NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 I t8nmagazine.com
Food for the
Festive Nifty cocktail recipes & edible gift ideas
Behind the Wheel Education Expands
Road safety & COVID-19
The growth of Paul Kane High School
Kentia Naud Mental health via pottery
Karlynn Johnston Local food blogger hits the big time
T8N November / December 2020  1
Contents
T8N MAGAZINE
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 5 November/December 2020 PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Rob Lightfoot
Gene Kosowan
ART DIRECTION
Brenda Lakeman, Correna Saunders DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Correna Saunders PHOTOGRAPHY
Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS
Rudy Howell, Paula E. Kirman, Corbin Stewart, Shima Zonneveld OFFICE MANAGER
Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 © sutichak/Adobe Stock Image page 28 © moleskostudio/Adobe Stock
ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)
Conversations 6
Pandemic Passenger Will COVID-19 factor into road safety during the holiday season?
Arts & Culture 9
The Zen of Ceramics
22
THE 8s
Goodies For Foodies
24
FOOD & GATHERINGS Merry Mixtures With more reasons than ever to stay inside, here are a few ways to beat those homebound blues.
MEET YOU THERE Nuts Over Nuts
Mezos Roastery cashes in on cashew and other delights.
Spotlight 26
Yuletide treats for the tummy worth sampling.
17
THEN & NOW A local lesson on longevity After nearly 60 years, Paul Kane High School continues to grow.
How Kentia Naud rediscovered herself through pottery.
Living 14
City
28
Magpie Maven
How food blogger Karlynn Johnston hit the cookbook big league.
For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 6 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2020 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine. PRINTED IN CANADA
T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT
Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com
Down Time
Keeping with the holiday theme, here's a puzzle to warm the cockles of word sleuths everywhere.
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I FROM THE PUBLISHER I TO TAKE LIBERTIES with an old Christmas classic,
Rob Lightfoot
’Tis the season to be wary, although we can still find several ways to safely enjoy this holiday season. That includes social gatherings during a pandemic now in its second wave. For those hosting these events and others invited to them, we exercise caution, not only in terms of your health, but also your safety in getting there and back. Our feature on page 6 examines links between the pandemic and impaired driving: a sobering perspective worth thinking about.
This issue also pays tribute to a couple enterprising people. One of them is Kentia Naud, a doctor who found therapeutic relief and a revenue stream through pottery (page 9). The other is food blogger Karlynn Johnston, whose notoriety skyrockets via a series of cookbooks (page 26). I’m sure you’ll agree they’re stories are nothing short of inspirational. And what would Christmas be without food? For starters, we offer a few cocktail recipes to take the bite out of the winter chill (page 17) and several gift ideas to whet the appetite of their recipients (page 14). For others with nuts on the brain, check out our profile on Mezos Roastery (page 24). And we’d be remiss if we didn’t include some other food for thought of a different variety, namely our look at the growth of Paul Kane High School (Page 22).
On the Cover Circumstances may vary and traditions may change over time, but the one common denominator that underscores the amenities of the holiday season will always be food. And with that, here’s our invitation to check out our cocktail recipes and edible gift ideas. Photo by Brenda Lakeman.
With all that, here’s hoping we help keep you occupied throughout the winter months. On that note, happy holidays, everyone, and stay safe.
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T8N November / December 2020 5
I CONVERSATIONS I
PANDEMIC
PASSENGER
Will COVID-19 factor into road safety during the holiday season? BY CORBIN STEWART AND GENE KOSOWAN
IT GOES WITHOUT saying that Yuletide celebrations
will be a bit more complicated this year. A coronavirus pandemic currently riding a formidable second wave has the Alberta government calling for a 15-person limit on social gatherings, from family settings to office parties. Assuming everyone in the province follows those protocols, the hope is that the number of infected cases will decrease. Contingent with that aspiration is that the levels of impaired-driving incidents —the leading criminal cause of injury and death in Canada—will also significantly decrease during a time of year when drunk driving is more than a going concern.
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Marginal Improvements One Statistics Canada report from September supports that line of thinking. When news of the pandemic compelled the federal and provincial government to go into lockdown in March—closing bars, restaurants, public events and other non-essential services—impaired driving infractions plummeted by 14 percent during a three-month period ending in June. But in the wake of the Alberta government’s May decision to ease pandemic restrictions and reopen the economy, those infraction numbers started to creep back up again. During Thanksgiving weekend, a precursor to Christmas celebrations, Alberta RCMP reported four vehicle-related fatalities, one less than reported during the same weekend in 2019. Authorities also issued 96 drunk driving charges, a slight decrease from 105 from the same period last year. At first glance, those Thanksgiving results indicate marginal improvements, but a bigger picture hints that those incidents and infractions almost parallel fluctuations in Alberta's COVID-19 casualty count. Daily active infected cases in the Edmonton zone (which includes St. Albert) in mid-April were as high as 270, a month after the provincial government declared a health emergency, but steadily declined to as low as 60 by mid-May.
Rolling the Dice However, reopening the economy has since seen daily coronaviruses in this zone escalate to more than 2,600 active daily cases by November, the highest tally in the province which that same month has reported more than 35,000 overall cases. Through it all, the virus has also claimed 119 deaths in the region, barely a third of Alberta’s death toll. Despite masking and physical-distancing guidelines put in place, the provincial government is blaming several social gatherings as the major cause of the coronavirus increases. “COVID-19 loves parties," said Premier Jason Kenney at a November news conference. "And so, please, if you're doing that, knock it off.” Parties may not only be coronavirus culprits, but they've long since been associated with impaired driving. Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are concerned about a contingent of Yuletide revelers who might not only ignore the pandemic,
but could still want to roll the dice while inebriated once the keys turn the ignition. “While the usual holiday gatherings and celebrations may be different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk for impaired driving remains,” said Jaymie-Lyne Hancock, national president of MADD Canada. “Driving impaired is just never worth the risk.”
Fatal Consequences Those risks can lead to fatal consequences. Statistics Canada has reported that impaired driving annually claims between 1,250 and 1,500 lives across the country. Alberta Collision Statistics 2016, the last known comprehensive study of road safety conducted by the province, revealed that 16.3 percent of fatal collisions that year were attributed to drinking and driving. Additionally, of 656 alcohol-related collisions involving casualties, 51 of them were fatal. By far, the leading demographic responsible for those incidents were males between 18 and 24 years of age. Drunk-driving motives may vary from overconfidence to recklessness but one officer believes those motorists are just fooling themselves. “It’s a denial,” says Const. Shelley Nasheim from the Parkland RCMP. “They’ll admit they’ve had something, but they’ll never admit that they have been drinking all night.”
THE HARD FACTS ON DRINKING AND DRIVING On average in Alberta, one in five drivers involved in fatal collisions have been drinking prior to the collision. This compares to an average of about one in 20 drivers involved in injury collisions. As the severity of the collision increases, so does the likelihood the collision will involve a drinking driver. On average each year almost 90 people were killed and 1,330 people were injured in collisions involving at least one driver who had consumed alcohol prior to the crash (2009-2013). In 2013, 80 people were killed and 1,133 were injured. Every day, on average, four Canadians are killed and 175 are injured in impairment-related crashes. (Source: MADD Canada)
Keeping the roads safe during the holidays is a tough enough task for the RCMP, but with a pandemic a going concern, front-line officers at check stops risk getting the coronavirus in situations where social distancing and other precautions are impossible to follow. Mitigating the chance of infection, officers will be wearing masks, making the experience of being pulled over even more unnerving. “Some people may be uncomfortable with a police officer approaching them with a mask on,” said the RCMP in August. “We want to make sure that the people in the communities we serve know they can ask to see police identification, if it is safe to do so.”
Mandatory Screening Besides being surrounded by masked cops, drivers at check stops could also be subject to a mandatory alcohol screening if officers have reasonable suspicion to administer one, a stipulation implemented in 2018. Any refusal to take the T8N November / December 2020 7
test comes with the same consequences as an impaired driving charge. Additionally, a law passed by the Alberta government in July allows first-time offenders who aren’t involved in incidents involving death or bodily harm to avoid criminal charges, although they could receive a fine of up to $2,000 and lose their cars for 30 days.
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Besides alcohol, enforcers also have to consider the use of cannabis, given that 13.2 percent of Canadian drivers admitted getting behind the wheel within two hours of using the drug. But cannabis properties, which impairs concentration and reduces reaction time, have also shown to be deadly. MADD performed a study that tested the blood of fatally injured drivers from 1990- 2014. In the final year of the study, 41 per cent of the drivers tested had cannabis in their systems.
Check-Stop Blitzes Taking into account the dual culprits of alcohol and cannabis while a pandemic is going on apparently won’t deter officers from trying to keep the roads safe. Since 2015, St. Albert RCMP have been particularly aggressive in that objective by setting up several check-stop “blitzes” throughout the city. "We were out in full force with check stops throughout the holiday season," said St. Albert RCMP Const. M-J Burroughs. “Our traffic force as well as our general duty members were actively doing check stops." In December that first year, the RCMP noted a dramatic decrease in impaired driving charges. Of the hundreds of vehicles stopped during the 2019 holiday season, the police charged six drivers for alcohol impairment and issued four roadside suspensions. By almost any standard, those are impressive results, but there will always be a going concern that not everyone is getting the message, pandemic notwithstanding. “During this time we remind everyone to drive sober,” said Rhonda Paterson, administrative assistant for the MADD Edmonton and area chapter, “as well as remember victims who have been killed or injured by an impaired driver.” t8n
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I ARTS & CULTURE I
The Zen of Ceramics How Kentia Naud rediscovered herself through pottery BY PAULA E. KIRMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN
HAVING AN ARTISTIC side hustle
while being a busy physician and mother is not something many people would choose, let alone manage. However, for Kentia Naud, her hobby is her respite.
T8N November / December2020 2020 99 T8N November / December
Naud discovered her flair for pottery in the fall of 2013, after she finished her fellowship in maternal fetal medicine in Halifax. Curious about pottery, she requested some private evening lessons which fit into her busy schedule. “I got fascinated by the possibilities, by the functionality, and the skills required,” she said. “It seemed like the world of ceramics was one full of openings, full of dead ends, yet a parallel universe I was ready to fall in to get lost for a time. It was a challenge the Type-A person in me was ready to tackle.” The following year, Naud moved to St. Albert with her family after she and her husband found jobs in Edmonton. She was working as an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in fetal ultrasound and counselling at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. As she was no longer performing surgeries or delivering babies, Naud missed doing something with her hands. She also missed the pottery experience back in Halifax but her working hours wouldn’t jibe with any pottery studio hours. That’s when she bought a pottery wheel, installed a kiln in her garage and went at it on her own.
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Naud became so prolific she wound up with too many wares to keep or even give away, so she started selling them online and at local craft fairs and markets. She also started social media accounts to document her pursuits, which she found was therapeutic. “The time spent at the pottery wheel in the middle of the night was a time when the chatter of my mind was silenced.” she said. “The big life questions came and for the first time in decades, I was not rushing doing a million things, and I had space to hear them out.” In fact, Naud decided to quit her medical career for a while to explore her own psyche and creativity, as well as spend more time with her family. “This time of uncertainty provided deep insights on art, on the purpose of artists, the value of work, the constructs of society, capitalism, and creativity,” she says.
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Through her Terre Firme Pottery company and website, Naud makes everything from travel mugs to bowls and sells much of her work internationally to private collectors. She’ll also release new pieces several times a year with opportunities for her clientele to order in advance. But since Naud’s a one-person operation, she’s not able to make custom orders. But she loves to dabble in themes that grab her attention. “My current line of work in ceramics is at the extremes of the shabby-chic concept. I love mixing rusticity with precious metals like gold and real gemstones. I love mixing simplicity with over-the-top complex details, both sculpturally and visually.”
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Naud is still a multitasker, but has streamlined her work and her life to the point where she eventually went back to work part-time as a physician, and part-time as an artist, and to be available to herself and her family. As she says, she is “juggling all of the balls, but knowing I won't drop my 'own ball' anymore.� t8n
Terre Ferme Pottery Website: terrefermepottery.com Social Media: instagram.com/terrefermepottery/ Reviews: etsy.com/shop/terrefermepottery T8N November / December 2020  13
I THE EIGHTS I
Goodies
2
FOR FOODIES
Yuletide treats for the tummy worth sampling
BACK WHEN THE family vehicle was powered
by a horse instead of an engine, food was a regular gift item over the holiday season. Fortunately, giving food remains in style, namely because they always seem to taste better this time of year and those who receive these goodies are more than willing to share. With that in mind, T8N has compiles a short list of edible gift options for those craving something more delectable under the tree. t8n
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1. Raptor Spiced Rum 750ml $21, Raptor Dark Rum 375ml $14.50 from T-Rex Distillery
5. Castelvetrano Olives $19.99/kg and Beer Sticks $36.99/kg from Mercato Italian Bakery
2. Mezos Roastery Almonds BBQ $8.49 and Honey Roasted Peanuts $4.99 from Mercato Italian Bakery
6. San Francisco Sourdough Bread $4.49 from Sobeys
3. Nudefood Natural Peanut Butter $12.99 from Sobeys
7. Berry Berry Honey Strawberry Lemon Dressing $9.99 from Sobeys
4. Bean to Bar Chocolate Bars $5 each and nine-piece Window Box Bon Bons starting at $22 from Au Chocolat
8. Small Round Top Maple and Exotic Wood Cutting Board $25 from WoodsEdge T8N November / December 2020  15
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I THE EIGHTS I
I FOOD & GATHERINGS I
Merry Mixtures
With more reasons than ever to stay inside, here are a few ways to beat those homebound blues RECIPES & STYLING BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD; PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDA LAKEMAN
IT HAS BEEN−AND will continue
to be−a different world than what most of us have experienced before. We are staying in more, spending time with family, friends and other cohorts. The kitchen is also drawing us in as we prepare what sometimes feels like an endless line of meals for our stay-at-home workers, children and ourselves. Before your next game night, let yourself gravitate to the kitchen to concoct a few simple syrups that will elevate any cocktail or mocktail. Facetime family and friends and make these fun drinks together!
T8N November November//December December 2020 2020 17 17 T8N
Rhubarb Fizz Dive into your freezer and pull out all the frozen rhubarb left from the summer harvest. Combine that with a holiday star, cranberries, and you are on your way to a fun, sparkling drink. 2 oz. pink gin from Confluence Distillery
1 tsp. lemon juice 3 oz. club soda
1 ½ oz. rhubarb and cranberry simple syrup (recipe below)
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add in the gin, the simple syrup, lemon juice and club soda. Give it a good shake and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon curl and some cranberries!
Non-alcoholic switch-up
simple syrup
2 oz. Grove 42 Seedlip
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. water
1 ½ oz. rhubarb and cranberry simple syrup
3 c. chopped frozen rhubarb
Rhubarb-Cranberry
½ c. whole, fresh cranberries
3 ½ oz. club soda
Follow the same steps as above.
In a saucepan, on medium-low, dissolve the sugar in the water. Add in the rhubarb and cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool, strain into a jar and refrigerate the simple syrup for up to two weeks.
Sweet & Spicy Crunch Mix Enjoy this slightly sweet nut and seed mixture while sipping on a cocktail or a mocktail sitting by the fire or having a Zoom game night! 1 c. natural almonds, whole
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 c. natural pecans, halved
1 ½ tbsp. melted butter
½ c. natural cashews
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ c. pepitas
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In a large bowl, combine the nuts and pepitas and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the maple syrup, melted butter, salt and vanilla. Pour this mixture over the nuts and pepitas and stir, making sure all the nuts and seeds are coated. Spread the mixture out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring twice during the baking process. Let the mixture cool. In an airtight container, this mix will last for up to two months! 18 T8Nmagazine.com
Mission Mule Homemade ginger syrup and the punch from the green chili vodka make this drink a unique twist on a Moscow mule. Serve with slices of green chili for an extra kick! 2 oz. green chili vodka
3-4 oz. club soda
2 oz. ginger syrup (recipe below)
Non-alcoholic switch-up 2 oz. Garden 108 Seedlip 2 oz. ginger syrup 3-4 oz. club soda
Same instructions as for the alcoholic drink! Combine the vodka, the ginger syrup and the club soda in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake a few times and pour the mixture into a cocktail glass. Serve with fresh ginger.
Homemade Ginger Syrup 8 oz. peeled fresh ginger
6 oz. water
⅔ c. sugar
⅛tsp. sumac
In a food processor, grind up the fresh ginger into pieces that will not fit through a fine mesh strainer. In a saucepan, over medium low heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Add in the ginger and the sumac and let simmer for eight-10 minutes. Let cool and sit in the refrigerator overnight. Strain the syrup into a clean jar and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
T8N November T8N November/ December / December 2020 19
Spiked Chai
Homemade Chai syrup
Think dark, starry night and the warmth from a fireplace while cozying in to drink this warm spiced chai latte. Keep it non-alcoholic or add in coconut rum for a late-night beverage.
3c. water
6 whole cloves
⅓ c. honey
8 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
3 bags of black tea, English breakfast (decaf tea bags are an easy switch)
½ c. chai spice liquid mixture 1 oz. coconut rum ½ c. warm milk
Combine the chai liquid and the warm milk and either warm them in the microwave or steam them using a milk frother. Add in the rum and stir to combine. A sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick make a great addition at the end. 20 T8Nmagazine.com
½ vanilla bean, split and seeded
In a saucepan, combine the water with the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-17 minutes. Whisk in honey and remove from heat. Drop the tea bags in and let steep for three-five minutes. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a clean glass container. This mixture can be combined in equal parts with warm, frothy milk for a yum winter drink.
Honey Fig Biscotti Figs and honey are common appetizer ingredients, often served on top of or alongside a variety of cheeses. This biscotti is a twist on that classic pairing lending itself beautifully to cocktail hour especially if the cocktail of choice is a spiked chai latte! ½ c. room temperature butter 2 ¼ c. all purpose flour ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. kosher salt 2 large eggs ½ c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts ½ c. chopped dried Turkish figs ½ tsp. vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract is a great substitution) ¾ c. sugar 3 tbsp. honey
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand-held beaters, cream together the sugar, honey and butter. Add in the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Blend to combine. With the stand mixer off, add in the flour, salt and baking powder. On low, combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a spoon, stir in the figs and the hazelnuts. Shape the dough into a ball and place onto prepared baking sheet. At this point, the dough can be split into two balls if smaller biscotti are desired. Shape the ball into a log, aiming for a consistent thickness. Bake the log for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, on a large cutting board, slice the biscotti log into one-inch slices. Arrange the slices with the cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake the slices for about 20 minutes per side. The slices should be golden brown. Let cool and store in an airtight container or pop into the freezer for future consumption.
Pear Martini Forget about pantry cooking, what about pantry drink prep? Pull out that can of pears and use the liquid to make a warm, fruity martini. 3 oz. Prickly Pear vodka from Eau Claire Distillery
½ oz. sweet vermouth 1 ½ canned pear liquid
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add in the vodka, vermouth and canned pear liquid. Shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of pear.
Non-alcoholic switch-up 3 oz. Grove 42 Seedlip
1 ½ oz. tonic water
2 oz. canned pear liquid
Repeat above, swapping out the vodka and vermouth for Seedlip. Enjoy! t8n T8N November / December 2020 21
I THEN & NOW I
A local lesson on
longevity After nearly 60 years, Paul Kane High School continues to grow BY RUDY HOWELL
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Fountain Park & Paul Kane High School looking southeast, 1990 Musée Héritage Museum
IN THE 1950S, St. Albert experienced an influx
of residents who sought a Protestant education for their children. At the time, schools like Sir Alexander Mackenzie and Sir George Simpson were about to offer Grades K-9. But the only option for Grades 10-12 was St. Albert Catholic High School. In 1963, the completion of Paul Kane High School secured St. Albert’s ability to offer students a full K-12 Protestant education. Today, Paul Kane continues to cater to the needs of the public by offering both an extensive advanced placement program and the province’s largest selection of French language courses north of Calgary.
1960s The original Paul Kane High School opened on Sept. 1, 1963 in the building now occupied by Lorne Akins Junior High School. Construction began in 1961, totaling a cost of $515,832 for the structure and approximately $60,000 for its contents. In attendance at the school’s grand opening
was R. W. Abbot, a representative of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He informed the audience of the school’s namesake, Paul Kane, who was commissioned by the HBC in 1845 to paint pictures of Western indigenous life. That first year, enrollment was calculated at 343 pupils and offered to students ranging Grades 7-12. However, over the next three years, junior high classes were gradually phased out. By 1967, Paul Kane housed only high school students.
Mr. R. H. Harvey, Chairman of the St. Albert Protestant School Board, during his opening speach.
1970s By the 1970s, the high school was no longer able to accommodate the growing number of students seeking enrollment. In 1971, it was decided that a new school would be constructed across the field. Located at 12 Cunningham Road, this new building adopted the name Paul Kane, while the original was renamed Lorne Akins. Student occupancy took place on Friday, March 2, 1973. As the story goes, students literally marched their desks and belongings across the snow-covered field before resuming class in the new high school that same afternoon.
1980s – 1990s In January 1985, teachers from St. Albert Protestant Schools declared a strike in retaliation to salary negotiations. It was reported by the St. Albert Gazette that the school board offered no increase for 1984, and a three-percent increase for 1985. Meanwhile, the teachers wanted a four-percent increase over two years. The strike, which took place the week of Monday, January 14, involved nearly 300 teachers, affecting 5,000 students in 11 schools, including those at Paul Kane. In March 1996, Paul Kane became the first Alberta high school to offer a class with the sole purpose of helping students quit smoking. The class, which ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays, had an enrollment of 20. It covered subjects such as nicotine and what it does to the body, how to cope with withdrawal, and strategies to quit smoking–such as exercise. Surprisingly, the class was a hit among students. This was in part due to
Miss E, Wilson with her grade 7 class choir.
its relatable instructor. Hired by the St. Albert Health Centre, Bob Fystro was a 24-year-old ex-tobacco user whom the high school believed would be a more approachable role model.
Paul Kane High School was named in honour of Irish-born Canadian painter and explorer, Paul Kane (1810 – 1871). He was 10 years old when his family moved from Ireland to Upper Canada in 1819. A painter of furniture, coaches, and signs by trade, he painted portraits in his spare time. In 1845, after studying in Europe for three years–where he was inspired by American artist George Catlin’s paintings of indigenous life–Kane returned to Canada and headed west. He recorded his experiences on canvas and in his book, Wanderings of an Artist, which includes a painting of his participation in one of the last great buffalo hunts.
2000s In 2004, Paul Kane became a hub for the province’s basketball community. At the time, the Alberta Basketball Association was working on developing programs in addition to those already in place in the education system. These programs were designed to attract the province’s top players for competition at a national level. In fact, a series of tests were created by NBA Canada in order to identify who these athletes were. In March 2004, Paul Kane became the first school in Alberta to host one of these competitions. Among the exercises included were ball-handling, jump shots and free throws, vertical jump, and various agility challenges.
building in order to accommodate St. Albert’s growing student population. Constructed adjacent to the present building, the new school will be able to comfortably house 1,500 students–500 more than the current count.
2010s – Today
At a cost of $38.7 million, the new Paul Kane is slated to begin classes by Fall 2022. t8n
In March 2018, the province announced its plans to replace Paul Kane with a two-storey, 14,000 square-metre
In keeping with modern architectural practices, current plans portray a completely barrier-free, accessible design throughout the building and grounds. The new school will also utilize “green” features such as electric vehicle charging stations, sustainable building materials, and solar power that will provide much of the energy for the building as well as generate power back into the local grid.
T8N November / December 2020 23
I MEET YOU THERE I
Nuts Over Nuts
Mezos Roastery cashes in on cashew and other delights BY CORBIN STEWART
THE FIRST RECORD of nuts in
the hu ma n diet ca n be traced back to over 780,000 years ago, according to archeologists who recently d iscovered va rieties of a l monds, water chestnuts, acorns, and pistachios in Israel. It is also believed that almonds were one of the earliest cultivated foods, as historians used the Old Testament as a guide to trace their origins to Cyprus and Greece. Pecans, which are native to North America, were recently found in riverbeds in Texas and can be dated back to 6,100 B.C. But what is it about nuts that, well… make people go nuts for them?
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It could be the crunchy texture and rich flavor packed into every bite. Or maybe it’s the abundance of healthy fats, fibers, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants prevalent in the majority of nuts. Whatever your reasons, no need to worry because you’re not alone. Over at Mezos Roastery on the north side of Edmonton, they not only love nuts, they live for them. Mezos strives for quality and freshness in every aspect of their nuts and dried fruits. They import all the nuts themselves from the latest crop year to find the highest-grade quality. “I know you can’t beat my quality and I’m very proud of that,” says Mezos owner and operator Mazen Mansour. They dry roast all their seeds with no added oil in order to maintain the health-boosting effects. When it comes to creating delicious and healthy nuts, dry roasting is the key. The difference between a normal roast and a dry roast is that dry roasting uses no oil. The roasting oil soaks into the nuts, speeding up the process, but it adds more calories and fats. Dry roasting negates the oil and preserves the health benefits and natural taste of the nuts. Mezos Roastery first opened to the public back in 2017 and it’s the company’s creative and playful recipes that keep customers coming back for more. “We have things that you won’t find anywhere else in Alberta,” says Mansour. This is exemplified by the peanuts, one of the most popular nuts in the inventory. Mezos coats its peanuts to provide delicious and tangy flavours ranging from BBQ chili to Cajun spice. Other popular items include lightly salted cashews, delectable almonds, and the crunchy and fluffy corn nuts. Mansour originally started Mezos out of his love of nuts and because he was tired of tasting those items provided by ordinary grocery stores. It’s an experience he shares with customers who first try Mezos’ nuts, as Mansour says the difference in taste and health-boosting effects is exponential. “A lot of people get shocked when they sample our products because it doesn’t taste bland and rancid like at grocery stores.”
Vitamin E is contained in almost every type of nut. Classics like almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts all have a surplus of it. Eating nuts is proven to be great for your skin, your immune system, and even your DNA. Walnuts are the best source for omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart attacks by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol. They were even popular during the early years of ancient Greece and Rome, as walnuts were thought to be the food of the gods. The best part about nuts is that they are adaptable and can be used for a variety of different functions. Almonds and cashews work wonderfully in protein shakes. Instead of spreading standard butter on your morning toast, try nut butter. It’s healthier and tastes better. Sprinkle some crushed up nuts onto your yogurt or toss them into a salad.
No matter how you want to prepare them, nuts contain health-improving ingredients and taste great. t8n
Mezos Roastery Location: 14187-162 Avenue, Edmonton Contact: 780-686-8696, mezos.ca T8N November / December 2020 25
I SPOTLIGHT I
Magpie Maven How food blogger Karlynn Johnston hit the cookbook big league BY GENE KOSOWAN
ONE ODD CONFESSION that foodie
blogger Karlynn Johnston revealed on her website and hopes her readers don’t take seriously is that she’d rather burn down her house than clean it up. “I think that just comes from working at home,” she says while laughing about the premise for such a remark. “I have to clean my house as an all-in-one deal. Not many people have to work and clean at the same time.” It’s amazing that Johnston would even have time for it. On any workday in her Edmonton home, Johnston would be writing about kitchen tips, travel experiences and even some of her favourite Disney shows. That’s all on top of some 26 T8Nmagazine.com
2,000 recipes she’s added onto her Kitchen Magpie site (thekitchenmagpie.com) the past 11 years. Oh, and then there’s working on a third cookbook for Random House. She’s already hit bestseller status with the dessert-oriented Flapper Pie & A Blue Prairie Sky and a collection of ethnic and western-Canadian recipes that replete her second published outing The Prairie Table. Ever since a literary agent convinced Johnston to publish her recipes in print form, Johnston has become a culinary star thanks in part to appearances on U.S.-based shopping channel QVC and accolades from People Magazine, NBC’s Today Show and pop-culture website Buzzfeed. Before her publishing career took off, Kitchen Magpie was receiving up to 6,000 hits a month.
They’ve since exploded to three million monthly visits, which double during the holiday season. For all that, the operation still remains as a family enterprise with Johnston doing much of the heavy lifting, although her husband Mike handles the technology end of things from site-building to troubleshooting. He also blogs on the cocktails section of Kitchen Magpie. Her kids, mother and sister are also on hand to help create and test all the recipes before they’re approved and posting. The testing part is obviously a side benefit no family member can refuse.
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It’s also what Johnston believes distances her from other cookbook offerings. “I have personally made every meal made on my website,” she says. “A lot of websites hire developers to cook recipes. It’s important that people know that we test out all our recipes ourselves.” That philosophy seems to be an endearing draw for her audiences, which seems to have grown ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the region earlier this year. “Ever since the virus of 2020, my website has just exploded and everyone’s cooking more,” said Johnston. “I think everyone was making sourdough when we were quarantining. Everyone makes perogies more often; they’re home all day and they have time for that now.” Johnston has also noticed that more households are rediscovering old family recipes. And that’s an element that not only adds a down-home feel to her work, it also reinforces her belief that western Canada has a legitimate culinary culture. “My background is a large part of the culture,” Johnston says. “I’m Ukrainian and Polish and that’s a huge part of it. There also the indigenous cuisine that’s making a comeback. So I think there are many parts of cuisine, such as the green onion cake craze, that originated from Edmonton. It’s an interesting melting pot of cuisine that we have here.” One element of cooking that’s part of any culture, however, is the cleaning that Johnston dreads. But despite her comment on the chore, don’t count on setting her fortunes ablaze anytime soon. t8n T8N November / December 2020 27
I DOWN TIME I
A Festive Find-a-word
WORDS MIGHT NOT describe the vibe that permeates
folks around Christmas time, but we've found a few that might help. And on top of all that, we've arranged it all in a seasonal fashion for a more festive find-a word. After going through it, post your completed puzzle on Twitter or Facebook (tagging T8N), to qualify for great random prizes.
Bow
Santa
Lights
Giving
Cane
Pole
Noel
Holly
Chimney
Tree
Reindeer
Jolly
Elves
Candles
Scarf
Mistletoe
Greetings
Carol
Star
North
Jack
Christmas
Wrap
Rudolph
Joy
Gift
Candy
Scrooge
Naughty
Holiday
Celebrate
Stocking
Season
Frost
Eggnog
Wreath
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