Tomato March April 2016

Take a bite of your city | March April 2016 | thetomato.ca

Top 100 best things to eat and drink in Edmonton

Charcoal-grilled prime cuts Hand-muddled caipirinhas 50+ salad bar options Three distinct private rooms

9929 109 Street NW Edmonton, AB (780) 756 7030

See this week’s promotion @

pampasteakhouse.com/edmonton

@ eatpampayeg

Contents Editor Mary Bailey marybee@telus.net

Publisher

Features

BGP Publishing

Copy Editor Don Retson

To eat or drink in Edmonton

Contributing Writers Peter Bailey Michelle Peters-Jones Alison Phillips Judy Schultz Catherine Tse

18 Canadian Culinary Championships 2016 Canada’s best are crowned in Kelowna | Mary Bailey

22 The Tomato Cooking Stage At the Edmonton Home + Garden Show

Design and Prepress

30 A Splash of Water

The wonders of river cruising in Bordeaux | Alison Phillips

Departments

Bossanova Communications Inc.

Printer

12 Everything Pulse 2016 is the International Year of Pulses | Michelle Peters-Jones

Illustration/Photography Genevieve Cameron, Genevieve Imagery Welbert Choi Curtis Comeau Photography Fred Fung Demetri Giannitsios Carlo Ricci Catherine Tse

6 The 4th Annual Top 100 Best Things

5 Dish Gastronomic happenings around town

WebMeister

Gunnar Blodgett, COPA Jurist

Distribution Greenline Distribution For editorial inquires, information, letters, suggestions or ideas, contact The Tomato at 780-431-1802, fax 780-428-1030, or email marybee@telus.net For advertising information call 780-431-1802.

The Tomato is published six times per year: January/February March/April May/June July/August September/October November/December

by BGP Publishing 9833 84 Avenue Edmonton, AB T6E 2G1 780-431-1802

16 Beer Guy Beans and barley | Peter Bailey

20 Feeding People Eating in Vancouver—like a local | Catherine Tse

26 Wine Maven Mary Bailey

28 The Proust Culinary Questionnaire Daniel Costa

32 Kitchen Sink What’s new and notable

34 According to Judy Crumbs tra-la: the forgotten loaf | Judy Schultz

Cover photo: RgeRd’s Blair Lebsack and Caitlin Fulton, Curtis Comeau Photography

Subscriptions are available for $25 per year. thetomato.ca

The Tomato | March April 2016 3

Dinner just got easier.

Step into Italy.

10643 123 St.

✸

780 447 4577

RGERD.CA

Cibo / chee-

bo / noun. Ital.

1 food. 2 a place to eat great Italian food.

Introducing the Italian Centre’s own brand of fresco to go.

780-757-2426 • cibobistro.com 11244 - 104 Ave (Oliver Square) Lunch 11.30 am – 2 pm Tue-Fri Dinner 5 pm – 10 pm Tue-Sat

Dish

gastronomic happenings around town

finding good food in the okanagan

learn by doing with chef vikram vij

Edmonton author and part-time Naramata resident Jennifer Cockrall-King has written Food Artisans of the Okanagan (TouchWood Editions, $24.95). The book profiles over 125 growers and producers of craft food and drink including chefs, farmers, cheesemakers, butchers, foragers, beekeepers, distillers and craft brewers, in both the Okanagan and Similkamen valleys. Complete with maps, lists of farmers’ markets, shops, farm gate markets and fruit stands, this book will become your indispensable guide to food in this verdant part of the country. It’s marvelous! In bookstores April 5; at 7pm Wednesday, April 13, join Jennifer at Audreys Books for the launch.

Top chef Vikram Vij is the 2016 Hokanson Chef in Residence at NAIT from March 7-11. There’s not much chef Vij hasn’t done in the world of food; he operates restaurants, a food truck and a food production facility, has written two cookbooks and is a television personality and competitor. Yet he remains excited, passionate, down to earth and ready to share what he’s learned with the culinary students.

“I know how these kids feel. When I left India to go to Austria to learn to be a chef I was anxious; am I going to be ok? Am I going to survive?” His advice to young cooks? “Travel, see the world. You are going to work your ass off in the future, so have some fun now. “When we opened Vij’s in 1994 no one knew what we were doing.

I had a vision to introduce people to how diverse Indian food is; so much more than butter chicken. We worked hard and we focused.”

anju pop up North 53 (10240 124 Street, 587-524-5353) invited the boys from Calgary’s Korean tapas house Anju (exec chef Roy Oh and sous Bern Glatz) for a sold-out pop up January 31. Guests were treated to cocktails, inspired bar snacks and four delicious courses featuring sashimi-style salmon with crispy won ton, silky foie gras and Anju’s killer chicken wings. Come back soon!

Career highlight for chef Vij? “The honourary degree from UBC. I am very proud of that. It’s an acknowledgement that cuisine is a form of art, not a funky thing you do on the side. It’s a legitimate pursuit.”

have a drink in the winter city This is the third year for Winter City Drinks and they keep getting better and better. Points are awarded for taste, how the drink looks and the story, with bonus points for the use of local ingredients. In the nonalcoholic category judges chose the Winter’s Kiss, a sprightly mix of raspberry and apple by Noe Cordeiro; “because every Edmonton back yard has an apple tree and raspberry bushes.” Daughter Julie read a poem about the drink, which charmed this judge utterly. The runnerup was a healthy mocktail made with ginger, turmeric, milk and honey by Agnieszka Wajda-Plytta.

new chef at share Chef Geoffrey Caswell-Murphy is the new face behind the stoves at Share (10135 100 Street, 780-426-3636, thewestinedmonton.com/edmonton-restaurant). Chef Caswell-Murphy has cooked in Halifax and Ottawa; most recently Regina where he was a bronze medallist at the 2014 Gold Medal Plates competition. The Westin’s former exec, 2015 Canadian Culinary Champion Ryan O’Flynn, is now in Toronto with the multi-concept restaurant group Oliver & Bonacini, but he’ll be back in the west this spring to open The Guild in Calgary for the group. Oliver & Bonacini comes to Edmonton in 2017 with restaurants in the arena district.

The top cocktail, The Sure Thing by Chuck Elves is a tasty riff on Irish coffee: Alberta Premium Dark Horse, Alvear’s medium sherry, cold brewed coffee and Vitaly Teas Earl Grey tea, topped with salted caramel foam and Jacek chocolate shavings. Second was the Mulled Gold: Alley Kat Scona ale, mulled with warm spices, honey, ginger and a hit of Eau Claire’s Gin Rummy, also

by Agnieszka Wajda-Plytta. Delish! The contest is held in the Wedgwood Room at the Mac hosted by Global’s Jennifer Crosby.

Congrats to all the drink makers.

Visit wintercityedmonton.ca/wintersignature-drink-contest for all the recipes.

Learn how to cook like an Italian at Massimo’s Cucina Italiana beside the southside Italian Centre (5012 104A Street). The first class saw Vittorio Colacitti, a 2013 Food Network Top Chef finalist, working with truffles. Expect regular demonstrations and pop-up dinners discussing olive oil, fresh pasta and other constants from the Italian kitchen.

Demetri Giannitsios photos

cooking la dolce vita

From top: everything you always wanted to know about food in the Okanagan; Anju chefs, from left: Bern Glatz, Kevin Cam (North 53), Ray Oh; NAIT Chef in Residence Vikram Vij; this year’s winning Winter City drinks, left: The Sure Thing, right: Noe Cordeiro and daughter Julie with Winter’s Kiss.

The Tomato | March April 2016 5

THE 4TH ANNUAL

THINGS TO EAT OR DRINK IN EDMONTON

Trends? We are learning to love the offal—Rge Rd’s Questionable Bits topped the list. Perhaps this means that diners are starting to understand the rigorous commitment it takes to practise whole animal

21

Lock Stock Coffee’s irresistible baked goods.

6 March April 2016 | The Tomato

cooking. We are still crazy for great pasta and, if we can put something between two pieces of bread and eat it out of hand, we are in! Sandwiches topped the list for the most nominations for a particular category.

Enjoy this snapshot of where we are gastronomically speaking in YEG. Find the full list at thetomato.ca.

Curtis Comeau Photography

Hugs and kisses to all the folks who emailed, tweeted, facebooked, and phoned in their nominations for The Tomato Top 100.

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Curtis Comeau Photography

1. Rge Rd’s Questionable Bits. Rge Rd tops the list this year with a slew of nominations for several dishes on the menu, which changes seasonally. RgRd is as serious as you can get about whole animal cooking and nowhere is this more evident than in the Questionable Bits—where the kitchen team creates gastronomic gold out of the parts of the animal that usually get thrown out. Take heart for example. “The most memorable dishes have been the ones using beef or chicken or pork heart,” says exec chef/owner Blair Lebsack.

Or liver. Davina Moraiko spins liver into silky mousse, whereas Colin McFall makes a sublime blood sausage. We still feel as though we are dining in a rock star’s farmhouse, albeit one with his own private butchery. “We want people to ask the question ‘what is that and how did it get here?’ It’s our philosophy on the plate,” says Blair.

2. Corso 32’s Pumpkin

2

Curtis Comeau Photography

Tortelli has quite the provenance.

Daniel Costa found a seed source for Marina di Chioggia, the gnarly flat-topped sweet pumpkin from the Veneto lagoon, and asked August Organics to grow it for the restaurant. The result? A flavourfulfilled pasta with a silky Parmigiana brown butter sage sauce accented with 30-year old balsamico. The pumpkin tortelli is one among many flawless pasta dishes the Corso kitchen continues to create, such as the tonarelli (a thicker spaghetti-style noodle) with fresh tomato and basil, the most soul-restoring dish around, or the excellent farro pappardelle with walnuts.

3. Cibo Bistro’s Arancini has legions of fans. Their arancini, savoury rice balls, get this sort of reaction: “Though everything at Cibo is amazing, I would go just to eat four bowls of the arancini. The outside is crunchy and the risotto inside is cooked perfectly with oozy cheese,” says Carly Strong. Also well-recommended, the multi-course tasting menu with excellent wine pairings by their somm Lisa Caputo.

Please see “Top 100” on next page

The Tomato | March April 2016 7

8. The Glass Monkey’s Pappardelle al dente house-made noodles,

Top 100

pork shoulder slow-roasted to create generous depth of flavour, accented with woodsy wild mushrooms—this is rainy day food. Readers also gave a shout out to their incredibly well-priced wine list.

Continued from page 7

4. Roasted Cauliflower, Ampersand 27. Who knew cauliflower could be so savoury? Crispy/soft cauliflower, roasted tandoori style and served with plump raisins, tiny beluga lentils and a tangy Romesco (red peppers and almonds) sauce add up to a delish package that has diners salivating. How does chef Nathin Bye create such depth of flavour and the perfect tender texture? The cauliflower is cooked sous vide with turmeric and garam masala before being roasted with yogurt.

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5

Sandwich and Sons photo

9. Sandwich & Sons offers a focused menu of stellar deli-style sandwiches, including the best grilled cheese you have ever tasted. There is nothing not to like—the condiments, sauerkraut, pickles and mustard are made in-house as are the completely addictive crispy chips. We’re thrilled that this home-grown venture of chef Alex Sneazwell and Jimmy Shewchuk just opened a small shop downtown on the 104 Street Promenade; now we don’t have to truck out to the northwest for a sandwich.

These workin’ man-sized sandwiches are filled with the most delicious meats—smoked brisket, double-cut double-smoked bacon, all made by local meat guru Jeff Senger at Sangudo Meats. Who knew fried bologna could taste like that?

Curtis Comeau Photography

5. The Tuna Twist at X1X Nineteen is an appetizer that diners just can’t get enough of. Voters also love the beef tataki.

6. This year it’s Rosso’s breakfast pizza, the Canadese,

Curtis Comeau Photography

that garnered the nominations—pancetta, thin slices of potato, with fior de latte (young mozza), a drizzle of rosemary oil, topped with a fried egg (as all the breakfast pizza are). Available on weekends and holidays, the rest of the time you’ll have to content yourself with their excellent Rosso, with spicy soppressata and Taleggio cheese, or the Bianca Rucola with tons of fresh arugula. What’s Rosso’s secret to outstanding pizza? It’s the dough—a little bit chewy, flavourful, never soggy, with just the right amount of char.

7

10. Solstice Seasonal Cuisine made a dish last fall that still has diners talking—the pigtail. In case you want to try this in your own kitchen: “Make a sachet with thyme, bay leaf, black peppercorns, coriander and garlic. Place pig tails in single layer in vacuum bag, add chicken stock and mirepoix. Cook at 82.2ºC for eight hours; let cool to room temperature. Remove bone and cartilage and form the meat in the shape of a pig’s tail, season with salt and pepper and moisten with braising liquid.

Serve with grainy mustard and maple vinaigrette.” – exec chef Jan Trittenbach.

11. The Marc Frites. Crispy fries with a sublime truffle-scented mayo, a perennial favourite.

12. Hardware Grill’s Sea Bass. ‘I can’t stop thinking about it,” said one reader. With truffled lobster potato crêpes, a white corn and arugula sauté, some Gulf prawns just for fun and a warm portobello vinaigrette.

7. The Rye and Speck Crostini at Bar Bricco—house-made ricotta and pork speck on crispy rye toast with shaved Napa cabbage and Pink Lady apple is a standout among the many wine-friendly plates served at the atmospheric Bar Bricco. It is owner Daniel Costa’s ode to the Alto Adige region (apples, salumi) and his favourite Bricco dish.

8 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Merle Prosofsky photo

12

Curtis Comeau Photography

13

13. North 53’s Smoke & Oak Cocktail is the top drink this year—an Old-Fashioned made new via mixology magic. Victoria Oaken Gin, smoked maple syrup, orange and angostura bitters, plus a spritz of orange oil to trap the smoke of the burning blue spruce. Brava!

14. Smoked Gouda Miso Ramen. The top nominated ramen was Prairie Noodle Shop’s Smoked Gouda Miso Ramen; Sylvan Star gouda, mozzarella, garlic puree, with marinated bean sprouts providing acid and crunch and chili oil offering heat. It works. The Prairie Pork ramen with dashi, a soft boiled egg in umeboshi and three kinds of pork is also a fave.

15. Three Boars Eatery Mushrooms on Toast. A runny egg creates the right amount of lusciousness to partner fried mushrooms. Another favourite is the honeyed Brussels sprouts, roasted until they have an intriguing smoky essence similar to wok hei.

16. The Dovetail Deli Roasted Pork Shoulder Sandwich

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is served with chimichurri or their pilsner mustard or a roast garlic aioli and the daily salad on the side. Voters loved it every which way, as well as the tasty coriander chutney with the samosas.

Mary Bailey photo

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17. Doreen Prei’s Pop-up Saturday Brunch at Get Cooking. This delicious brunch—cold platters of meats and cheeses with chutneys, pickles and relishes to start, followed by several hot dishes; eggs on potato pancakes with yellow tomatoes, braised beef, perfectly cooked Irving’s bacon, then dessert, is already garnering a following. Come hungry!

18. Local Omnivore’s toothsome cold-smoked bacon is a thing of beauty and now you don’t have to line up outside a truck to get it. Bacon aficionados Ryan Brodziak and Mark Bellows have sold the truck and built a bricks and mortar location in a revamped warehouse space on the north side (it was the home of Marc Holland Industries for decades) with lots of parking. Also noted, salsa verde porchetta sandwich and the poutine.

19. Fans of Jesse Morrison-Gauthier’s cooking at The Common are impressed with Pork au Feu, a delicious Asian-inspired take on a French country classic at a recent Swine & Dine and the Jackson Steak Salad on grilled romaine with blue cheese, mustard and artichokes.

20. Farrow’s Grick Middle Sandwich. Devin Horne says “the Grick Middle is still the best breakfast sandwich in the city.”

Please see “Top 100” on next page

The Tomato | March April 2016 9

Top 100 Continued from page 9

21. Lock Stock Coffee always has interesting sweet and savoury treats to go with the coffee such as their rosemary gruyere biscuit, (“because the layers of flaky and seductive pastry coupled with the savoury cheese will change your life,” says Katherine St. Pierre) a delish carrot cake with the frosting in the middle, a cheesy herb biscuit, peanut butter cookie.

22. Readers love the house-made Charcuterie Boards of spicy coppa, duck prosciutto, Italian fennel salami and sopressata at St Albert’s Privada wine + tapas.

23

23. Cibo Bistro’s Grilled Octopus is described by

Curtis Comeau Photography

nominator Karin Fodor as “so delicious and oh so tender.”

The smoky flavours created by the grill play off the briny meat in the most savoury of ways.

24. 12 Acres Gold Forest Grains Salad.

Talk about a taste of the Prairie.

Pretty much everything John Schneider grows at Gold Forest Grains near Morinville is in this salad—farro, barley and wheat berry grains, Einkorn tuile, rye croutons, plus shavings of pastrami-style beef tongue, finished with birch and saskatoon vinegar syrup and toasted buckwheat for crunch.

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CANMORE

Genevieve Cameron, Genevieve Imagery

UNCORKED F O O D & D R I N K F E S T I VA L

APRIL 6 - 17, 2016

25. The Workshop Eatery Beets n’ Barley Salad has many fans, who can’t get enough of the red, yellow and Chiogga beets accented with goat cheese and barley risotto. Workshop is the new project by popular Edmonton chef Paul Shufelt, formerly of the Century Hospitality Group. The creamy smooth and luscious chicken liver parfait is also a hit with diners.

26. Bar Bricco Uovo Raviolo. A whole egg cooked inside ravioli with SET-PRICE DINNER MENUS • INCREDIBLE CULINARY EVENTS BEER, WINE & SPIRITS FESTIVALS • PROGRESSIVE DINNERS

ricotta, then showered in a lavish dusting of pecorino. Delicious shared, glass of bubbly in hand.

27. Attila the Hungry’s Duck Tots caused a flutter of tweets about their amazingness.

CANADA’S

EVENT OF THE YEAR CANADIAN TOURISM AWARDS

10 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Who are you inviting?

28. Anything by Irving’s Pork said the notes. That would be their bacon, pork shoulder roasts, and the sausages.

FOR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND TICKETS VISIT:

canmoreuncorked.com

29. Mama Lee’s Kitchen Squid and Pork. This spicy, tangy, just the right amount of greasy take-out specialty delivers knock out umami; you’ll crave it at the most unexpected moments. We also love the many versions of kimchee available

Genevieve Cameron, Genevieve Imagery

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to go as well as the fried anchovies which supplies another umami hit to whatever you pair them with, even if it’s just a beer.

31. Cavern Cheese is a fave for breakfast on summer farmers’ market Saturdays when people line up for sidewalk tables. Fans love the care and attention Tricia Bell brings to their selections, with strength in French regional and Quebec cheeses, always at the perfect ripeness. Cheeseheads would be hard pressed to find anything more delicious than membership in the Cavern’s Cheese Club with monthly deliveries.

32. S’wich Sandwich Truck’s Korean Beef and the egg salad, breads made fresh daily and their own brisket. They often do cooking classes at Get Cooking if you find it hard to pin down the location of the truck.

33. The Bon Ton’s new sandwich bar is handy for lunch in the west end. There were several nominations for the classic Rueben.

30. Nong bu Seafood Pajeon (fried pancake) packed with seafood and green onions, tasty, crispy, with salty soy flavours to complement.

34. Sundog Farm Carrots. Only a few more months until their spring radishes too.

35. The Juniper Handheld Bennie is topped with arugula, house-made hollandaise and a spicy chipotle sauce or lemony aioli, on a toasted-on-the-flat-topgrill Portuguese bun adding savoury brown butter flavours to the mix. Readers also get a kick out of their drinks list—wine, beer and four kinds of gin, that’s it.

36. The 12 Acres Burger is a classic—a combination of ground chuck, all their trim, house-made mustard and mayo, a sharp cheddah, Gull Valley tomatoes with fresh greens on a (mostly Park wheat) bun made daily. Also noted, the Northern Divine sturgeon, lightly smoked and dry aged for nine days, quick sear, basted with butter and served with parsnip puree and wheat berry pilaf. Wow!

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The Tomato | March April 2016 11

everything

PULSE michelle peters-jones

2016 is the United Nation’s International Year of Pulses. Growing up in India however, meant that pulses, such as beans and lentils, were a staple food in my family, and not a week went by without some sort of pulse dish being on the menu. With Canada being the world’s largest exporter of lentils and peas—and second only to India in the production of beans and chickpeas—now is the time to incorporate these tasty legumes in our everyday meals.

Pulses are seeds of the leguminous family, and are broadly categorized into beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils. Pulse crops have the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, which benefits crop cycling, one of the key reasons for the UN’s declaration.

Along with agricultural benefits, pulse production is also a way to ensure food security and a more nutritious and healthy diet for everyone.

Pulses are one of my favourite ingredients to cook with, particularly since I am raising a vegetarian daughter. With regular consumption of pulses, I can ensure optimal protein and fibre in her (and our) diet. Pulses are also powerpacked with vitamins and minerals and highly recommended as an essential part of any healthy diet.

• Dried beans and chickpeas will usually expand significantly in size so plan accordingly. For example, one cup of dried chickpeas will give you one to two cups of cooked chickpeas.

• There has been a bit of debate about the benefits of brining the soaking water. I do add a teaspoon of salt to my soaking water but this is a personal preference.

• When ready to cook your pulses, drain and discard the soaking water. Place in a heavy-duty pot and cover again with cold water. Pick out any pulses that float.

• Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a level simmer.

• You might find some scummy foam rising to the surface as the pulses cook.

Use a spoon and scoop this foam off and discard it.

• The pulses are cooked when they are soft and tender. This varies from pulse to pulse. For example, chickpeas and beans might take anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour, while lentils take a shorter time.

• Drain the pulses and retain the cooking water, if required, and use as directed in your recipe.

• Don’t leave your pulses at room temperature for too long as this can encourage bacteria.

• Cooked pulses can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen. I like to portion out my pulses into meal-sized quantities before freezing.

Tips for cooking with canned beans and pulses:

• Kidney beans contain a natural toxin that can sometimes cause stomach upsets so make sure that you cook them properly, around 45-60 minutes as this destroys the toxin.

• When cooking lentils, follow similar steps, and remember that they do tend to cook more quickly.

• You don’t need to soak red and green lentils. Just rinse, then cover with cold water and cook until tender. You can skip the baking soda as well.

• If you have forgotten to soak your pulses overnight, try this simple hack.

Place the pulses in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil hard for five minutes, then turn off the heat and let them soak for an hour to an hour and half. Drain, rinse and proceed cooking as directed.

Moroccan spiced chickpea, squash and spinach stew.

• Canned pulses are a great way to incorporate pulses in your diet without spending too much time in the kitchen. I love the convenience of canned beans and chickpeas and am rarely without them in my pantry.

They are easy to throw into a stew or curry and to make easy appetizers like hummus.

• Canned pulses can come in water or brine. Ideally, look for ones that don’t have added salt or sugar.

• Always rinse canned pulses well before using in order to get rid of the extra starch.

• Don’t try and replace like-for-like when measuring out canned pulses versus dried. Dried pulses expand while cooking so you will need at least double the amount of canned pulses to replace dried pulses in your recipe.

• Once you have cooked your pulses, try some of these delicious recipes from around the world.

Pulses are available dried or canned. I buy my pulses from several sources including local farmers Gold Forest Grains. I also stock up on canned pulses, particularly for those days that require a quick and easy meal.

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea, Squash and Spinach Stew

Keeping this in mind, here are a few tips for cooking and storing pulses along with a few mouthwatering recipes from around the globe.

This stew takes on the fragrant flavours of cinnamon and cumin and the spicy hot bite of harissa that is so quintessentially Moroccan.

The spinach adds more nutrition and the potatoes and squash make for a healthy, hearty stew that is perfect for cold winter evenings.

• A lot of dried pulses (with the exception of red and green lentils) will require soaking, so you will need to plan in advance. Place the required quantity of dried beans or chickpeas in a large bowl and rinse well, picking them over if required. Drain and then cover completely with cold water.

Leave to soak overnight.

12 March April 2016 | The Tomato

1 T

canola oil

1 med

onion, finely diced

1” piece

ginger, grated

3 cloves

garlic, crushed

2-3 T

harissa paste (to taste)

2 T

tomato paste

Tomato Ad-Nov-Dec.pdf

½ t

ground cinnamon

2 c

dry beans (pinto or black)

½ t

ground cumin

2 T

duck fat

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 small

onion, diced

2 med

2

avocado leaves

1t

salt, or to taste

potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 c cooked chickpeas (cooked from dried or canned and rinsed) 2 c

vegetable stock

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and torn roughly ½ preserved lemon, finely chopped salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, to taste Flatbreads or couscous, to serve

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, on medium heat, and add diced onion.

Fry for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears, then add ginger and garlic.

Sauté gently for an additional minute, until fragrant. Add harissa, tomato paste, cinnamon and cumin and fry together for five to seven minutes, adding a dash of water if the mixture is too dry. Add the cubed squash and potatoes to the onion mixture. Stir and add the hot vegetable stock. Simmer for five to six minutes.

Add the cooked chickpeas. Stir everything together and leave to simmer on a low heat for twenty minutes, or until the potatoes and squash are tender.

Stir in the spinach and the preserved lemon, and cook for a few minutes until the spinach wilts.

Season to taste and serve with flatbreads or couscous.

Serves 4.

Mexican Brothy Beans and Refried Beans This recipe is courtesy of my friend, chef Israel Alvarez, an incredibly talented chef from Mexico. Brothy beans are a Mexican staple food and every household has their own way of making them special. Israel also passed on a recipe for refried beans, which are a brilliant addition to all sorts of dishes, from tacos to enchiladas, or simply used as a dip for nachos with some fresh queso on top. You can find avocado leaves and the chipotle or arbol chile powders in Latin markets like Tienda Latina or Pariso Tropicale. Duck fat is available at the Italian Centre Shop.

Without enough water, the beans may cook unevenly and tend to stick on the bottom of the pot so make sure an inch or so of water always covers the beans.

Measure the beans into a colander, pick them over and rinse.

Place in a large pot and add six cups of water.

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‘Happy Monday’… all wine bottles are discounted!

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Remove any beans that float and let them soak for 4 hours until there is no dry core when you break one open.

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If you are in a hurry, quick-soak the beans by boiling them for five minutes, then letting them stand off the burner for an hour and a half. Drain the beans completely.

Cover the beans with six cups of water, add the onion, duck fat and avocado leaves and bring slowly to a simmer.

Partially cover and simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until they are fully tender, about 1 to 2 hours. Add hot water if you see the beans peeking up through the liquid, to cover them by 1 inch.

Season, remove avocado leaves, and beans are ready to serve.

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Makes 6 cups.

Refried Beans 2 T

duck fat

¼ c

finely chopped white onion

1¼ c

brothy beans, including liquid

2 cloves

garlic, finely diced

½ t chipotle chile powder or arbol chile powder

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often until they are soft with slightly browned edges, around ten to fifteen minutes.

Add the beans, garlic and chile powder.

Let the beans come to a simmer then let them maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing until the beans resemble a very coarse puree and have thickened, around ten minutes. The beans should look like lava and they will thicken a little more once they cool.

Store in the fridge for up to five days.

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Please see “Pulses” on next page

The Tomato | March April 2016 13

Pulses

Spice-rubbed roast quail with lemon and lentil salad

continued from page 13

Spice-Rubbed Roast Quail with Lemon and Lentil Salad I was browsing through Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, and to my delight, I found a seasonal stall selling local quail’s eggs and fresh quail. Quail is my favourite bird, and I love them in many dishes including my own version of tandoori quail. For this recipe, I rubbed the quail with a blend of smoky spices, roasted them, then paired them with this spiced lentil salad with fresh lemon wedges. John Schneider of Gold Forest Grains sells whole red lentils that you can use for this dish. This recipe is perfect as either an appetizer or as a light supper. If serving as an appetizer, tear the roasted quails in half before serving.

Spice-Rubbed Quail 1 t

coarse sea salt

½ t

ground cumin

½ t

sweet paprika

½ t

dried thyme

½ t

ground black pepper

olive oil, to brush

2 whole

quails, cleaned

Stir together the salt, cumin, paprika, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl.

Bring the quail to room temperature, brush all over with the olive oil and rub them evenly with the spice mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat a small cast iron pan on high and sear the quail, browning on all sides. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the quail, or until the juices run clear. Take out of the oven, tent with foil, and let them rest for a few minutes.

Lentil Salad 1½ c

whole red or green lentils

salt to taste

juice of 1 lemon

2 slices lemon, peeled and segmented sml handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Pick over the lentils and wash in several changes of water. Place them in a deep pot and cover with 5 cups of cold water. Bring to boil, and boil hard for 5-7 minutes, skimming off any scum that comes to the top. Turn down the heat and simmer the lentils for about 30 minutes, until fully tender, and

14 March April 2016 | The Tomato

South Indian Seasoning 1 T

oil

1½ t

black mustard seeds

1 clove

garlic, smashed

1-2 sprigs curry leaves, picked (around 10 leaves) 2 whole

mild long red chillis

Wash the dal in several changes of water.

Place the washed dal in a heavy pot, then cover with cold water. Cook for anywhere between 20-40 minutes until the dal is mushy and completely cooked and tender. Keep aside.

just beginning to break down. Drain, reserving around ¼ cup of the cooking water, then return to the pot. Add the water to the lentils.

Dressing 1 T

canola oil

1 t

whole cumin seeds

1 clove garlic, bruised but left whole

Heat the oil in the pan. Add the whole cumin and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds until the seeds start to splutter and the garlic is just turning brown.

Pour the entire mixture into the lentils and stir. Season to taste with salt. Stir in the lemon juice and segments. Stir in the cilantro. This salad can be served warm or cold.

are added at the end of cooking. It is used for a lot of Indian dishes, in addition to dal, and it can be as quick as infusing garlic and cumin into oil and stirring it into the dish, or you can make it more complex by adding other ingredients like whole lentils, red chilies and grated coconut.

I use masoor dal or split red lentils, as they cook quickly and I don’t have to wait around.

However, I have also made this dal with yellow split peas. Make sure that you keep topping up the water for yellow peas, and cook for about 1-1½ hour until the dal is fully cooked and tender. Mash the dal up before seasoning.

I have also used a combination of half yellow peas and half red lentils. Add the red lentils halfway through the cooking process (as it cooks faster) so that both dals finish cooking together.

2 c

red masoor dal (red lentils)

1½ t

canola oil

To serve, portion out the lentil salad and serve with the roast quail.

1 med

onion, diced

1 med

tomato, diced

Serves 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as a main course.

2 cloves

garlic, crushed

½" piece

ginger, grated

Classic Indian Dal No other dish says home to me more than this simple Indian dal. A staple of Indian cuisine all over the country, it is one of those dishes that every expat Indian craves the taste of. Warm, comforting, lightly spiced and creamy, there is nothing better than a potful of steaming dal, eaten with rice or the flaky flatbread called roti. I have offered alternate seasoning, a North Indian-influenced with cumin and chilies, and a South Indian one with curry leaves and mustard seeds. You can buy curry leaves at any Asian grocer; I have always found them fresh at Lucky 97 Supermarket. Leftover curry leaves can be frozen in a heavy-duty ziplock bag and you can use them straight from frozen with no loss of flavour.

The seasoning, or tadka as it is known in India, is a tempering made of oil and aromatics that

1 hot green bird’s eye chilli, chopped (optional) 1 t

ground cumin

1 t

ground turmeric

½ t

chili powder (optional)

salt to taste

Lrg handful fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish (leave out if using the alternate tempering)

North Indian Seasoning 1 T

oil

1½ t

whole cumin seeds

1 clove garlic, lightly smashed but left whole 2 whole

mild long red chillis

If there is too much water, boil rapidly, reducing the dal down to a creamy consistency. Meanwhile, heat the 1½ teaspoon oil in a pan and add the onions.

Fry for about 5-7 minutes, until the onion is lightly-coloured. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles (if using) and the ground cumin and turmeric and chili powder. Sauté for about 30 seconds.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring for another 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Add this onion/tomato masala to the cooked dal, mixing it in well. Season with salt to taste (I use about 1½ teaspoon, but feel free to reduce or increase to taste). For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan till quite hot, then add the cumin, garlic and chillis, and sauté for about 30 seconds until the garlic starts turning brown and the chillis darken, (same process for the South Asian spices).

Pour the tempering over the masala dal, and cover with the lid. Stir it all together before serving. Dals can be served with any Indian breads or rice and I have also had it on its own, like soup.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

English Baked Beans I lived in England for almost 11 years before moving to Canada. As a starving graduate student, my staple meal was English baked beans, fried eggs and toast. Even today, the smell of baked beans takes me right back to my student hall days. Full English breakfasts are legendary and baked beans are an essential part of it.

I’ll be honest, the reason I ended up developing my recipe for Heinz-style English baked beans was simply because I refused to pay five bucks for a can that costs about 40 pence back in England. But since then, I’ve certainly gotten used to the taste of these beans and I always have some in my freezer, ready for a jolly old English fry up, or several.

2 c dried white beans (haricot or navy) ½ t

baking soda

2 T

canola oil

1 large

onion, diced

1 T

chopped thyme or sage

2 cloves

garlic, crushed

5 c crushed tomatoes (I use Italian strained tomatoes, plain, without any herbs) 2 cloves 4 T

Worcestershire sauce

1 t

Tabasco sauce

½ c

sugar, or to taste

salt to taste

Soak the beans in cold water overnight.

The next day wash and drain them, cover with cold water, add the baking soda and cook for about 1 hour on a medium heat until they are tender, and just beginning to split. Drain and keep aside. Note: Here’s an alternate method, if you aren’t organized enough to soak overnight; pick over and wash the beans, cover with cold water. Then bring to boil over high heat, let boil for 5 minutes, and turn off the heat. Cover and soak for 1 hour, then cook as normal. In a heavy-based pot heat the oil and add the onion. Sauté for about 5-10 minutes on medium heat and then add the chopped herbs and the garlic. Stir and cook for another minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up a bit.

Add the Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, cloves, sugar and salt. Stir and simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Let cool completely. When cool, puree well in a blender till the mixture turns to a smooth sauce. Return to the pot, taste and readjust seasoning. Add the beans to the sauce mixture and cook on a low heat for at least 30-45 minutes, or more, until the beans are very soft. The beans taste better the next day when they have had a chance to absorb the flavours better, but they’re not bad on the day either.

Alternatively, mix the sauce and beans in a heavy pan, cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake in a low oven (125ºC) for about 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are soft. If making in the oven, keep checking to see that the beans haven’t dried out. It may be a good idea to reserve some sauce to add to them if they are drying out. Serve with a full English breakfast or on toast.

Makes a lot of beans.

Michelle Peters-Jones learned to cook under the watchful eye of her mother and grandmother in a kitchen in India surrounded by swaying palms and the fragrance of roasting spices. Er, not really.

The real story involves graduate school, shouted phone calls with her slightly deaf grandmother and her mother’s recipes modified to use in a woefully understocked kitchen. Now, Michelle is a recipe developer, photographer and blogger at thetiffinbox.ca

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The Tomato | March April 2016 15

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KE | SHERBROO

I learned many life truths at university.

The curative morning-after powers of dim sum. The fickleness of red-headed girls. The danger of having a beer-filled pop machine in your basement (75¢ a bottle). The deep pleasure of a good cup of coffee.

Going to the University of Alberta in the mid-eighties, my route to class took me to Java Jive in HUB Mall where I would join the long line of sleepy students shuffling forward for their cup of joe.

Java Jive (1976-2014) gave thousands of students their first introduction to good coffee. Going home after class I might stop off at Dewey’s, a studentrun pub just a few doors down HUB mall from Java Jive.

My future wife and I had our first sort-of date at Dewey’s, when I learned she really, really didn’t like beer. Thirty years later she still really, really doesn’t like beer.

Back then I thought Java Jive and Dewey’s both had their place, coffee and beer as different as chalk and cheese. Little did I know but just around the corner from my house was the Sugarbowl, which would show Edmonton how coffee and beer could be friends. Then the Sugarbowl was intimidating, filled with tweedy professors smoking pipes and grad students wearing berets. Now you can have cappuccino and a cinnamon bun or Belgian ale and a lamb burger. Or both.

Across the river from the Sugarbowl on Jasper Avenue is BRU Coffee + Beer House, opened in September 2015.

Owner Tina Wang describes BRU as the place “where third wave coffee

meets craft beer.” Third wave coffee is a post-Starbucks movement that takes a craft beer approach to coffee: single origin, small-batch micro-roasting and slow, careful brewing. BRU is a stylish cafe/pub where coffee nerd and beer geek can both obsess about their beverage of choice and makes real the saying that “coffee keeps me going until it’s acceptable to drink beer.” The coffee beans come from Transcend (Edmonton) Phil & Sebastian (Calgary) and Bows & Arrows (Victoria). The beer comes from all over, but the beer on tap so far is Edmonton’s Alley Kat. The next step in this beautiful friendship between beer and coffee is marriage, and many breweries have stepped up to the altar. While the flavour of coffee in beer is not new, thanks to dark roasted malts, actually putting coffee into beer is a recent innovation.

Most breweries use the cold toddy method to add coffee to beer, steeping coffee beans or grounds in the brewing water for one or two days. The perfect marriage is Hopworks 7 Grain Survival Stout from Portland, a magnificent dark beauty of a beer, made with cold-pressed Stumptown coffee. Often beer marries the coffee next door. Mill Street Brewing and Balzac’s Coffee, two of the first tenants in Toronto’s Distillery District in 2002, got together to make the classic Coffee Porter. Alley Kat’s seasonal Coffee Porter is made with coffee from their neighbour, Transcend Coffee. And while it may seem like opposites attract, beer and coffee have things in common: they’re made with roasted ingredients, they both affect the drinker—coffee a stimulant, alcohol a depressant. And both have dedicated, even obsessive, communities that love them. Cheers to the happy marriage of barley and bean!

Peter Bailey

Coffee beer six-pack

Look for coffee beers at beer-friendly coffee shops like Remedy or Cafe Leva, coffeefriendly pubs like BRU or Sugarbowl and quality beer shops like Sherbrooke Liquor, Keg n Cork or Color de Vino.

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel, Montréal Often ranked as Canada’s best beer, Péché Mortel was a classic from its launch in 2001. This imperial stout with coffee is big and complex, with massive roasted malt and coffee flavour up front, followed by chocolate, vanilla and a touch of hop. Due to recent Alberta beer tax changes, Dieu du Ciel has left Alberta, but we hope to see them back soon. A bientôt!

Yukon Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, Whitehorse In 2003 Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters in Whitehorse talked their neighbours Yukon Brewing into working together to create a coffee beer. The American stout they brewed uses eight different malts, oatmeal and espresso coffee. It tastes of black coffee, roasted malts, chocolate and lonely, windswept Arctic tundra.

Java the Hut, Fernie Named after one of Fernie’s backcountry ski huts, this delightful coffee milk stout makes for a perfect après-ski beer. Or maybe a pre-ski beer? Java the Hut is brewed with dark roasted malts, coffee from Fernie’s Crowsnest Coffee Roasters and a touch of milk sugar to bring up the sweet and smooth out the beer.

Ballast Point Victory at Sea, San Diego San Diego is chock-a-block with iconic west coast IPAs from brewers like Stone, Green Flash and especially Ballast Point. But Ballast Point also brews this stunning imperial porter, infused with vanilla and coffee from San Diego’s Caffé Calabria. Big roasted malt flavour and coffee bitterness is balanced by the vanilla sweetness.

Meantime Coffee Porter, London How’s this for single origin sourcing? Meantime Coffee Porter is made with Maraba Bourbon coffee beans from the Abuhuzamugambi Bukawa Cooperative in southern Rwanda, hand-roasted by London’s Union Roasters.

The Rwandan beans are a nice mix of chocolate and vanilla flavours, perfect with the roasted malt in this delicious English porter.

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, Japan Following a 1996 change to Japan’s alcohol laws, sake-maker Kiuchi Brewery turned to beer, brewing the Hitachino Nest beers, including this intense imperial coffee stout. A bold, rich brew, with an emphatic and sustained coffee taste supported with chocolate and roasted malt flavours.

Peter Bailey will someday open a combination bookstore – brewpub – coffee shop.

For now he puts the pub in public library. He tweets as @Libarbarian.

FLAVOURFULLY IMAGINED

Locally Immersed Innovative Dining Open Now

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The Tomato | March April 2016 17

Canadian Culinary Championships 2016 Top chefs from across the country gathered in Kelowna to compete for the title of Canadian Culinary Champion. It’s a tough competition and each competitor needs to be in top form over three events—the Mystery Wine Challenge Friday night, the Black Box early Saturday morning and the Grande Finale. Last year the Westin Edmonton’s executive chef Ryan O’Flynn garnered gold.

This year Edmonton was not so fortunate.

“It was a great competition,” says Jan Trittenbach of Solstice Seasonal Cuisine, Edmonton’s contender. “I learned a lot and would do it again.”

New this year was the opportunity to award the Gold Medal Plates wine of the year. David Lawrason, Sid Cross, James Chatto and myself tasted the 10 Best of Show winners from across the country and chose the 2014 Le Vieux Pin Ava, a rich and fragrant blend of Viognier, Rousanne and Marsanne as the winner.

– Mary Bailey, CCC Judge

GOLD Marc Lépine Atelier, Ottawa Marc Lépine may be one of the most interesting and fearless chefs in the rapidly evolving Canadian restaurant scene. Not just for his outstanding techniques behind the stove, and the bold and whimsical spirit of each dish that comes out of Atelier, but also because the young chef from Ottawa is unpredictable and completely unconventional. In a good sense.

18 March April 2016 | The Tomato

chef at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery for a few years before shifting to Calgary to work with Michael Noble.)

“Not only is he a great guy and a terrific chef,” the Kelownan said, “He’s the best basketball ref we’ve ever had around here.” Known for his fairness, focus and exacting manner on the court, Batey remains well-respected in the Okanagan basketball community. They are traits that have earned him respect and accolades in Canada’s culinary community as well.

– John Gilchrist, CCC Judge

BRONZE

Gold medalist Marc Lépine (Ottawa) is flanked by Calgary’s Matthew Batey (left, silver) and Vancouver’s Alex Chen (right, bronze).

For in this kitchen, nothing is as it seems. Flowers turn out to be dough, flour metamorphoses into crackling circles, tomato juice gets dehydrated, pistachio turns into paper, a tuna vertebra converts into a support for caviar while a sliced tree trunk becomes a plate. Matters, textures, colours, ingredients of the forest or the sea, inspired no doubt by the wild nature of Canada, are crafted with virtuosity and become an excuse to astonish on the plate and on the palate. Lépine is a culinary acrobat whose intentions may be to reinvent the way we think about cuisine, food and chemistry.

At the grande finale he managed to boost the intensity of miso into a glaze for cured belly pork and smoked steelhead trout, resting on a sort of barley risotto, speckled with dill and nameko mushrooms perfumed with a corn cob and roasted corn husks broth.

Overlapped by a circle of fine dough (a recent trademark we think), acting like a dome infused with coriander seeds. It was nothing short of stunning.

– Robert Beauchemin, CCC Judge

SILVER Matthew Batey The Nash & Off Cut Bar, Calgary Matthew Batey, executive chef at Calgary’s The Nash & Off Cut Bar, won silver with strong showings in all three events, including serving a beautiful alder-smoked sablefish paired with Road 13’s sparkling Chenin Blanc. Nailing silver in his first visit to the competition is a major accomplishment, especially considering the stellar talents of the competing chefs.

After the medal ceremony, a Kelownan offered congratulations and commiserations. “We miss Matt in Kelowna,” he said. (Batey was executive

Alex Chen Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver Alex Chen had a Top 10 finish at the 2013 Bocuse d’Or. He also is a respected mentor; his sous-chef Roger Ma was 2015 Vancouver Aquarium OceanWise Chowder Chowdown Champion.

Therefore no one was surprised when Alex was declared the regional British Columbia winner. His sustainable head-to-tail pork terrine using various parts including tongue, ear, jowl, and tenderloin with truffle, foie gras and glazed chestnuts was a tasty and beautiful work of food art.

In Kelowna Alex bounced back strongly in the Grand Finale with a tour-de-force dish—black truffle-scented ballotine of juicy chicken topped with very crispy skin, delicate celeriac fondant, foie gras mousse stuffed celery, all napped with a heavenly fragrant umani consomme.

So focused on seasonal ingredients is Alex that he did not want to repeat his autumn GMP-winning dish, instead bravely presenting a brand new one.

Well done. Team leadership and enlightened culinary skills were shown to advantage by the talented chef Alex Chen and his whole brigade throughout the CCC. Congratulations!

– Sid Cross, CCC Judge

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Feeding People

Can’t resist eating your way through a city? Vancouver’s got you covered. But leave the Best Of lists at home. Those are great for special occasions, but what about every day? Instead, eat like a local and check out these 10 fabulous eateries that Vancouver foodies favour for delectable bites at affordable prices.

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Dinesty Dumpling House 1719 Robson Street; 160-8111 Ackroyd Road, Richmond, dinesty.ca Get your dumpling fix at this northern Chinese restaurant. You’ll find offerings here not normally offered in the more popular southern Chinese restaurants in town. Definitely try the delicate xiao long bao, steamed dumplings filled with meat and soup.

Monday to Thursday 5 pm - 9:30 pm Friday and Saturday 5 pm - 6:30 pm

2015 recipient of OpenTable’s Top 100 Best Restaurants in Canada

Catherine Tse photo

Eating in Vancouver—like a local

Campagnolo Upstairs 1020 Main Street, 604-484-6018, campagnolorestaurant.ca Upstairs offers a menu full of more-ish meals and snacks but, you come for the burger. The Dirty Burger. This modest yet mighty burger is made with cow neck meat, a robustly flavourful yet traditionally overlooked part of the cow that requires masterful butchery (a specialty here). Deceptively simple: 4oz patty (ground fresh daily), American cheese and house-made pickles on a freshly baked Scottish bap bun, intensely rich and delicious. There’s a limit of 16 each day (and often sells out).

Insider’s Tip: Extra toppings are available but kept a secret. Be nice to the nice bartender and he’ll divulge.

Another specialty here is smoked duck, served with soft, fluffy rice buns you use to wrap around the meat tortilla style.

Insider’s Tip: On Wednesdays they offer a special of beef noodle soup and potstickers for under $10.

Forage 1300 Robson Street, 604, 661-1400, foragevancouver.com Chef Chris Whittaker is a locavore champion who elevates farm-to-table fare with complex yet comfy food.

The menu is a sparkling example of sustainability. Ocean Wise seafood, proteins with minimal environmental footprints and has been zero-waste from day one.

Not to miss: Their award-winning seafood chowder, miso-glazed duck breast and anything with crackling.

Welbert Choi photo

Forage

20 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Catherine Tse

Insider’s Tip: Every Sunday through Wednesday at 8pm, they draw for a chance to win a bundle of local meat.

its own, but is best when supporting the wine. Traditionally, wines are picked to complement a meal. Here, it’s the other way around.

rice and seafood are torched and topped with gem-like garnishes and sauces. Try the artfully plated aburi sushi sampler to whet your senses if you’re new to aburi.

Insider’s Tip: A glass of wine is just $7 during happy hour (5-6:30), a bargainous way to try biodynamic wines if you’re new to them.

While an omakase (chef’s choice) dinner is usually prohibitively expensive, compromise with their shokai dinner, which serves a parade of their signature dishes.

Rangoli 1488 W. 11th Avenue, 604-736-5711, vijsrangoli.ca Helmed by Vikram Vij (yes, of the more upscale and impossible-to-get-into Vij’s restaurant), Rangoli delivers the same modern Indian flavours with a scaled down menu and more casual vibe.

While the grilled chicken flies out of the kitchen, there are also a couple of fantastic vegetarian options not to overlook. In fact, a warning: If you order the Portobello mushroom and red bell pepper curry, be prepared to defend your plate from even the most devout carnivore.

This is literally a shack on the Seawall, just off Granville Island, that serves fresh and delicious seafood. The service is often surly, but if you can gloss over it, the food and killer views are well worth it.

Lucky’s Doughnuts 2902 Main Street; 2198 W. 4th Avenue, luckysdoughnuts.com See? Vancouver’s not just about kale and quinoa. Lucky’s doughnuts are handmade in-house throughout the day, and feature delightfully and deliciously playful flavours. The mango-passion fruit is a bestseller, as are the PB&J and coconut Bismark. If fancy’s not your game, the classic glazed is actually Doughnut Master Colter Jones’ favourite.

The fish and chips are always a hit, but if they have oysters available, get the oyster burger.

Insider’s Tip: Locals in the know skip the lineup and service-with-an-attitude by calling ahead and placing an order to go.

Insider’s Tip: Grab a coffee and doughnut for a flat $5. Coffee here, it should be noted, is local 49th Parallel, and is fantastic.

Minami

Carlo Ricci photo

1118 Mainland Street, 604-685-8080, minamirestaurant.com Aburi style sushi is the specialty here, where beautifully crafted pieces of packed Minami

Grapes & Soda 1541 W. 6th Avenue, 604-336-2456, grapesandsoda.ca

The food menu consists of seasonally inspired soulful food that’s delicious on

207 W. Hastings Street; 3116 W. Broadway; 146 E. 3rd Avenue; 1206 Seymour Street, nuba.ca This Lebanese restaurant goes through 3,000 kg of cauliflower every month.

Why? Order Najib’s Special and you'll be hooked at first bite, even if you’re a staunch vegetable hater.

This fried cauliflower dish is hands down their best seller, but more traditional mezzes and daily fresh specials are popular draws. Finish off with Turkish coffee, rich and fragrant with cardamom.

Insider’s Tip: The Secret is an off-menu item known by select locals, a medley of mjadra (lentil stew), avocados, homemade pickles, crispy onions, taboulleh and hummus.

Royal Dinette 905 Dunsmuir Street, 604-974-8077, royaldinette.ca Grab a seat at the counter and watch the action from their pasta, pastry and butcher stations. On that note, order the gnocchi if it hasn’t sold out already.

The general philosophy here is one of creative sustainability. Chef de cuisine Jack Chen has a magical touch for this and heads the restaurant’s Ugly Duckling dinner series, which transforms off-cuts, vegetable scraps and spent grounds into delectable, comforting meals.

Insider’s Tip: From 5-6pm daily, you can get their house-made pasta and a glass of wine for $22.

Minami photo

This is Vancouver’s first all-natural wine and cocktail bar, featuring an impressive list of natural, organic and biodynamic wines from around the world.

Nuba

Fred Fung photo

1505 W 1st Avenue, 604-730-5040.

Catherine Tse photo

Go Fish

Insider’s Tip: If you’re a fan of chai, order it at the beginning as they generously refill throughout your meal.

Catherine Tse photo

Catherine Tse photo

Insider’s Tip: Happy hour features beer and gyoza for $10.

Catherine Tse is a Vancouver-based travel writer who understands that the best way to know a city is to eat your way through it.

The Tomato | March April 2016 21

The Tomato Cooking Stage at The Edmonton Home and Garden Show, March 17-20

Thursday, March 17 4pm

4pm Not your Mama’s Fried Chicken!

Matt Phillips and Andrew Cowan, Northern Chicken

Duck Done Right Rino Lam, X1X Nineteen, St Albert

5pm 5pm

Chef vs Chef Competition presented by Get Cooking Levi Biddlecomb VS Tyson Wright

Earls Dinner Party Lyndon Smith & Matt Johnson

Saturday, March 19 7:30pm Brunch Is Best Phil Wilson, Baconhound

11am Brunch Rui Carvalho, Earls

Friday, March 18 1pm Pork & Beer Steve Buzak, Royal Glenora Club

2pm Cupcake 101 Shannon Reid, Rosalie Rheume, Crave Cupcakes

1pm From Market to Party Tony Le, Century Hospitality Group

2pm Sausage and Beer Cory Rakowski, 12 Acres

3pm

3pm

Noodles Gone Wild Eric Hanson, Prairie Noodle Shop

A Taste of Brazil Nelvin Reyes, Pampa Brazilian Steak House

22 March April 2016 | The Tomato

4pm From Sea to Spain Robbie Oram, Mercer Tavern

The Tomato Challenge

5pm Adapting recipes like the pros Nathin Bye, Ampersand 27

6pm Noodles Gone Wild Eric Hanson, Prairie Noodle Shop

7pm Authentic Mexican Israel Alvarez and Matthew Marcotte, Comal Mexican Table

Think yourself pretty handy in the kitchen?

Sunday, March 20 12pm Olive Oil, From Branch to Bottle Ply Pasarj & JoAnne Pudlowski, Oliv

Love Italian food? If this sounds like you, enter The Tomato Challenge! Win one of three gift packages worth $250 from The Tomato food & drink & Italian Centre Shops. We want to know how handy you can be with the simplest ingredients—a can of tomatoes, a bag of pasta, cheese and coffee.

Here’s how: Make an original recipe using at least two of these delicious products from Italian Centre Shops.

• Pavoncella Tomatoes • Pomodorino Tomato Sauce • Ontario Jumbo Ravioli

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#ItalianCentreShop

Enter today!

Contest closes March 14. Finalists notified March 17. Finalists must come to the Edmonton Home + Garden Show Tomato Cooking Stage at 3 p.m.

Sunday, March 20 to make their dish.

3pm The Tomato Challenge The Italian Centre Recipe Challenge Competition

The Tomato | March April 2016 23

SAVE $4 BUY TICKETS ONLINE PROMO CODE: FOOD *ON REGULAR ADULT ADMISSION COURTESY OF:

.com

The Edmonton Home + Garden Show is the most trusted resource for every home improvement project, inside and out. See guest experts like HGTV hosts André Chevigny, star of Timber Kings, and Carson Arthur of Critical Listing. With more than 600 exhibitors and a slew of exciting new features, there’s real advice, real inspiration and real experts at every turn.

Satisfaction guaranteed – or the price of admission is on us!

THE COOKING STAGE PRESENTED BY Learn to prepare healthy, delicious meals alongside some of Alberta’s finest culinary experts. Take home scrumptious recipes showcasing local products, plus have the chance to sample expertly-created dishes, win culinary prizes and score one-on-one consultations with featured cooking talent.

EDMONTONHOMEANDGARDENSHOW.COM

PRODUCED BY

S P E A K S F O R I T S E L F.

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At Nineteen, we believe that great food speaks for itself. It doesn’t have a list of rules for dress code and etiquette, and it doesn’t care about salad forks and string quartets. It only cares that you love delicious food, because that’s what we serve. #104, 150 Bellerose Drive, St. Albert 5940 Mullen Way, Edmonton

D I N E N I N E T E E N .CO M

bonjour

Wine Maven

Good bread, speciality cheese.

Valentina Abbona of her family’s Marchese di Barolo estate visited earlier this year for a tasting at Bar Bricco. The wines were a delicious match for the array of cheeses and salumi served, beautifully balanced, elegant rather than hearty—sublime examples of their region Piemonte. The Dolcetto has a heady fragrance, plummy, tart and fresh, with juicy acidity. The 2010 Tradizionale Barolo is a blend of several vineyards, with generous flavours, lots of fruit and a medium finish. The 2011 Cannubi single vineyard Barolo (practically in the centre of the town of Barolo, partly sandy soil, 16 producers share Cannubi) is concentrated, elegant, floral, complex, with scents and flavours of mushroom, velvet and roses. The Barbaresco, elegant with lovely violet and handbag leather aromas, what you drink when you are waiting for the Barolos to age.

Tonight, or for a special occasion

8612-99 Street 780.433.5924 www.bonjourbakery.com

you know you want more...

Giorgio Flessati, winemaker of Vina Falernia, visited Edmonton in February to tell us more about their vineyards in the Elqui Valley, north of Santiago, reminding of the great value and high quality of wines from Chile.

Highlights—a really fresh Sauv Blanc and a lovely Carmenere Reserva made with a portion of semi-dried grapes —appasimento—a technique used in making Amarone (among other wines) to bring softness and richness to the wine. Vina Falernia Pedro Ximenez, Syrah Reserva, Carmenere Reserva and the single vineyard Syrah are available at Sherbrooke and other fine wine shops.

Poli Marconi 46 Gin Jacopo Poli is well known for grappa. The Marconi 46 is their first foray into that other aromatic white spirit, gin. It’s practically handmade in the Crysopea, a speciallybuilt, water-bath vacuum still. It smells so good we don’t know if we are to drink it or date it—warm notes of juniper, cardamom and coriander, cool mountain pine and mint, with sweet Muscat fruit. Have it in a cocktail at Bar Bricco.

26 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Sean Boyd of Rotie Cellars loves the wines of the Rhone Valley made from Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre, Viognier, Rousanne and Marsanne. He wanted to make wine in Washington State. So he set about finding the best place to do that—it had to be warm enough, Grenache in particular doesn’t like it under 10 degrees. His search eventually led to the creation of a new AVA, with rocks like Chateauneuf du Pape, in the rain shadow, possessing ancestral river beds with basalt breaking through due to ancient tectonic uplift. Yes, Sean Boyd has a geology background. The Southern White, Viognier, Roussane and Marsanne with a bit of Grenache Blanc, has a fresh and subtle musky spice with floral and yellow fruits, lemon and yuzu citrus flavours, an interesting oily texture and slightly resinous flavours, juicy acidity, gorgeous balance and a long finish. The Northern Blend Red had great tension with white pepper, berry fruit, subtle herb. The wines were tasted with a terrific menu at a wine dinner at The Marc. Find Rotie Cellars wines on The Marc’s list and at better wine shops.

Here’s a great value red to get us through the gales of March—2013 Rosario Ermilinda Freitas—a tasty blend of indigenous Portuguese grapes, Touirga Nacional and Castelao along with some Syrah and Cab Sauv. Expect juicy red fruit with firm, ripe tannins and lots of flavour. A delicious buy that rings in under $16.

Mary Bailey

EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY, MARCH 3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Queen Chardonnay Tasting with Marcia J. Hamm, Hicks Fine Wines 780-597-5000

Best Wines You’ve Never Heard Of Tasting. Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com/events

TUESDAY, MARCH 8

THURSDAY, APRIL 7

Yalumba Winemaker Dinner Select Restaurant, 780-428-1629

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 The Independents Scotch Tasting Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

MONDAY, MARCH 14 St. Patrick’s Day Pre-quel Irish Whisky Tasting, Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16

Portuguese Parade Tasting with Stacey Jo Strombecky, Hicks Fine Wines, 780-597-5000

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level One Foundation One-day Class alandon@aii.edu

THURSDAY, APRIL 14 Oh Canada with Marcia J. Hamm Hicks Fine Wines, 780-597-5000

TUESDAY, APRIL 19

Fun With Rum Tasting Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com/ events

Accidental Sommelier Series: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot Tasting, Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

Swine and Dine Dinner Royal Glenora Club, steve.buzak@royalglenora

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 An Evening with Elizabeth Muir: Vasse Felix, Henschke and Pewsey Vale Hicks Fine Wines, 780-597-5000

FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Yalumba Winemaker Dinner Ernest’s Restaurant, NAIT, 780-471-8676

FRIDAY, MARCH 18 Joseph Drouhin Technical Tasting with Laurent Drouhin Edmonton Country Club, alex.milic@ edmontoncountryclub.com

MONDAY, MARCH 21 Accidental Sommelier Series: Riesling and Pinot Noir Tasting, Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits & Ales, 780-458-4777

THURSDAY, MARCH 31 Wines of Southern Italy with Hayley McRae Hicks Fine Wines, 780-597-5000

Luigi Bosca Royal Winemaker Dinner with proprietor Alberto Aruzi, Ernest’s Restaurant, NAIT, 780-471-8676

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Penfolds Tasting with Natasha Susylinksi, Hicks Fine Wines, 780597-5000

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 Wines from The Pacific Northwest Tasting, Aligra Wine & Spirits, aligrawineandspirits.com/events

TUESDAY, MAY 3 Culmina Winemaker Dinner with proprietor Don Triggs Rge Rd, 780-447-4577

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Glenfarclas Whiskey Tasting with proprietor George Grant Crestwood Fine Wines, 780-488-7800

THURSDAY, MAY 12 Glenfarclas Whiskey Dinner, Ernest’s Restaurant, NAIT, 780-471-8676

Your LOCAL choice for Gluten Free since 1991

Gluten Free, Fresh 10940 - 120 Street Open Tuesday to Saturday www.GetItFresh.ca 780-732-7527 GLUTEN FREE HAS NEVER TASTED SO GOOD®

The Tomato | March April 2016 27

The Proust Culinary Questionnaire Daniel Costa In the late nineteenth century, French novelist Marcel Proust participated in an exercise which could be thought of as the Facebook of its era—he answered a questionnaire about himself in a friend’s Confession Album.

Proust’s answers have been published, in one form or another, for more than a century. Many have used the questionnaire for their own devices, the most notable being Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire featuring celebrities. The Tomato now gives it a culinary twist.

In a very short time, Daniel Costa has revolutionized how we think about Italian food. His research of the best ingredients and products, both home grown and Italian, has benefited the entire food scene. His belief in downtown has reframed Jasper Avenue as a vibrant place to be.

His first restaurant, Corso 32, cool and modern with contemporary food based on classic Italian techniques and ingredients, is unapologetically Italian, with its made-in-Italy wine list and lavish use of Italian language on the menus. Italophiles rejoiced, others now understand that what was happening here was important. At Bar Bricco, the atmospheric drinks space next to Corso, chef Costa taught us to enjoy a beverage Italian-style with prized salumi and little snacks.

Next up is Ucellino, creating a trio of unique spaces in which to live la dolce vita.

Hometown?

Edmonton Years cooking?

As soon as I could use my hands.

Where would you like to live?

I love Rome. I love the day to day life, how it feels like you are in a living museum, the culture of eating, so many little restaurants.

The food is amazing and there is endless stuff to do.

Your favourite food and drink?

Tortellini en brodo with Lambrusco in Modena, or a glass of Greco di Tufo with spaghetti alle vongole on the Amalfi coast.

What would you be doing if you weren’t cooking?

Something with wine or something with music.

28 March April 2016 | The Tomato

What do you most appreciate in your friends?

Loyalty.

A wine?

Balance.

Your favourite qualities in a dish?

Balance and simplicity. Sometimes it’s recognizing what to remove from a dish.

Who would be at your dream dinner table (dead or alive)?

My wife and son, all of my family, Pellegrino Artusi, Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Cartier Bresson, Ennio Morricone.

A cook?

Someone who takes the time to read more about what they do and that makes them happy.

No matter how long a day, I still open a cookbook. I can teach you how to cook but I can’t teach someone to love it.

Who would cook?

I would like to cook for all these people, then sit down and enjoy it with them.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Did you taste that? You’re a gem.

FINE WINE, SPIRITS AND ALES Current culinary obsession/exploration?

My obsession has never really changed.

I’m always digging deeper into the history of Italian food.

super-cheffy. On that trip with my dad I made a complete switch, my whole philosophy changed—it was much more clear. There’s way too much to know about the food of Italy.

Meaningful/crazy cooking experience?

Right before you called I had some olive oil on my finger and I gave it to my son Gennaro, his first time, he made the face. Cooking at Cappezano with their chef. When I was 19 years old and training as a chef, I went to Bologna with my dad. We went to Tambourini for lunch—it was more of a feeling, everything was just perfect. The first time I had really good spaghetti and clams.

Mentors?

My dad.

Best (cooking) thing that ever happened to you?

The first six months in culinary school I was into fusion, complicated dishes,

Favourite casual cheap and cheerful/afterwork food?

Things like aglio e olio. I go home and make spaghetti and basil or with anchovies, garlic and chili peppers.

Simple things.

What’s next?

The new restaurant Uccellino (little bird) is a modern trattoria and most true to all the dishes I love from Italy, everyday dishes inspired by central Italy, Rome, Umbria, Tuscany, Campania.

Now in Edmonton Centre!

780.458.4777 • info@unwined.biz www.unwined.biz • 2, 512 St. Albert Trail

The Tomato | March April 2016 29

Splash of water, no rocks.

The wonders of river cruising in Bordeaux.

— Alison Phillips an outdoor deck area where we chose to enjoy many an afternoon in the sunshine with a glass of wine or under the stars with a Cognac. The top deck had a full walking track around the perimeter and comfortable chaise lounges to relax in or out of the sun. Growing in raised beds down the centre of the ship was a kitchen garden where the chef gathered fresh herbs daily.

River cruising is a perfect way to travel in Europe.

After all, rivers crisscross the entire continent, and historically were the primary way to get around. The long ships used are fabulous—modern, quiet and stable, offering both convenience and intimate luxury. Unlike large ocean cruise ships, these riverboats hold less than 200 guests and often up to about 100 crew. Another welcome departure from ocean cruising; you can safely leave tiaras and ball gowns at home. Dressing up for evening meals means long pants and collared shirts for men and smart casual attire for women, a boon when airlines are charging for extra luggage these days.

My experience aboard the Viking Forseti on the Chateaux, Rivers & Wine Bordeaux cruise was amazing.

Built and launched early in 2014, the state of the art Forseti was extremely comfortable, with well thought-out design throughout. In addition to the spacious dining room, there was also a beautiful bar/piano lounge and

30 March April 2016 | The Tomato

The food was regional, healthy and well-portioned with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from local markets, along with fresh fish, poultry and meats.

Delicious bakery items and desserts are not to be missed.

Service is exceptional. The international team of room stewards, waiters, tour guides, kitchen and boat crew were wonderful. Friendly and always helpful, they sought out ways to ensure our cruise was smooth sailing in every way. During the week aboard, you can choose to do as much or as little as you like. We went on many of the included shore excursions, wine tours and tasting in Pauillac, dinner in a Chateaux in Margaux, walks through the Citadel and old town of Blaye, and market tour with the chef in Bordeaux. We also arranged a private tour for our group of 10 to Cognac where we were treated to a tour of the ancient cellars of Remy Martin with a delicious tasting.

A day in the Perigord region with a truffle expert was incredible. Eduard, accompanied by his truffle hunting dog, demonstrated the hunt, then talked truffles, how they form and where. This was followed by a fantastic lunch at his centuries-old farmhouse where every one of

the five courses prepared by his wife contained truffles.

A memorable day indeed.

Another fascinating day was spent in Saint Emilion, a UNESCO World heritage site—such a delightful cobblestoned village filled with fascinating wine shops, boutiques and restaurants. We wandered happily for hours, before settling on an open-air restaurant in the main square for a tasty lunch, with local wine of course!

As Grant and I had travelled through the Loire Valley prior to arriving in Bordeaux, we treated our small group to a Loire wine tasting on board the ship on the sun deck one afternoon. The crew were most accommodating, preparing everything we needed for the tasting including some light snacks.

Everyone seems to be promoting the wonders of European river cruising. The images show happy couples smiling, visiting castles and strolling through cobblestone streets or sipping wine in vineyards, generally living la vida loca. So, if you’ve been looking longingly at the Viking Cruise commercials during Masterpiece Theatre, seriously consider it for your next holiday. We’ve been asked to host another European cruise in 2017 on the Duoro in Portugal or perhaps southern France, so consider coming aboard with us! Wherever it sails, you can be assured that it will be one of the best vacations you’ve ever had.

Travel pro Alison Phillips, co-owner of Aligra Wine & Spirits, occasionally rocks the boat but never gets seasick on a river.

INSPIRATION AWAITS Celebrate the best Alberta has to offer with Contemporary Canadian inspired cuisine; infused with antioxidant rich superfoods and locally sourced ingredients.

Our intimate ‘rustic-elegance’ inspired dining room, complete with Chef ’s Table is the perfect choice for any occasion.

Edmonton / Calgary / Ottawa / Kelowna 10820 82 Ave

knifewear.com

@knifewearyeg

Kitchen Sink wine tastings, happenings and events

edmontoncountryclub.com) Monday, March 21, $50.

Email alex.milic@edmontoncountryclub.com to book.

Make your next trip to the wine shop a bit less mystifying; take a Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) program, taught in 58 countries. A special one-day Level One Foundation class is offered Saturday, April 9. To book: alandon@aii.edu.

Alberto Aruzi, proprietor of Argentina’s iconic Luigi Bosca Estate is in Edmonton April 20 for a winemaker dinner at Ernest’s Restaurant (11762 106 Street, 780-471-8676) five wines, five courses, $95.

Call 780-471-8676 to reserve.

Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits & Ales (#2, 512 St. Albert Trail, 780-458-4777 and #203 Edmonton City Centre, 10205-101 Street, 780-421-0015) spring sessions of the Accidental Sommelier Series Wine Fundamentals. The sessions are at the St. Albert store, 7:30pm, Tuesday nights, $20/p. March 22 explores Riesling and Pinot Noir. Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot will be compared on April 22.

Two not-to-be-missed whisky events led by Andrew Campbell Walls: Saturday, March 12, 6pm, $35, The Independents; Monday March 14, 6pm, the St. Patrick’s Day Pre-quel, co-presented with the Alberta Whisky Society. Call 780-458-4777 to book.

Meet Don Triggs, proprietor of the Okanagan’s Culmina Family Estate Winery at a winemaker dinner at Rge Rd (10643 123 Street, 780-447-4577, rgerd.ca) on Tuesday May 3. Call to book.

Aligra Wine & Spirits (8882 170 Street 780-4831083, aligrawineandspirits.com) upcoming tastings: March 16, 7pm, $40, Fun With Rum; April 6, 7pm, $30, Best Wines You’ve Never Heard Of; April 27, 7pm, $40, Wines from The Pacific Northwest. To register visit aligrawineandspirits.com/events.

Two popular chefs about town, Andrew Cohen and Matt Phillips, are crazy about fried chicken. So crazy in fact they are opening a fried chicken shop—no word yet on when and where but it will be soon. Catch them on the Tomato Cooking Stage at the Edmonton Home and Garden Show.

Think patios are only for summer? Think again! Enjoy the Winter City Patio Party, April 1-3, where aprèsski meets urban chic with cozy blankets and warm heaters at Little Brick, Cafe Bicyclette, Urban Green Café, Wild Earth Zoo (at the Valley Zoo) and at bistro tables at Sir Winston Churchill Square. Visit wintercityedmonton.ca for the full list of venues.

Two excellent winemaker dinners featuring Yalumba: March 8 at Select Restaurant (10018 106 Street, 780-428-1629 selectrestaurant.ca) with Kathryn Boyd, $70++ and March 18 at Ernest’s Restaurant (11762 106 Street, 780-471-8676) featuring Yalumba’s Strapper GSM, The Guardian Shiraz Viognier and The Signature with Elizabeth Muir, $90. Call to book.

Enjoy a Joseph Drouhin Technical Tasting with Laurent Drouhin at the Edmonton Country Club (6201 Country Club Rd, 780-487-1150, 32 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Upcoming wine tastings at Hicks Fine Wines (#109, 150 Bellerose Drive, St Albert, 780-569-5000, hicksfinewines.com) March 3, Queen Chardonnay with Marcia J. Hamm; March 17, Australia’s Vasse Felix, Henschke and Pewsey Vale with Elizabeth Muir; March 31, Wines of Southern Italy with Hayley McRae; April 7, Portuguese Parade with Stacey Jo Strombecky; April 14, Oh Canada! with Marcia J. Hamm; April 21, Penfolds Tasting with Natasha Susylinksi. Tastings start at 7pm, call 780-569-5000 to book.

product news The affable manager of Knifewear (10820 82 Avenue, 587-521-2034, knifewear.com) Kris Armitage heads to Japan with owner Kevin Kent in April to source cool new things for the shops—one of a kinds, prototypes, new steels and unique Japanese items. Expect the spring garage sale to follow forthwith!

The Newget Kompany (780-995-1115, newget.ca) is a good friend of the Easter Bunny. Place your on-line orders before March 17 for pre-Easter delivery. Visit Newget at Make It at the Enjoy Centre, 101 Riel Drive, St. Albert, April 8-10. Getting married? Newget and weddings are a perfect combination.

The Italian Centre Shops (10878 95 Street, 780-4244869; 5028 104A Street, 780-989 4869; 17010 90 Avenue, 780-454 4869, italiancentre.ca) offer several new items in their house-made Massimo’s Cucina Italiana line: pasta sauces, a hearty Bolognese made with Messenger Meats Piemontese beef, a bright tomato sauce and a creamy béchamel. Try the chicken noodle or minestrone soup, and satisfying one-dish salads. Look for the new Regal Fresh Pasta from Italy, stuffed agnolotti and tortellini as well as fresh spaghetti, chitarra, pappardelle, tonarelli and lasagna sheets. Prices range from $5.50-$9.50.

cooking classes NAIT offers five culinary boot camps this summer.

Ramp up your culinary skills in the Culinary Boot Camp July 5-8 or July 12-15; Gourmet includes a black box competition, July12-15; explore the sweet and savoury side of chocolate during The Love of Chocolate boot camp, July12-15; it’s all about preserving and fermentation during Cured Meats, Cheeses and Pickles, July12-15. The Pastry Boot Camp explores basic pastry, artisan breadmaking, working with chocolate and dessert sauces, July 4-8.

If one of these camps sounds ideal, don’t delay, these exceptional courses taught by NAIT culinary staff fill up quickly. Visit nait.ca/bootcamp to book.

The Pantree (#550, 220 Lakeland Drive, Sherwood Park, thepantree.ca) has a full roster of cooking classes and events. Highlights: Join Bill Marshall from Zwilling Canada and chef Michelle DeLand, for a class on how to get the most out of your enameled cast iron and stainless steel cookware, March 21, 6:30pm, $30. Gluten-free Treats with chefs Jade Wu and Sarah Louise on March 30, 6pm, $90; Pasta Making with chef Stefan Cherwoniak, April 13, 6pm, $85; Vegan Cheese Alternatives with Jade Wu and Sarah Louise, 6pm, April 5, $85. Register: register.thepantree.ca.

Cooking classes at the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen, 10035-105 Street, 780-420-7282 atcoblueflamekitchen. com). Classes start at 11:45am, $15. To book: sydneyhaubrich@atco.com. March 4, Asian Appetizers; March 11, Kiss Me I’m Irish; March 24, Ancient Grains; April 8, Meals in 30 Minutes; April 22 Those Aren’t Scraps, They’re Dinner! April 13 is hands-on cooking class, Take Home Pizza, 4:30pm, $40. Visit atcoblueflamekitchen.com/Classes/ Edmonton-Classes for details.

Learn how to make a fabulous brunch at a Kitchen by Brad (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704 kitchenbybrad. ca) cooking class on March 5, 12 and 19. Eggs bennie, waffles sweet and savoury, quiche, asparagus in a roasted tomato vinaigrette, chocolate mousse with berry compote, $135. Classes sell out quickly, info@kitchenbybrad.ca to book.

Upcoming at Get Cooking (MacEwan, 11050 104 Avenue, 780-934-8058, getcookingedmonton.com) March 4, 6:pm, Friday Kitchen Party featuring Eau Claire Distillery, chef Doreen Prei and house barkeep Happy J Byrne, $139; March 5, 12, 12pm, Saturday Brunch pop-up series with chef Doreen Prei, $45 (adults); March 17, 6pm, St. Patty’s Day Celebration with Chef Chris Tom-Kee, $139; March 31, 6pm, Under the Sea! A Celebration of Oysters with Effing

what’s new and notable

Rob Tryon, $139; April 2, 6pm, Syrian Fund-raising Gala Supper, $120; April 20, 6pm, All Things Pork with chef Doreen Prei and Irving’s Farm Fresh, $154. To book visit getcookingedmonton.com/class-list.

Express Cooking Classes at Seasoned Solutions; March 22, Celebrating the Year of Pulses and April 6, Quick Spring Menu. Details at seasonedsolutions.ca.

Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse (9929 109 Street, 780756-7030, pampasteakhouse.com) cooking classes start April 9 and will run on two Saturdays per month. Think Brazilian street food, meat, open-range cooking.

restaurant buzz Bar Bricco’s (10347 Jasper Avenue, 780-424-5588, barbricco.com) moody interior and great music make it a nobrainer as the place to end the night, but it’s also your best bet to experience aperitivo, the classic northern Italian after-work bite and a drink. From 4pm to 5:30pm enjoy pass-around appetizers (spuntini) with your Negroni or Aperol Spriss, or a glass of Barolo for that matter.

Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse’s (9929 109 Street, 780-756-7030, pampasteakhouse.com) five-year anniversary celebrations continue with weekly promotions. Check the website for what’s up this week. Their splendid fiveyear anniversary party garnered proceeds to the Youcan Youth Services charity.

Love to pair good food and drink?

Check out The Glass Monkey’s (5842 111 Street, 780-760-2228, theglassmonkey.ca) monthly dinner series. Call Rob or Janine for deets.

For great food at even better prices during Downtown Dining Week, check out menus at Edmontondowntown.com, March 11-20. Over 36 restaurants are participating this year including the Cavern, Hardware Grill, The Common, dedutch, Zinc, The Marc and La Ronde.

“But where,” she wondered, “would she find that drink she loved so much? Customized baskets and gift cards for all her gift-giving needs? Exclusive tastings, classes and Wine Club? A warm, welcoming store and the best staff in town?”

The next Swine and Dine is at the Royal Glenora Club (11160 River Valley Road, 780-482-2371, royalglenora.com) with exec chef Steve Buzak. The St. Paddy’s Day Swine & Dine YEG offers a four-course Alberta pork-inspired menu paired with craft beers: steve.buzak@royalglenora to book.

West Edmonton Mall • Entrance 58, Beneath Simons Like us on Facebook • Follow us on Twitter • Find us on Yelp www.aligrawineandspirits.com • 780.483.1083

Check out the Farm to Fork Eatery (#148 2755 Broadmoor Blvd, Sherwood Park, 780-400-8999, farmtoforkeatery. com) with a big dining room, banquet room and gastro pub and chef Jason Oliver. Two menu items of note: the Croque Madame made with Irving’s ham smoked in-house and the 26-day dry aged porterhouse from Jeff Nonay’s ranch.

culinary travel Don’t miss Canmore Uncorked, April 6-17, jam-packed with clever gastronomic events with typical Canmore sporty style, including April 7, Long Table Dinner; April 8, Whiskey & Spirits Fest; April 9, Beer Festival; April 15, Culinary Symphony with Quartetto Galato; April 16, Wine Fest.

Find all the info at tourismcanmore. com/canmore-uncorked.

Join chef Vinod Lohtia on a Culinary Journey of South India September 17-30. Learn about India’s fascinating culture, history and delicious flavours, $4,750 plus airfare. Email vlohtia1803@gmail.com to book.

Gail Hall has two upcoming tours, one to Jasper July 30-August 1, and there are four spots left on the Nova Scotia Culinary Tour, September 22 -29.

For details, visit seasonedsolutions.ca.

Only a few spaces remain in Aligra’s Winos & Rhinos exclusive small group 18-day adventure to South Africa in September. Contact alison@ aligrawineandspirits.com.

Send new and/or interesting food and drink related news for The Kitchen Sink to thetomato.ca.

Fine Wines by Liquor Select Fine Wines | Exceptional Staff | Private Tasting Room Join us for weekly tastings, private events and corporate functions in our private tasting room — equipped with LCD projector and screen.

8924 149 Street | 780.481.6868 | liquorselect.com | wine@liquorselect.com

cheese • wine+beer • espresso

Cavern

to celebrate any occasion 10169 - 104 street | 780.455.1336 | info@thecavern.ca | @CavernYEG

The Tomato | March April 2016 33

Indigenous Food Systems • Slow Food Youth Food Education & School Gardens Food Access & Food Security• Food & the Economy • The Future of Farming Slow Food Canada National Summit

FeediNg the Future invermere BC | April 6 to 10 2016 Invermere is hosting a nation-wide event Good, clean and fair food lovers unite in the Purcell Mountains on beautiful Lake Windermere. With ranchlands, farms and artisanal food producers, Invermere offers the perfect setting to welcome food enthusiasts and professionals from across Canada, the US, Mexico and Italy to our annual summit.

Tours and culinary seminars encourage you to get to know the region by not only seeing it, but by tasting it.

Agenda, info and registration at:

slowfood.ca

Tickets Weekend Pass

Or mix & match events

FooD $150 SLoW MeMberS $200 non MeMberS

$35

Full Summit

$35 $50

$75 $100

FREE

$475 $375

Contact Alison bell slowfoodcv@gmail.com

Wed Apr 6 Wed to Sat $35 Feeding the Farm & Food Tour $50 Future Daily Pass Fri Apr 8 Dinner & Dance at Edibles Farm Lunch & Snacks Sat Apr 9 Innovative ideas Gala Local Food Dinner Networking Keynote Anita Stewart

at Radium Resort

Panel discussions

Sat Apr 9 Slow Food Fair Pop up Cookbook Store

Downtown Invermere

Nourishing Entertainment!

Metro Cinema is a community-based non-profit society devoted to the exhibition and promotion of Canadian, international and independent film and video. metrocinema.org Rams

April 15-18 In a remote Icelandic farming valley, two brothers who haven’t spoken in 40 years must come together in order to save what’s dearest to them—their sheep.

2015 World’s Best Commercials

April 1-7 In the world’s most prestigious advertising showcase. Winners are selected from over 35,000 entries, representing 94 countries, providing a fascinating window into the world of advertising.

Python-A-Thon

Each screening @ 930PM March 24 - And Now For Something Completely Different March 26 - Monty Python & the Holy Grail March 27 - The Life of Brian March 28 - The Meaning of Life

Metro Cinema at the Garneau

8712-109 Street | metrocinema.org

34 March April 2016 | The Tomato

Metro Cinema receives ongoing support from these Arts Funders:

According to Judy

Judy Schultz

Crumbs tra-la: the forgotten loaf Thought for the day: When times get tough, the tough get cooking, especially if your job just evaporated.

It was after a similar small setback that I learned to bake my own bread. It involved much kicking of oven doors and swearing at my faithful Kitchen Aid, a beast of a machine that does most of the work.

A friend who has written several cookbooks, including one about bread, finally agreed to supply a recipe even I couldn’t screw up: Fast Foolproof Dutch Oven Bread for Dummies. It takes two minutes to put together, and sits around overnight, rising.

Bonus: I have a constant supply of leftover bits and pieces for croutons, plus a whopping bag of breadcrumbs.

Reducing odds and ends of bread to croutons or crumbs is the work of seconds, and the options are amazing.

Her Dutch Oven Bread. In a big bowl, mix 3 cups white flour, 1¼ cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 cups cold water, ½ tsp instant yeast. Stir briefly to form a sticky dough. Now cover tightly with plastic and stash the bowl in a warm spot overnight. Sometime the next day, turn the dough into a greased Dutch oven or stoneware casserole. Cover and let rise until almost doubled. (Takes about an hour.)

Lid on, pot into a cold oven. Set to 425ºF and bake about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes, or until the centre registers 205ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Makes one big, delicious loaf.

Really Good Crumbs: Tear leftover bread into chunks and bake at 300ºF until dry and crispish, turning the chunks with a spatula after five minutes. Let them cool, and pulse them in a processor until you have coarse, fluffy crumbs. Bag ‘em and tag ‘em. To use, fry crumbs in a bit of olive oil, butter or bacon fat. Season with chopped bacon, garlic or chopped herbs.

As a finishing touch on casseroles, soups or salads, they’re terrific. Leave some plain to use in desserts.

Roasted Romaine with Crumbs: Halve romaine hearts, brush with Caesar dressing. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs (garlic or bacon crumbs work well here) and a wisp of grated Asiago or Pecorino.

Run under the broiler until they brown a bit and smell good.

(Watch them like a hawk!)

Serve with grilled lemon wedges.

Apple Bread Pudding, inspired by Richard Olney’s recipe. If you like bread pud, you’ll love this. In a big ovenproof casserole, stir together 2 cups milk, 2 apples coarsely grated, 3 eggs, 4 cups unseasoned bread chunks, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon each nutmeg and cardamom, wisp of cinnamon, with a handful raisins or dry cranberries. Big splash vanilla, pinch of salt. Stir well and dot the top with pinches of butter. Put a lid on, settle the dish into a pan of hot water, and bake at 325ºF for about an hour. Test for doneness with a knife. Let pudding cool out of the oven for 15 minutes so the custard will set.

Yum. Judy Schultz is a food and travel writer who makes terrific bread.

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