your view from our table!

Backwoods Buffalo Ranch specializes in raising Pastured Bison, Pork, Chicken and Free-Range Eggs. We believe in raising our animals humanely and with as much respect and value on their lives as the members of our own family. Raised outdoors year round you can taste the difference in our products,

Know your Farmer-Know your Food. Chad + Laurie Trigg -Mayerthorpe, AB | 780.305.8449 backwoodsbuffalo.com | FOLLOW US on social media

PaSu Farm is a country oasis with an air of elegant simplicity that nourishes the soul. Find warmth in the Gallery Shop and take in magnificent mountain views from the restaurant. Our customers enjoy a peacefulness that comforts and calms their spirits. The boutique is a shoppers’ delight for all ages. Our restaurant has 25 ft. ceilings and large windows to enjoy the bucolic landscapes. 40 minutes north of the city of Calgary | 1.800.679.7999 | www.pasu.com

Alberta-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished beef – never given grain Raised without the use of added hormones or antibiotics Free range – never feedlot confined Shop online for pick up or delivery at: www.topgrass.ca/shop Use coupon code “SAVOUR” for 10% off all orders. Valid until October 31, 2020. Also available at: Calgary Coop, Spud Delivery, Blush Lane, Community Natural Foods, Save on Foods, Sunnyside Natural Market, Amaranth Whole Foods and select Safeways/Sobeys. We are committed to the health and welfare of our animals, the sustainability of our land and to providing the enjoyable eating experience our customers have come to trust. For more information or recipes visit www.topgrass.ca LIVING WELL, LIVING RIGHT!

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GREAT PRODUCTS

STOCKING YOUR BAR

FROM LOCAL

Trying out new products and learning new skills at home this year has, without a doubt, kept us entertained. We have had a hoot mixing and shaking our way through the summer both with cocktail kits or concocting our own creations. Stocking our bar with additional accessories, glassware, and items has helped in our cocktailing adventures, as has discovering Fifth & Vermouth. This online store was created a couple years ago by local businessmen Warren Orban, Jeff Jamieson and Jesse Willis who saw the need for good quality cocktail gear and glassware at reasonable prices. Based in Calgary, Fifth & Vermouth sells cocktail glasses and accessories across Canada to home beverage enthusiasts like us, plus bar tenders, restaurants, and cocktail bars. You can shop for a variety of items and have them shipped right to your door. We liked the tiki mugs so much we had to add a couple to our collection. Whether you are having a luau, tiki party or simply entertaining with tropical beverages they really add life to any party and are a great conversation starter. The team plans on expanding the selection in the future, but in the meantime, stock your own bar or plan on picking up some gifts since Christmas is only a couple months away.

VENDORS

Shop Local B y WA N DA B A K E R

We ate, we drank, we social distanced our way through the summer and finally autumn is upon us. We’ve noticed DIY kits continue to be popular at home and we suspect will carry on into the new year as a food trend with interesting variations popping up. Making wine or beer is not new, but using a different all-in-one tool has been a fun experience. Creating fermented food has taken over as our new favourite hobby, cocktails and beverages always need a proper vessel, and nothing tastes better than homemade salumi. Eat, drink and be healthy.

Tiki Mugs | Fifth & Vermouth | bartools.ca $14.95 - $16.95

RECIPES FOR A HEALTHY GUT Most of us have heard about kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha — all fermented foods offering an array of health benefits that improve digestive health. Fermentation is the process of changing the chemical composition of food through enzymes, using a substance like salt to encourage the good bacteria to get to work while destroying the bad bacteria. It might sound easy; however we’ve learned there is a little science that goes into perfecting a probiotic good enough to eat. This is where Margot Loveseth comes in. She started Heydey Fermentables to get people interested in home fermentation and adding probiotic food and beverages to their diets. She found a void in the marketplace for these types of products and her curiosity about fermenting prompted her to start experimenting. Through trial and error, she became hooked on the recipes she was able to perfect. Margot Loveseth's creations have us over the moon as we’ve sampled the purple sauerkraut, carrot cake, water kefir (also known as tibicos) and fell in love with the radish kimchi (kkakdugi). Each kit is unique and offers pre-measured food, seasonings and easy-tofollow instructions with optional refill kits. Margot Loveseth has more recipes in development with plans on launching soon. Meanwhile she is working with her son, a chef, on expanding their line making it available to restaurants. Order your kit and kaboodle fermenting vessel online and have fun being a scientist in your own kitchen. Heyday Fermentation Kits | Heyday Fermentables heydayfermentables.com | $24.00 - $79.00

LOCALLY MADE SALUMI Ivo Andric spent over a decade working in the restaurant industry while he finished his undergrad in finance. He took a job, settled in as an oil and gas analyst only to be laid off with the plummeting price of oil. He took a leap of faith and opened a business focused on learning the technique of making traditional Italian salumi. Experience gained in the industry brought forth a love of charcuterie and the realization there was a lack of locally made cured meat products. So, he started Saltcraft Meat Co. to showcase simple Canadian products while working towards being a zero-waste company. Andric works exclusively with Bear & the Flower Farm (see our cover story for more on this great family business!) and produces his salumi in a local restaurant utilizing their basement cellar to slow cure and dry-age for optimal flavour. He creates individual salumi and a combination artisanal charcuterie box. The box is convenient when you want to host friends for dinner or a backyard barbecue as it offers a variety of salami pre-sliced and packaged. Purchase this charcuterie box in single or double sizes through the website, Cultivatr home delivery, or pick-up. Holiday entertaining may look a little different this year but it’s always a good time to support local. Artisanal Charcuterie Box | Saltcraft Meat Co. | $36.00 - $56.00 20 S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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T R E A T S & eats | S H O P L O C A L

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR HOLIDAY TABLE In what has been a rather dismal year, we’ve found a way to bring an elegant, colourful and practical look to your holiday table this season with goblets and glassware from Florence-based glassmaker Mario Luca Giusti. Each glass imitates the sophistications of crystal and glass, but is made from acrylic. Inspirati Fine Linens & Home Essentials in Mission has a curated selection of items from the well-known Italian glassmaker available in the store; however we are smitten with the Crystal Milly Old-Fashioned Glasses and the Crystal Dolce Vita Water/Wine Goblets. Each collection offers a variety of colours perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or to match your dining table linens. They are sold in quantities of six or choose to mix and match in a preset colourful or neutral palette. Goblets and Glassware by Mario Luca Giusti | Inspirati | Set of 6 $270.00

REVOLUTIONIZING WINE MAKING AT HOME Making wine at home just got a whole lot easier. For over 20 years, retired engineer Gary Novak and his wife Darlene operated wine-making stores all over Calgary. Through the years, they were able to see what worked well when it came to wine making and what didn’t work at all. Older customers enjoyed wine making but faced issues lifting heavy equipment. Determined to find a better and easier way to make wine, Gary created the UWinemaker, a singlestage fermenter that sits on your kitchen countertop eliminating 90 per cent of the work. The unit offers an oxygen free and clean environment producing aromas and flavours of vibrant tasting wines sometimes difficult to achieve with traditional wine making methods. The magic happens with preparation on day one, rock and rolling on day fourteen and bottling on day twenty-eight directly from the built-in tap. All you need to do is purchase the unit, select your favourite wine kit and get started creating wine at home to have your wine ready for Thanksgiving. For those loving a challenge you can also use the UWinemaker to make specialty ports, mist and ice style wines. Following the success of this product currently selling across Canada, Gary and Darlene will be launching the UBeermaker this fall. Available at the Home Vintner or check website for other locations.

chocolate chocolate together together

UWinemaker The Home Vintner thehomevintner.com $169.95 M AY » J U N E 2020

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Raising Foodies

B y N IC OL E M AC K AY

Among the many duties of being a parent, feeding our children – day in and day out – can sometimes be the most challenging. There's often angst about mealtime or agony over snack time. A home with a child or adolescent living inside is often the source of incessant stress over food intake. But what if our offspring decided to take that worry away? What if they loved food and were curious about spices, flavours, textures and preparations? What if one day, they asked for a second serving of broccoli? Instilling a sense of curiosity about food is not as easy as following steps one, two and three. If it were simple, we wouldn’t see upscale dining options offering menus specifically for children. Or plastic toys wouldn't be thrown into a colourful takeaway box alongside a nugget that vaguely resembles chicken. Raising a child to love good food is not a linear path. And each parent’s semblance of success looks different. Promoting a foodie mentality requires strategizing, prioritizing and an abundance of patience.

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FOOD INSIDE THE HOME

FOOD IN THE COMMUNIT Y

Exposure, Over and Over

Explore Local Farms

There’s a time and place to hide less appealing foods into muffins or pasta sauce. Most parents have been there and done that. Yet, experts agree that offering food, in its natural form, will encourage a more innate acceptance over time. Dieticians and food psychologists say it could take up to 15 or even 20 occurrences of exposure. But one day it’ll pay off and your child will pick up the cauliflower to give it a try.

We’re fortunate to live in a city where farming and agriculture surrounds us. Alberta Farm Days, which traditionally happens over a weekend in the summer, promotes more than 100 Alberta farms and ranches who open their gates to visitors. On-farm demonstrations and u-pick fields help spark a curiosity to grow and eat local. Visit albertafarmdays.ca to find out which farms are open to visitors year-round.

From the Ground Up

Farmers’ Markets

Michael Allemeier, Calgary culinary educator and certified master chef, encourages families to get into the garden as much as possible. “When kids grow up eating right out of the garden, they have an understanding of how it grows, when it tastes good and when to eat it.” Allemeier has harvested and cooked at home with his two boys since they were young. “We make food fun and include the kids in preparing it. We started by having them help peel and wash vegetables. Learning to cook and eat well is no different than teaching them how to swim or ride a bike. Eating happens many times a day, it’s the most important gift I can give my kids!”

Calgary’s many year-round farmers' markets offer families the chance to seek out ingredients and foodie experiences they might not find in a grocery store. Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Market is one of the city’s largest markets with 40 vendors spread across more than 20 thousand square feet. Or you could spend a full day roaming the Calgary Farmers’ Market with live music and kid-friendly entertainment. For additional options, visit Crossroads Market, Granary Road or Farmers & Makers Market at CSPACE.

TOP LEFT (Clockwise): Cutest chef Iz (photo by Debbie Kee), Anthony and Daniel creating in the kitchen (photo by Ingrid Mosker), Ziad mixing things up (photo by Fareen Jadavji-Jessa), Macy picking berries (photo by Ceilidh Price), Ella presenting her wares (photo by Debbie Kee), Liv and Mommy in the garden (photo courtesy of Danielle Nerman), Bennett tasting his work (photo by Leah Turner), Ellie in her apron (photo by Larissa Innes), Hailey and her Covid baking (photo by Wanda Baker), Evan and his naan bread (photo by Merry Kuchle)

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Your one-stop connection to Brazil!

Cooking /Baking Classes Granted, we’re living in a left-of-centre COVID reality these days. Both PC Cooking School and Sunterra Market have cancelled their cooking classes until further notice. But there are still some opportunities to get children cooking outside of the home. Cuisine & Chateau offers socially-distanced, hands-on cooking classes for kids ages 8 to 13. At the time of writing this article, The Cookbook Co. Cooks plan to reintroduce its regular in-class offerings in the fall.

ONE STEP AT A TIME Even the smallest of changes at home can help promote positive foodie vibes. Here are some easy ideas that can lead to big shifts in the food department. ❤ Let your kids pick a recipe that they think looks fun and involve them in making it from start to finish. ❤ Assemble a charcuterie-style platter of some of your child's favourite foods alongside some of your favourites. See how many new flavour combinations they can discover. ❤ Go shopping for new apron for them to wear, they’ll be excited to try it out in the kitchen. ❤ Replace a bit of their regular screen time with a cooking or baking show. Take it a step further by engaging during the show with comments like “I wonder how spicy that is?” or “Would you like to try making that together sometime?” ❤ Introduce a weekly or monthly cultural night. Try a new style of cuisine but make sure there’s something on the table that your child recognizes and will eat alongside new international flavours.

We deliver anywhere in Canada.

136 2 Street SW, Calgary AB BRAZILCONNECTION.CA

❤ Make food fun! Lead by example by showing excitement in the kitchen and have them join you as much as possible. S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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B y TA N YA S C H A A P

ICONIC DISHES FROM THE 1950S WORTH REVISITING It’s no secret that during the early months of the pandemic there was a collective craving for comfort food. Friends of mine, those familiar with my (not so) tiny collection of cookbooks, were asking if I had any tried and true recipes for meatloaf, tuna casserole and beef stroganoff. It seemed, for a while anyway, that the family meal had made a comeback. Had this unprecedented stay-at-home order transported us back to the 1950s, I thought, as I put the finishing touches on a green bean casserole. Problem is, a simple Google search of “Recipes from the 1950s” yields a number of retro dishes that are anything but cool. Tuna Jell-O pie anyone? How about a jellied veal ring? There might be a reason we’ve never heard of these dishes. But there are certainly a number of mid-century recipes and traditions worth saving. At the heart of 1950s cuisine is convenience. This post-war era ushered in new food preservation technologies, many of which originated during the Second Wold War to support military efforts. According to the exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum called Food: Transforming the American Table: 19502000, food companies in the '50s and '60s learned to automate production in modern factories, “transforming the raw materials of agriculture into higher volumes of canned, frozen, and processed foods.” Ingredients which were once expensive or hard to find became affordable and accessible in a can, bottle or box. Yes, this was our introduction to Minute Rice, Duncan Hines cake mix, and concentrated orange juice. Developments in technology also brought “new-and-improved” time-saving appliances, as well as convenient food-saving products like cellophane and Tupperware™. Dreams of quick-and-easy cooking were realized. While we’ve learned a lot about the perils of processed food since then, and thankfully we’re no longer reaching for the box of gelatin quite so often, we’d be remiss to overlook mid-century cuisine entirely. Some of the classic dishes made popular during the 1950s are downright delicious. With a few modern twists, these recipes deserve a place at the table. Baked Alaska, beef Wellington, devilled eggs, pineapple upside-down cake, even my humble green bean casserole – all proven crowd-pleasers. 24 S EP T EM B ER » O C TO B ER 2020

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We also can’t forget that on the list of things worth saving from the 1950s, vintage steakhouses rank high. Take Hy’s Steakhouse, for example, which opened its first location here in Calgary back in 1955. Back in the mid 50s, Hy and Barbara Aisenstat saw an opening in the underdeveloped Calgary restaurant market and dove in, opening their first steakhouse on 4th Ave. over a women’s clothing store. Hy’s operated in this spot until 2006 before moving to make way for the Jamieson Building. They continue to serve diners today at their current location in the CORE shopping centre. Barb Steen, general manager at Hy’s Calgary gives us a better understanding of the restaurant’s enduring charm. “Classic steakhouses are known for their dark wood, luxurious leather, stiff drinks and large cuts of beef, served with a lot of pomp and circumstance,” she says. “White tablecloths and dimly lit rooms, that feeling of richness and elegance remains. However, we’ve adapted and embraced contemporary design touches and menu development.” One look at Hy’s menu today and it’s clear they’ve worked hard to retain the best of a bygone era. Cheese toast for two, oysters Rockefeller, steak Diane, beef Wellington, big cuts of porterhouse or bone-in rib steaks, and their famous Caesar salad (normally made tableside by a server) are just a few of their notable standouts. “Tableside service has been part of Hy’s since the beginning,” says Barb. “Guests can enjoy a Caesar salad, steak Diane, bananas Foster, and other delicious items made right at the table.” Unfortunately, with the pandemic, Hy’s has had to pause their tableside service for now, but guests can be assured that each of these items are prepared in the kitchen just before service. “We are taking things in stride, always keeping our guests front and centre, and making sure their experience is in keeping with what they have come to expect from us.” As one of Calgary’s longest-running dining institutions, Hy’s has seen a lot over the last 65 years. They can now add a pandemic to the list. If you’re looking to host a special occasion or celebrate a significant accomplishment (or maybe you just need to work out all those Don and Betty Draper fantasies), Hy’s might be the perfect backdrop. Thankfully, they’ve left the Jell-O tuna pie off the menu.

Hy’s Old Fashioned Short Rocks Glass 2 oz Chairman’s Select 100% rye or Evan Williams bourbon ½ oz demerara simple syrup* Recipe and photo by Tanya Schaap

Hy’s Little Gem Wedge Salad 1 oz crumbled blue cheese 1 hard-boiled egg 2 ¼ oz Hy’s Buttermilk Ranch Dressing 1 oz. crumbled cooked bacon 4-5 grape tomatoes, cut in half 1 head gem lettuce

Wash and cut one head of gem lettuce lengthwise. Place in centre of plate. Dress the cut lettuce with the prepared dressing, allowing it to cascade down the sides of the lettuce. Garnish with blue cheese, tomatoes and cooked bacon. Slice the egg in half and place on the side of the salad.

Hy’s Buttermilk Ranch Dressing ½ cup mayonnaise 2 tbsp buttermilk

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Topping:

Melt the butter on the stove and add the sugar. Stir until golden brown and bubbly (about 4 minutes).

½ cup butter

Pour the sugar/butter mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Let cool for 2 minutes.

½ cup light brown sugar 7 pineapple rings (either fresh or canned)

Cake:

Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the sugar mixture. Begin with the centre ring and then arrange the remaining rings in a surrounding circle (if using fresh pineapple, trim to fit). Place a cherry in the centre of each ring.

Fresh parsley, basil and dill – chopped, ¼ tsp each

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Mix all of the above together and season with salt and pepper. Chill.

½ tsp kosher salt

2 drops of tabasco sauce ¹⁄ ³ tsp white wine vinegar

7 cherries (either maraschino or fresh, cut in half)

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup butter

With a mixer, cream softened butter and add sugar. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides as you go. Add vanilla and beat for 5 minutes until smooth. Add ½ of the flour mixture followed by all of the pineapple juice, beating in between each. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth.

1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs

1 orange peel 7 dashes Angostura bitters Peel ribbon of orange and release the essential oils by bruising the peel into a mixing glass with the demerara simple syrup. Add ice, bitters, rye or bourbon. Stir to the count of 10. Strain over ice into rocks glass. Garnish with a thick orange ribbon. *Demerara simple syrup is made with equal parts water and sugar. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of demerara (dark brown) sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in fridge for up to 1 week.

Spoon evenly over the pineapple rings.

1 tsp vanilla

Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

½ cup pineapple juice Preheat oven to 350. Grease or spray a 9-inch diameter round cake pan. Set aside.

Cool the cake for exactly 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge. Then place a serving plate over the cake and carefully invert the plate and the pan at the same time. Slowly lift the pan. Serve with whipping cream or coconut ice cream.

CL ASSIC STEAKHOUSES ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR DARK WOOD, LUXURIOUS LEATHER, STIFF DRINKS AND L ARGE CUTS OF BEEF

Personally selected imported Wines, Craft Beers & Spirits #703, Spring Creek Drive | Canmore, AB 403.675.wine (9463)

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OF WINE

CALGARY’S WOMEN

Aisha Zaman, sommelier of Deane House

THE INGENUE: AISHA ZAMAN

B y BR I T H A RT Discovering wine is such a journey and there is no shortage of great shops and restaurants in Calgary to explore. When you’re discovering your palate though, finding the right person to help you along the way can make it all that much more enjoyable. In an industry that, while open and inviting, continues to be dominated by men (everyone knows a “wine guy” right?) Savour Calgary salutes its favourite female oenophiles. Each of these incredible women has had a hand in working for and running some of Calgary’s iconic wine landmarks.

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Aisha is one of the cities newest sommeliers, having recently stepped into the role at the historic Inglewood property, Deane House. Her early days in the industry as a server at Model Milk and then Ottawa’s Play: Food and Wine, and Beckta, were formative in her decision to enter the industry. When Aisha moved back to Calgary, she began studying for her certified sommelier exam while working at River Café, the sister restaurant to Deane House. With support from River Café’s sommelier, Bruce Soley, and owner, Sal Howell, she completed her sommelier exam and soon after took over the sommelier position at Deane House. Her genuine love and passion for wine is evident, “I love that any moment can be heightened with the ideal wine choice. I don’t just love drinking wine, but my true passion lies in serving wine and creating curated experiences for people. I also love that it’s essentially produce, in the way that it is effected by its climate and how it is cared for. So I love learning the nuances of why a wine from this region at this time tastes a certain way.” As the restaurant adapts to COVID, you can expect a curated wine list that reflects the philosophy of sustainability while supporting smaller producers.

THE OG: KAREN KHO In and around 2002, there was a new regime of wine professionals coming up in the city, many of them having worked under the tutelage of Brad Royale, one of Calgary’s best-known wine personalities. Among them was Karen Kho. I like to think of Karen as the “OG” of the Calgary wine scene. She has a wicked palate and makes drinking wine look classy and badass all at the same time (there’s not many women I know that can flawlessly chug a bottle of Meursault). After starting her career at Bin 905, Kho went on to open Vin Room, Calgary’s first wine bar, followed by a lengthy career with the Teatro Group where she helped to develop one of the most legendary cellars in the province and educate her own legion of wine professionals. These days Kho and her partner are the meaty masterminds behind Empire Provisions, one of Calgary’s finest purveyors of all things meat, Lil’ Empire, the burger joint tucked away inside Annex Ales and a second location for Empire Provisions, opening soon in Bridgeland. It might seem like an odd progression to move from a career in fine dining to opening a deli (with a great little wine list I should note) but it appears that the move has worked out quite well. “If you had asked me in my first year [if I missed working

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Photo by Brit Hart

Photo courtesy of Empire Provisions

Photo courtesy of Marnie Burkhart

Karen Kho, co-owner and hired goon of Empire Provisions

Rob Smith, general manager of J Webb Glenmore Landing, Janet Webb, owner of J Webb and Bleddyn Jones, general manager of J Webb 17th Ave.

at Teatro], I would have said yes unequivocally, I miss it all the time. But as we enter our third year of business I would have to say no. This is not because I have any ill will towards my old colleagues but rather because the time that I spent there prepared me for what has been the most rewarding stage of my career yet. Fine dining at its very core is about providing exceptional hospitality and I am able to use that skill set every day in my own business. While my access to fine wine tasting is limited these days, my education is always ongoing. Calgary is a playground for oenophiles and I have no shortage of places to taste, explore and fuel my first love, wine.”

THE GRAND DAME: JANET WEBB Janet Webb has been in the industry since the 1980’s, where she was the sommelier at La Caille Restaurant, one of Calgary’s first fine dining properties. Shortly after the restaurant closed its doors, the AGLC wanted to test the waters with independently owned wine boutiques, giving out just four licenses across the province. Thanks in large part to her work at La Caille, Janet was handed one of these licenses and hence, the birth of J Webb Wine Merchants. If you haven’t been to J Webb before, make it a priority. They have

one of the most thoughtfully curated selections in the city and a passionate staff that really know their stuff when it comes to food and wine pairings. “The wine and food side of my business has always been very important to me. I was raised with wine and food on the table, and I was taught the importance of the two components being enjoyed together. I have also had the opportunity to meet some amazing chefs and learn so much about food from them, so it’s quite natural for me to pass it along to the J Webb staff and our customers.” You’ll find that a common question at J Webb is who the “J” in J Webb actually is, and customers are visibly surprised when they find out it’s Janet. Unfazed, Webb takes satisfaction in how the industry and perceptions have evolved in the 35 years since J Webb opened. “The reaction to my gender has changed significantly over the years. At the beginning there was a lot of curiosity. Most of the challenges came when buying wine from other countries. Back then there were no women winemakers to speak of and it was a man’s world. Times have changed! Women are now holding many positions in the industry and I have a great deal of respect for their knowledge and passion. It can be challenging work, but so worth it.”

Getting back into a routine is easy when you’ve got a one-stop shop for school or office lunches! Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Cafe EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End

Italiancentre.ca CALGARY Willow Park

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Quick Bites BRIDGING THE GAP

A HEALTHY STOP

New in Calgary, Square Rooted is dedicated to bringing locally grown vegetables to doorsteps across the city. Former co-founder of DIRTBELLY, Jenna Kopperson and her team source produce from Deof’s Greenhouse and Gull Valley Greenhouse near Lacombe offering fresh vegetables harvested from the farms weekly, delivered straight to your door.*

For 11 years Euphoria Café has offered an assortment of breakfast and lunch items including gluten-free, dairy free, paleo and vegan. They were the first to introduce Calgary to bulletproof coffee, an organic butter, nutrient-fueled ketofriendly beverage said to promote long-lasting energy and clear state of mind. Euphoria Café | 110, 8 Varsity Estates Circle N.W. | 587.329.8279 | euphoriacafe.ca

SAMOSA TO GO The Samosa Factory’s assortment of fresh-cooked or frozen samosas for take home or eat right in your car help on the days you don’t want to cook. Choose from chicken, beef or vegetarian, plus sauces and other items.

Square Rooted | squarerootedyyc.com

NEW CHEF Flores & Pine recently announced the appointment of new Executive Chef Mike Preston. Chef Mike started his career in the '90s with SAIT’s professional cooking program. Most recently, Preston helmed as executive chef at The Block Kitchen and Murrieta's Bar and Grill. Flores & Pine | 254028 Bearspaw Rd. | 403.241.7611 | floresandpine.com

MEALS IN 30 MINUTES Calgary’s Jolly Table Meals is back and offering a variety of nutritious meals focused on fresh, seasonal produce, triple-A-grade proteins, and whole grains. Chef-created recipes are delivered to your door and can be ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. Select meal and delivery dates online. Jolly Table Meals | jollytablemeals.com

The Samosa Factory | Westwinds and Beacon Hill samosafactory.ca

PICNIC IN THE PARK Executive Chef Cole Glendinning and Executive Sous Chef Kate Symes at Flower & Wolf in the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, started offering take-out picnic baskets this summer, offering a variety of options and has addons like a children’s menu and beverages. Call to place your picnic order.* Flower & Wolf Restaurant & Bar | 255 Barclay Parade S.W. | 403.517.6666 flowerandwolfcalgary.com

FUSION ICE CREAM Anita Ly and Tiffany To started MILK Ice Cream as a side hustle. The goal; to share their culture and story through ice cream by creating unique flavours inspired by their roots like Ube Oreo and Boozy Black Sesame. Find it at John’s Breakfast & Lunch, where Ly works with her family. MILK Ice Cream | 2614 4 St. N.W. | 403.277.0255

LINA’S SUPERMERCATO Lina’s Italian Market is expanding to the southeast to meet the demand for specialty Italian products, and store-made delicacies. The new features over 16,000 square feet including: an authentic Italian café, one-of-a-kind European deli, a real Italian pizzeria, and hundreds of imported Italian products. Set to open soon. Lina’s Italian Supermercato | 130th Avenue S.E. | linasmarket.com

THE BEST OF HALIFAX Blowers & Grafton Halifax Street Food & Bar have expanded to the south. Already a favourite stop amongst locals who know them for their fresh seafood, Halifax style donairs, fried pepperoni and delicious pizzas, they plan to add live music to the new Mission location on Friday and Saturday nights. Blowers & Grafton Halifax Street Food & Bar | Crescent Heights and Mission blowersgrafton.com

DOWNTOWN DIGS

A T D A L H O U S I E S T A T I O N 403.286.5220 www.zestkitchenware.com

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Annabelle's Kitchen, a modern Italian 'neighbourhood' restaurant has opened a second location (the original is in Marda Loop) downtown along historic Stephen Avenue. Restaurateur Leslie Echino, honours the history of the building that was formerly her original concept, Blink restaurant. The soft and airy space makes it the perfect spot for lunch, dinner, or an apertivo. Annabelle’s Kitchen | Downtown and Marda Loop annabelleskitchen.ca

TIME TO GET LOCO

LET THERE BE CHOCOLATE!

Blanco Cantina & Tequila Bar has opened its second location in Kensington. Find all the daily deals, margaritas, halfy-hour pricing, and build-your-own nacho options they offer at the original location. Plus the patio is open.

Cococo is back as retail locations in Victoria Park, Signal Hill, Bankers Hall, and Southcentre re-open on Sept. 8. There are now three ways to get your chocolate fix: visit in store; shop online with free shipping to your door; or choose curbside pickup at the Mayland Heights chocolate factory.

Blanco Cantina & Tequila Bar | 17th Avenue and Kensington | blancocantina.ca

Cococo Chocolatiers | cococochocolatiers.com

REVIVING THE PAST

A CALGARY CLASSIC WITH NEW TWIST

Made By Marcus and Lil’ Empire Burger are opening a dual concept in the old Tazza space in Bridgeland. This collaboration brings together these two businesses plus Yousef, the owner of Bridgeland Market and the Tazza space. He’s wanted to return this space to its former glory as an ice cream shop once owned by his late father. The new vision will include an updated take on the classic neighbourhood burger and malt shapes of the past.

Hy’s Steakhouse invites you to try its new lunch that now includes, lobster, crab shrimp rolls, hearty rigatoni and meatballs, rich lamb-shank polenta, fresh chopped salad, and a not-to-be-missed organic vegan bowl. Of course, Hy's favourites like cheese toast and Caesar salad remain. Hy’s Steakhouse | 8th Ave. and 3rd St. S.W.| hyssteakhouse.com

Made by Marcus | 1105 1st Ave. N.E. | madebymarcus.ca

HAPPY ANNIVERSARIES!

NEW LIFE AT VENDÔME With a new kitchen and menu, Sunnyside’s Vendome is now open all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fresh-baked goods from sister Alforno Bakery are complemented by locally-sourced fresh food, organic coffee and now wine too! Vendome | 940 2nd Ave. N.W.| vendomecafe.com

MIX AND MATCH LUNCH – FREESTYLE Freehouse is now open for lunch and is offering fun mix and match lunch boards with lots of great choices in three courses. Add a brewery flight for just $9 to sample some of Calgary’s best craft brews. Freehouse Local Beer and Food Hall 1153 Kensington Cr. N.W. | freehouseyyc.com

Savour wishes Bessie Box, Bridgeland Distillery and Flame Mountain BBQ happy first-year anniversaries. What a year to launch a business.

LET’S PARTY! Check out the super-fun Deerfoot City Block Party through September and dive into some great local food while you’re at it! Re:GRUB created a special milkshake just for the colourful occasion pictured here with local artist Sydonne Warren who created the artwork on the picnic tables. Deerfoot City Block Party | 901 64th Ave. N.E. | deerfootcity.com

PIZZA WEEK SEPTEMBER 18-27 YYC Pizza Week returns for 10 days of eating pie! For seven years, local participating restaurants have crafted an original recipe in a competition to be named Calgary's best pizza. While things may look a little different his year, you can still purchase a pie to support both the restaurant and Calgary Meals on Wheels.

Soulful recipes inspired by Mamma Aurora straight from the heart of old Italy and made in-house daily.

Our famous sausages are only one part of our story. Check out Spolumbo’s for stress-free office, event and home catering. Our in-house deli and ready-to-eat take-home meals are just waiting for you! Visit us in Inglewood at 1308 9 Avenue SE | spolumbos.com

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I N DUST RY V I EWS | BACK OF HOUSE

Intersections in the Kitchen B y C H E F J E N N Y BU RT H W R IG H T

Celebrating

YEARS

Since I was 16 years old, I haven’t thought twice about expressing myself honestly, and openly. As a chef and restaurateur in the male-dominated barbecue space, I can’t say there’s much time or energy to dedicate to dwelling on (or even noticing) judgement for being an openly-gay woman of colour running a restaurant with my wife. I regard my ethnicity, my sexuality, my mental health, or whatever other roadblocks I’ve had to fight through out my life as my superpower. I just keep fighting. As an entrepreneur who has been entirely born of perseverance, imagination and the will to not give up, I could never afford to trip over matters lean of substance or morality. For me, the genders and preferences of those around me never really mattered. People performed, or they did not. They inspired me, or they did not. They were genuine, authentic and kind people, or they were not. And so, I didn’t expect my gender or sexual preference to matter either. Though, sometimes it has. But to be an entrepreneur, one must be fearless, and judgements must roll off your shoulder. That isn’t to say I am not affected by the criticisms of others in this age of unhelpful, anonymous keyboard critics. But in this industry, you must take the constructive to heart and use it to fuel your success, letting the harmful (haters) fall away. Leave that latter energy behind to linger in its own company – it won’t move you forward.

#EATATMINAS

(403) 454-2550 136 2nd STREET SW minassteakhouse.coM

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As a lesbian chef and restaurant owner growing my brand, I seek the guidance, kinship and mentorship of like entrepreneurs who inspire me and provide comradery. I wish the industry represented women like myself more and that it was easier for female chefs to find one another and connect. I’d like to see women of all preferences coming together to support one another, recognize our accomplishments and create unity. This acknowledgment and celebration is built into the brand at Jane Bond BBQ and I am ready and happy to share it with other women in the food industry. Reach out! Let’s connect! The views of Back of House columnists are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Savour Calgary.

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Savour Calgary 2020 September October

Articles inside

Savour Selects

Fresh Market

Quick Bites