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WESTERN LIVING // OCT 2017
Stunning Modern Homes That Perfect High-Contrast Design
Back to Cozy: Hot New Furniture Trends for 2018
Black, White & Bold
Peru’s Sacred Valley Is Like Nowhere Else on Earth
PLUS Recipes: Eat Dumplings All Day Long
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O C TO B E R 2 017 A L B E R TA // V O LU M E 4 3 // N U M B E R 8
46 16 design 15 // Ones to Watch
Industrial designers Knauf and Brown are already making a splash on the world stage.
16 // Shopping
The prettiest new paint colours, a sweet Ikea collaboration and more on-trend pieces.
22
19 // Openings
FALL FANCY 22 // Comfort Zone
The hottest furniture designs for 2018 celebrate rest and quiet, rounder and softer shapes and soothing and cocooning pieces. Get ready to hibernate.
32 // Style Council
39 6 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
Interior designer Paul Lavoie embraces a sophisticated, neutral colour palette to bring some California cool to a Calgary home with views for miles.
food 39 // All-Day Dumplings
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert—we’ve got an all-dumpling, globally inspired menu to take you from morning ’til night.
travel 46 // Into Thin Air
Travel editor Neal McLennan takes on Peru’s other-worldly Sacred Valley—and it might just be cooler than Machu Picchu.
plus 50 // Trade Secrets
How Frank Architecture modernized a historic residential space.
Cover: Ema Peter. This page: furniture: Clinton Hussey; dumplings: Tracey Kusiewicz
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The cast of Sisters: The Belles Soeurs Musical. Photo by Andrée Lanthier.
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WL // EDITOR’S NOTE
FALL FOR DUMPLINGS
Q& A This month we asked our contributors, what’s your go-to comfort food once fall hits?
rb l, w r “Com t Zoneâ€? Soup. I could eat soup as my only meal for the rest of my days and be happy. Whether it’s a ramen bowl (like Harvest Community Food’s miso-broth veggie version with tofu) or my mom’s bramborovĂĄ polĂŠvka (that’s Czech for “potato soupâ€?), come autumn, soup’s on!
Ni SjĂśs dt, s Â?st “Com t Zoneâ€? My go-to comfort food for fall is hands down spaghetti Bolognese. My spin coach, who owns freshthinkingcatering.com, is an amazing cook who makes the best Bolognese—on occasion, he’ll make a batch or two for his clients.
Behind the Scenes For this month’s spotlight on new furniture designs and trends, art director Paul Roelofs and stylist Nicole SjÜstedt get hands-on, constructing Ikea’s 18-pillow-strong PS 2017 corner easy chair. Story, page 22.
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ANICK A QUIN, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ANICK A.QUIN@WESTERNLIVING.CA 1 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
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Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, makeup by Melanie Neufeld; outfit courtesy Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com
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No surprise here: our editorial planning sessions for this issue’s dumplings story were particularly enthusiastic, and they even inspired a fair bit of debate. Given how the word “dumplingâ€? describes so many different specialty dishes for so many different cultures around the world, what exactly defines one? “A doughy ball of delicious,â€? as one suggested, didn’t quite seem to cut it. Instead, we started listing just about every fare that had earned the right to use the moniker: German KnĂśdl, Japanese gyoza, Russian pelmeni, Shanghai soup dumplings . . . and then we decided it was time to break for lunch. Growing up in a half-Slovak household, I ate my fair share of Slavic-style dumplings as a kid, but I’ve been able to find or recreate only a very few of them since my grandmother passed away. I’ve mastered Slovakia’s national dish, haluĹĄky—essentially a gnocchi-like dumpling that’s tossed in either sheep’s cheese or fried cabbage and onions. But her ovocnĂŠ pirĂ´Ĺžky, a plum- or raisin-filled perogy topped with browned Cream of Wheat and sugar, is a comfort food I’ve yet to replicate. I recall my babka serving them to us in her tiny northern Ontario kitchen, and when we expressed surprise that there wasn’t any potato inside, she crossed her arms and said, “pff t, that’s Ukrainian.â€? These days, we’re likely to find those regional dishes to be a little less rigidly prepared, and many of the recipes our favourite food writer, Julie Van Rosendaal, shares in this issue (“All-Day Dumplings,â€? page 39) are a fusion of several cultures. From a breakfast dumpling that borrows from the perogy tradition to a classic chicken and dumplings recipe that features Gouda in its doughy goodness, each recipe is just the kind you’ll want in your cooking arsenal for a cool fall night. And now, I think, it’s time to break for dinner.
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2017 IS THE YEAR TO GO GREEN! “Greenery” is the pantone designer colour of 2017. Green is back in every shade from spring to emerald. It’s easy to introduce just by bringing some outdoors in — try jade plants, fig trees, succulents or anything that thrives in your area. Another easy step is bright new pillows, or a statement rug. If you’re feeling adventurous, paint a place that will be a smile-inducing surprise, like the inside of a closet, a door, or your powder room.
DIY vs. DIFM? There’s a definite shift happening in home renovation and design trends, a shift that has many of us choosing experts to do-it-for-me. Do-it-yourself is a great choice for so many fun projects, like a family gallery wall or creating an indoor garden spot. But there are always those mind-boggling tasks that require design experience, measuring skills, installation talent and more. More and more Canadians are realizing the cost of hiring a professional compares very well to the real costs of first-time mistakes, time spent doing and redoing the job, and our own personal level of satisfaction with the final result. Summertime motto: put the pros on the jobs you keep postponing because they are just too much! (Save the fun stuff for yourself.)
Warmer and richer? Yes, please. Whatever your style, from sleek and modern to cozy and traditional, 2017 is a welcome move to a softer, richer look and feel. Think 3D fabrics. Velvet pillows. Choose organic bamboo or wood tables. And wallpaper is back, but we’re over the florals. Try marble or other sleek, contemporary finishes. Put on a little lux.
Peace out. It’s amazing what getting a little help can do to reduce your stress level. Try it - take something off your list and give it to somebody who is a rock star in the category. Yes. Do it. Seriously.
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DESIGN
S H O P P I N G // T R E N D S // P E O P L E // S PA C E S // O P E N I N G S // I N T E L
Dynamic Duos
ones to watch
Conrad Brown (top) and Calen Knauf strike a pose with their Overcast light and Keefer credenza.
Double Up
Knauf and brown, industrial designers, Vancouver
Carlo Ricci
Considering Knauf and Brown’s recent successes at the 2014 New York Design Week and in their exhibition at this year’s Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair, it’s hard to believe the young design studio—started in 2013—was a two-man effort who not that long ago was working out of Calen Knauf’s home. But now that he and design partner Conrad Brown are in a larger space in Vancouver’s Chinatown, the pair can think a little bigger, focusing on furniture and lighting projects that represent a seamless marriage of function and aesthetic—a product of their backgrounds in photography and graphic design. Their Overcast light does away with hard lines and mimics natural cloud cover with its blended paper pulp shade; their Keefer credenza creates the illusion of floating shelves behind a bamboo-beaded skirt. “Our work is very balanced and driven by the formal qualities,” says Brown. “We want to make nice things that also work well.”—Carly Whetter
westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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WLDESIGN // SHOPPING
A a’s Pi
Face Time
Caesarstone’s engineered quartz forms the basis of their new limited-edition wall clocks ($300). Available in six materials. Caesarstone, Calgary, caesarstone.ca
Ypperlig sofa bed
$799, available at Ikea, ikea.ca I’ve had a mini-obsession with the modernist Danish furniture company Hay ever since I wandered through their flagship store in Denmark many years ago, and I’ve always appreciated Ikea’s commitment to bringing design to the masses. Now the two have created a dream partnership with a 30-piece-strong Ypperlig collection that the Swedish giant will be releasing this month, which features storage vessels, coffee tables, lamps, benches—even a rethink of Ikea’s classic blue and yellow tote. The minimalist (spring mattress!) sofa bed here is one of my favourites, with dowel-like legs and the so-simple-it’sbeautiful seat rest and back.
For more of Anicka’s picks, visit westernliving.ca
NOTEWORTHY New in stores across the West
Circular Logic
Saturation Point
Add instant drama to interiors with Benjamin Moore’s moody and soft matte Century collection ($125 per gallon). From left: Veronese Green (also shown in room), Delft and Obsidian. Benjamin Moore, across the West, experiencecentury.com 1 6 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
Portrait: Evaan Kheraj
With its asymmetric body and seamless stonecomposite construction, MSDS Studio’s Halves coffee table for Muuto ($535) exemplifies the refined minimalism for which the Canadian collective is known. Kit, Calgary, kit interiorobjects.com; Hut K, Winnipeg, hutk.ca
Š2017 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Each franchise independently owned and operated.
Experience the before and after
See their space before #CCBeforeAfter
californiaclosets.com 8 0 0 . 3 3 6 . 9 1 74
WLDESIGN // SHOPPING
Pixelated Pour
Nachtmann’s Punk collection of glassware by Anke Buchmann ($39 for a four-tumbler set; $179 for a set of two old-fashioned glasses and a decanter) brings new edge to the bar. Also available in black, orange and red glass. William Ashley, online, williamashley.com
Grand Entrance
West Elm’s Modern entryway mirror and coat rack ($559) eschews the bulk of traditional hall trees for a slim display of walnut, brass and mirrored glass. West Elm, Calgary, westelm.com
In the Loop
Ancient knot patterns from China and Scandinavia form the basis of Winnipeg artist Sara Clark’s sculptural madeto-order wall hangings—like this Pipa knot (from $55). Sara Clark, Winnipeg, shopsaraclark.com
All Wound Up Happy Birthday, Finland!
Marimekko’s new Veljekset pattern serveware ($15 to $49) depicts Finnish folk tales in celebration of the country’s 100 years of independence. Kit, Calgary, kit interiorobjects.com
1 8 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
Plaited extra-thick hyacinth fibres give the Tress basket (small, $139; large, $169) a durable, sculptural form. Available in black, brown and white. Article, online, article.com
OPENINGS Hot new rooms we love
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EDMONTON Sweet Jolie Boutique The community-conscious boutique opens its first location after raising more than $40,000 through the crowdfunding site ATB Boostr. Owner Nicole Rice (who is a former interior designer) beautifully designed the space with hidden-gem antiques showcasing the apparel, jewellery and footwear, along with “the hub,” an area where shoppers can relax and have a coffee—plus a small children’s play area that ensures the store is family-inclusive. Sweet Jolie also raises money for charities and non-profits around the city. 10914 105 Ave., sweetjolie.com
VaNcOuVEr La Glace Pastry chef Mark Tagulao scooped up his decadent French-method ice creams and sorbets for years at various pop-ups and events before debuting his bricks-and-mortar parlour this summer. The Parisian-inspired space is white with mint and features dreamy brass accents and art nouveau-style illustrations—luxe decor that pairs perfectly with what Tagulao’s serving in macaron-topped cups and family-recipe waffle cones: rich, creamy scoops of artisan flavours like crème de la crème, lemon and coffee lavender. 2785 W 16th Ave., laglace.ca
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The apron front sink is a long-standing farmhouse tradition, and thanks to the latest BLANCO models, it’s easier than ever to add this touch of charm and simplicity to the heart of your home — no matter where that is. With 15mm radius interior corners and a lustrous finish, stainless steel apron front sinks by BLANCO are designed to simplify clean up — whether that’s after a Sunday roast at the homestead or a long day at the office. The German brand leads the apron front category with 17 models available in seven colours and three materials, including their very own SILGRANIT®, an exceptionally durable natural granite composite made in Canada. And with a variety of sizes, ranging from a 25” compact bowl to a full sized double bowl, BLANCO sinks can add the grandeur of the farm to any home. The first step to farmhouse chic is an apron front sink, and it’s an easy step to take with BLANCO. Created by the Western Living advertising department in partnership with Blanco Canada
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WL HOMES // furniture 2018
past perfect
the big soft
go boldly
At Milan’s go-to furniture fair, Salone del Mobile, an overarching theme of “references to the past” emerged, including reeditions of classics like the Platner dining table and Ghost chair and a resurgence of materials like marble (see “Marble Works,” page 25). It’s all about nostalgia. But this wistfulness also improves upon the past, with modern takes on traditional pieces, like Jasper Morrison’s Superloon LED floor lamp by Flos (left). It’s a nod to the past elegance of retro tripod studio lighting in a contemporary context of high-tech LED “edge lighting” functionality—all while shedding a soft and serene moon-like glow.
Curvy is in, boxy is out. Feel-good furniture gets padded and downy with XXL comfort and size. “Soft materials are everywhere and contribute to our well-being,” says Maison et Objet’s Malait. “References to bubbles, balloons, nests, clouds, even pods and husks feed the creative imagination behind this new-generation cocoonection.” And channelling “cocoonection” is the Beam sofa system by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina (below), a series of soft cushions supported by a beam that creates “architectural rigour in a warm embrace.”
Eschewing delicacy and relating back to comfort and stability, solidity is making an appearance in side and coffee tables and other furniture. Solid materials, bigger footprints, bolder dimensions—as seen at NYCxDesign 2017, where stable and durable pieces in wood and marble were at the fore. But this brawniness doesn’t mean rustic or rough. The Pluto table by Vancouverbased Ben Barber Studio (right), with its powder coated steel sphere base and glass top affixed with an oversized brass bolt, is both substantial and sophisticated.
Beam sofa system by Patricia Uquiola for Cassina, $20,067, lebellearti.com
Pluto table by Ben Barber Studio, $7,800, benbarber studio.com
Superloon LED floor lamp by Flos, $5,995, lightform.com
2 2 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
COMFORT ZONE At Paris Design Week this September, the theme for the influential design show Maison et Objet was “comfort zone,” a response to the “discomfort zones of an unstable and insecure world,” says show coordinator Marie-Jo Malait. It’s a theme that’s influenced furniture design for 2018, with rounder, softer shapes, and soothing, cocooning pieces that, more than ever, make home a sanctuary. by barb sligl // photographs by clinton hussey // styling by nicole sjÖstedt
2 4 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
welcome to the jungle Emerald is going to be strong this year (see “Green Piece, page 26), and comfort also looks to greenery as sanctuary: “Greenhouse homes and passive houses are just waiting to be filled with a glorious Eden,” says Malait. Lush garden and jungle motifs are in, like de Gournay’s Rousseau wallpaper with its flora and fauna inspired by the 19th-century French artist Henri Rousseau. Designer Christian Lacroix brings this to full Edenic glory with his screen for the Roche-Bobois Nouveaux Classiques Collection (left). Paired with the bursting petals of the Bloom lounge chair by Kenneth Cobonpue (below), it’s an at-home arboretum and indoor idyll. Maison Lacroix screen from the Nouveaux Classiques Collection by Roche-Bobois, $13,170, roche-bobois.com; Bloom lounge chair by Kenneth Cobonpue, $4,875, bloom furniturestudio.com
marble works Part of the back-to-bolder and more-melancholic trends, marble is making a resurgence. And at NYCxDesign 2017, statement pieces like Allied Maker’s carved-alabaster light totem and Marie-Victoire Winckler’s marble vases heralded the comeback of stone. Another such monolith, the Ilary side table by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poltrona Frau (below), is sculpted entirely from marble. Ilary side table by JeanMarie Massaud for Poltrona Frau, $9,360, shaunfordandco.com
WL HOMES // furniture 2018 green piece
touch tone
If 2017 was in the pink (with pale “millennial pink” still holding strong), 2018 is all emerald, going even deeper and more exotic than Pantone’s 2017 colour of the year, Greenery. As reported by the New York Times at Salone del Mobile, green was “everywhere, but in a darker and richer tone that is closer to emerald” and was a nod to another time, or “echo of Deco.” Here, get back to viridian nature by treading atop the Sea Floor Mud rug by Zoë Luyendijk (bottom).
The comfort quotient continues with tactile, textural elements: deeppile carpet, wool and velvet materials, tufted and quilted patterns. There’s even seating composed of stuffed animals, which “clearly betrays our need for nesting,” says François Bernard, scenographer for Maison et Objet. “Nowadays, a comfortable chair should be a sort of anti-shock pod. We like to nestle in folds of fabric as thick as duvets. The ideal chair is basically a cushion propped up on four legs!” Ikea’s PS 2017 corner easy chair offers a rather literal take made of pillows—18 of them.
Sea Floor Mud rug by Zoë Luyendijk, $24,550, salari.com
PS 2017 corner chair, $274, ikea.ca
2 6 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
See SourceS
WL HOMES // furniture 2018
enjoy the silence Comfort also translates into a simplicity of design and a luxurious minimalism in furniture that cocoons and wraps to invite reflection and meditation. Soft, giving sofas and enveloping chairs are upholstered in heavier fabrics like velvet or wool, which absorb sound. Winged chairs like the Hideout lounge chair by Swedish design trio Front create a place for intimate reverie. Hideout lounge chair by Front, from $6,130, informinteriors.com
2 8 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
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WLHOMES // FURNITURE 2018
LEG LOVE
Armchairs get leggy and show off some serious style. by ALEC REGINO
Tuscany Triumph Shapely Curves
The Field lounge chair ($2,069) has a gentle recline and soft cushions that help you rediscover the lost art of unwinding. Calgary, kitinteriorobjects.com
The sinuous form of the Celine armchair ($6,195) coupled with its low backrest makes this piece of furniture seem more like a sculpture. Calgary and Edmonton, lebellearti.com
Creamy Allure Understated Grandeur
The generous proportions, stainless steel legs and leather arm covers of the Chi armchair ($2,190) in felted wool create an aura of subtle luxury. Edmonton, dwellmodern.ca; Calgary, 4living.ca
Contemporary Classic
Get the best of both worlds with the Draper armchair (starting at $3,677), which embraces trendy design and classic sensibility in equal measure. Calgary, domainefurnishings.com
Characterized by its romantic style and lightness, the Nivola armchair by Poltrona Frau ($8,700) is a compact, streamlined model that’s great for curling up with a good book. Calgary, shaunfordandco.com; Edmonton, dwellmodern.ca
Sleek Silhouette Simply Spacious
Sometimes design is best kept simple, and the AAL 82 About A lounge chair ($1,575) has a sculpted, cohesive look that works as a cozy nook. Calgary, kitinteriorobjects.com 3 0 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
This gorgeous midcentury Leather Show wood chair ($999) is a perfect balance of comfort and charm. Calgary, westelm.com
Find more great furniture ideas to love at westernliving.ca
MODERN LIVING. ANYWHERE. Karoleena is a manufacturer of designer prefabricated homes, focused on providing premium modern dwellings that are move in ready in just 6 months.
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WL HOMES // calgary
Gallery Going An inset feature wall of bookmatched marble creates a dramatic moment in the entranceway without competing with the justas-dramatic artwork from Mark Mullin.
STYLE COUNCIL Designer Paul Lavoie brings some California cool to a Calgary home with views for miles. by anicka quin photographs by phil crozier
W
“There’s constant activity outside those great windows. There’s an energy there you want to settle back into, rather than compete with.”
hen homeowner Sherie Toner met designer Paul Lavoie, she knew she’d met the one. She and her husband, former CFLer Marshall Toner, had already interviewed several designers for a new home they were in the process of designing with Riverview Custom Homes and Matthew Klinkenborg of the design-build firm Where People Live—but it wasn’t until they walked into Lavoie’s office that the complete package came together. “We loved the exterior of the house, but we felt the interior still needed work,” says Sherie. “Paul just came in and said, ‘Do you mind if I get to it right away?’” Out came onion-skin tracing paper, and Lavoie sketched out how, by swapping the kitchen and dining room, they’d be able to take better advantage of the spectacular views out their floorto-ceiling windows. “I thought, this is our guy,” says Sherie. Lavoie brought in Julie Lanctot from his team at Paul Lavoie Design, and the pair worked with the Toners to create a space that
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was both stylish and comfortable—“somewhere they could live in,” says Lanctot, “and not be afraid to sit on something.” The continuous use of the same flooring material joins the interior of the home with the outdoors, and foldaway doors open up the main floor to create one pavilion-style living area. Heaters on a covered outdoor patio and bug screens that drop down from the ceiling when needed mean the fresh prairie air can be experienced well into the fall. “I call it Calgarifornian,” jokes Lavoie. Regular readers might be surprised to see such a neutral colour palette coming from Lavoie’s team, who are known for their exuberant love of colour. But the Toners were fans of natural, organic tones, and Lavoie was happy to oblige. “There’s constant activity outside those great windows,” notes Lavoie. “The mountains, the city beyond— there’s an energy there you want to settle back into a little bit, rather than compete with.”
Grand Opening The main floor (above, left to right) is open concept, and nothing distracts from the view—right down to that light and airy pendant display above the island that was made from two light fixtures strung together.
Dinner for Eight In the adjacent dining room (right), touch cabinetry opens up to reveal a full bar hidden within. The dining room table has a restaurant-style spinner in its centre, perfect for larger dinner parties.
Of course, neutral doesn’t mean dull, and the materials palette features a range of textures to create visual interest, from the large-format natural stone flooring that’s richly patterned in grey veins to the velvetand-gold side chairs and tweedy sectional in the living room (the latter accented with a pop of goldenrod-yellow throw cushions). In the nearby kitchen, white cabinetry is paired with a range hood covered in backpainted glass, which appears light and airy in contrast. The backsplash is mirrored, so those sitting at the nearby bar stools can still catch a glimpse of the view to the skyline and hills behind them. By flipping the position of the dining room, Lavoie and Lanctot were able to find more room for the kitchen itself—including two islands. “By creating a second island for people to hang out at, they’re not always in your kitchen space while you prepare,” explains Lavoie. As a foil for the tile floor, Lavoie chose concrete for this second bar—and it quickly became a favourite spot to work for Sherie. “It’s our go-to westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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“She wanted something that was not overwhelming, something that was quite classic but modern.”
Bar None The wine room (above) is on the main floor but has a much moodier, darker palette and has become Marshall Toner’s retreat. Millwork was taken all the way to the ceiling, emphasizing the height of the space.
Glamour Goals The dressing room (right) was tailored specifically for Sherie Toner: Lavoie’s team measured her clothing and designed custom pullouts for jewellery. Mirrors on the doors bring glitz to the space.
place,” she says. “If I’m not upstairs working, that’s where I am. And when people come over, they end up at that island.” For more intimate gatherings, a wine room is tucked away on the main floor, though it still captures the great view. “We wanted to give Marshall a spot to get away and entertain,” says Lavoie. “It’s more masculine than the rest of the house.” Comfortable leather chairs, a warm shag and floor-to-ceiling dark millwork create a moody space that’s perfectly designed for evenings with friends. Upstairs, the master bedroom is positioned to once again take in the view. “We wanted to make sure you could actually see it from the bed,” says Lavoie. Wraparound windows meant a television couldn’t hang on a wall, so instead the team designed an ingenious structure 3 6 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
that allows it to pop up from the foot of the bed. The adjoining dressing room is all glitz. Mirrors line the backs of the closets to give the room sparkle, while a marble-topped island is designed to house jewellery and smaller items. “It’s really tailored to her,” says Lanctot. “We measured all of her clothes and designed pullouts for scarves and jewellery, along with a valet rod so she can hang her outfits while she’s selecting them for the day.” It’s a home that’s both glamorous and welcoming, just like Sherie herself. “She wanted something that was not overwhelming, something that was quite classic but modern,” says Lavoie, noting that the finished design speaks to the homeowner’s personal style. “It really feels like she lives in this house.” S e e S o u r c e S at w e S t e r n l i v i n g .c a
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(and Tweets, Instagrams, Facebooks, Pins, Wins) Daily stories that connect you to the best of Western Canadian designs. Fresh, local topics that keep you in the know. Plus the Western Living Recipe Finder, with hundreds of our best recipes that you’ve come to expect from Western Canada’s lifestyle source—as gorgeous on your phone as it is on desktop. But that’s just the beginning. See more at WesternLiving.ca. The West lives here. Daily.
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ALL-DAY DUMPLINGS Rise and Shine Start the day off right with bacon, egg and sausage breakfast dumplings. See recipe on page 40.
recipes by Julie van rosendaal photographs and food styling by tracey Kusiewicz
Potstickers, gnocchi, perogies—the humble dumpling’s simplicity is what enables its boundless versatility. We’ve reached across continents and traditions to bring you five ultimate dumpling recipes so you can enjoy these doughy wonders for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
WLFOOD // DUMPLINGS
Bacon, Egg & Sausage Breakfast Dumplings Soft egg-and-sausage-filled dumplings make a tasty breakfast nosh. This perogy-like dough could enclose any number of ingredients—to make vegetarian dumplings, sauté peppers, mushrooms or other veggies to use in place of the sausage, and omit the bacon.
Dough 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading 1⁄4 tsp salt 1 large egg 2 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil ½ cup very hot water
Filling 4 to 6 pork breakfast sausages or 2 large Italian or chorizo sausages 2 large eggs 2 tbsp milk or cream 2 green onions, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 4 to 6 bacon slices, chopped Canola or other vegetable oil, for cooking
1. To make dough, stir together flour and salt in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together egg and oil. Add to flour mixture and stir until crumbly and well incorporated; add hot water and stir until dough comes together. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for at least 20 minutes. 2. To make filling, squeeze sausages out of their
casings into a skillet set over medium-high heat and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into skillet and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until eggs are set. Transfer to the plate with the sausage.
3. Cut dough into a few pieces and roll each into an
inch-thick rope. Cut off inch-long pieces and roll into circles that are about ¼-inch thick. Fill each circle with a small amount of sausage and egg, fold over to enclose and pinch around edge to seal. Place seam side up, like a potsticker, as you fill the rest.
D OUG H S A N D D O N’ T S Avoid the Re-roll
Cutting and re-rolling the dough can make your finished dumplings tough. To eliminate scraps, roll the dough into logs, cut the log into pieces and then roll each piece.
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4. To cook your dumplings, set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add bacon (if using) and a drizzle of oil and cook until bacon is crisp. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, lower dumplings in and cook for 3 to 4 minutes; they’ll float faster than perogies but will need a few minutes to cook the dough through. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to the hot pan, browning quickly in the bacon drippings. Serve warm. Makes about 2 dozen dumplings.
Squash and Chickpea Dumplings Similar to falafel, these soft vegetable dumplings are made with grated squash and chickpeas, browned like meatballs and simmered in tomato sauce. They’re delicious on their own or on a bed of grains, or omit the tomato sauce and serve as bite-sized appetizers. 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 packed cup grated butternut squash ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish 2 green onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp curry powder or paste 1 tsp cumin Salt, to taste Pinch red chili flakes 3 tbsp flour (all-purpose, rice or chickpea) Canola or olive oil, for cooking ½ to 1 cup crushed tomatoes ¼ cup water Thick plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
1. In bowl of a food processor, combine chickpeas, grated squash, cilantro, green onions, garlic, curry powder or paste, cumin, salt and chili flakes and pulse until chunky and just combined, scraping down side of bowl as needed. Add flour and pulse again just until mixture comes together. 2. Set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high
heat and add a generous drizzle of oil. Roll chickpea-squash mixture into walnut-sized balls and cook, rolling around in the pan until more or less browned on all sides. Turn heat down, carefully add crushed tomatoes and water (it will splatter), swirl the pan to incorporate them, then cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Dumplings should be tender and heated through, the tomato sauce slightly reduced. Season with salt, if needed, and serve with a dollop of yogurt and some extra cilantro, if you like. Makes about 18 dumplings.
westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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WLFOOD // DUMPLINGS
Old-Fashioned Chicken Stew with Dumplings Chicken stew is a classic vehicle for doughy dumplings that steam on top as the stew simmers. Similar to chicken pot pie with dumplings instead of pastry, it’s the ultimate comfort dish when the weather turns chilly.
Chicken Stew Olive or canola oil, for cooking 6 to 8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs 1 tbsp butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 4 cups chicken stock 1 carrot, finely chopped ½ cup frozen green peas ⅓ cup half and half or whipping cream
Gouda Dumplings 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup grated aged Gouda 1 cup whipping cream
1. Heat a drizzle of oil in a wide, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown chicken on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Add butter, onions and thyme (pull leaves off the stems) to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add flour and stir to coat the onions. Add stock, return chicken to pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, until chicken has cooked through and gravy has thickened. Stir in carrot, peas and cream. 2. Meanwhile, stir together flour, baking
powder and salt. Toss in grated Gouda. Add cream and stir until you have a sticky dough. Drop by the spoonful onto the simmering stew, spacing an inch or so apart. Cover and cook until dumplings have doubled in size and are springy to the touch (about 15 minutes). Serves 6. 4 2 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
DippingSauce
To make dipping sauce, mix ginger with about 2 parts soy sauce to 1 part vinegar, or to taste..
Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings) If you’ve ever been out for dim sum, you’ve likely tried xiao long bao—soup dumplings filled with a nugget of seasoned pork and a burst of warm broth. It’s a staple of Shanghai cuisine and something most people don’t make at home, because it’s no easy feat to get soup inside a dumpling. Except, that is, when the stock is chilled and gelled—add a cube or two of flavourful chicken gel as you fill your dumpling (the ham or sausage alongside adds flavour), and it reliquefies as the dumplings steam. It’s like molecular gastronomy before that was even a thing.
Stock Bones from 1 roasted chicken 1 small carrot, cut into chunks A few slices of ham or Asian-style cured sausage (optional) A few sprigs of cilantro or parsley 1 green onion Big pinch salt 1 tbsp plain gelatin
d oug h s a n d d o n’ t s Wrap Hack
If dumpling wrappers don’t stick (most are coated with a layer of cornstarch), add another drop of water.
Dumplings 1 lb ground pork ¼ cup chopped cilantro (stems too) 2 green onions, finely chopped 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely crushed 2 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp sriracha or garlic-chili paste (optional) 1 pkg wonton wrappers, round or square
Dipping Sauce Thinly sliced fresh ginger Dark soy sauce Rice vinegar Pinch dried red chili flakes
1. Combine all stock ingredients except gelatin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until you have a rich-tasting stock. Strain through a sieve or colander and pour stock back into the saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin overtop (you should have about 2 cups of stock—reduce the gelatin if you have less) and let sit for a minute to soften. Return to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the gelatin completely. Pour into a loaf pan or other dish and refrigerate until firm. 2. To make filling, combine ground pork, cilantro, green onions, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar and sriracha, mixing gently with your hands. 3. To assemble dumplings, put some water in a
small dish and find a clean work surface, like a chopping board. Cut gelled stock into small ⅓-inch squares. Place a few dumpling wrappers at a time on
the board, and brush around edges with water using a pastry brush or your finger. Place a small spoonful of pork mixture in the middle of each wrapper, along with a square or two of gelled stock. Gather dumpling up into the palm of your hand and pleat it all around the edges using your thumb, twisting in a small knot at the top to close.
4. As they’re assembled, place on a parchment-lined sheet and cover with a tea towel. Steam over simmering water in a bamboo steamer basket or on a layer of parchment, cheesecloth or cabbage leaves for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Stock Tip
The filling and stock for xiao long bao can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated; fill them just before steaming.
westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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WLFOOD // DUMPLINGS
BlackberryBlueberry Grunt Blueberry grunt is a classic Eastern Canadian dessert, named for the sound the dumplings make as they cook on top of a pot of simmering berries. To make on the stovetop, simmer fruit in a large, deep skillet until it starts to break down and release its juices, then drop the dumpling batter in spoonfuls on the surface, cover and cook until they’re springy to the touch. Or if you like crunchy, golden biscuits on top, bake in the oven. Make sure you have vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on hand to dollop on top.
Fruit 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries ½ cup sugar 1 tsp cornstarch
Dumplings
Ext Oo h Food stylist Tracey Kusiewicz loves to add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of cinnamon..
1½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tbsp sugar 1½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup milk 1 egg
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Put berries into a deep-dish pie plate or baking dish. Stir together sugar and cornstarch, sprinkle over berries and gently toss to combine. Slide into oven for 20 minutes while you make the dumpling batter. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together
flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir milk and egg together with a fork. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until you have a sticky dough.
3. Remove pan from the oven, give
berries a quick stir, and drop large spoonfuls of the dumpling batter over the surface. Return to oven for 20 minutes or until dumplings are golden and fruit is bubbly. Serves 6.
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This fall, Eat North will present its inaugural dinner series. An innovative experience that will see a roster of acclaimed chefs take their talents to four cities across three provinces in a week to host five-course dinner showcasing locally harvested ingredients and regional cuisine at its finest in a custom setting brought to life by Prairie-based artisans and designers. Participating chefs include Adam Donnelly, Pamela Kirkpatrick, Jamie Harling, Lindsay Porter and Christie Peters. Each dinner event will consist of five courses developed collaboratively by the team of chefs, with each course inspired by the spectacular shapes, colours and textures of the farming grid system that stretches from the foot of the Rocky Mountains to the Eastern edge of Manitoba.
For more info and to purchase tickets go to www.eatnorth.com
#proudtobeprairie
WLTRAVEL // PERU
INTO THIN AIR Peru’s Sacred Valley may be home to tourist-magnet Machu Picchu, but it also has 20,000-foot peaks, epic hiking and mountain biking far from the madding crowds. by NEAL McLENNAN
“D
Ice, Ice Baby Some guests get up close and personal with the high alpine in the Sacred Valley.
o you know how many types of potatoes Peru has?” It’s day two at the new Explora lodge in Peru’s Sacred Valley and our guide, Vigner, is using the Socratic approach to keep our minds off the combo of hiking and thin air— namely, to quiz us on Peru factoids. “Over 4,000,” I reply with as much gusto as my spent lungs can muster at 13,000 feet. My fellow hikers—two Brooklyn hipsters on a short break and a quartet of impossibly good-looking Brazilians—seem seriously impressed, so I’m loath to burst their bubble and tell them that Abel, my guide on yesterday’s hike, had already quizzed me. But before he can ask us about the intricate road system of the Incan empire, we round a corner and are struck dumb by the panorama before us—our lodge, located about 4,000 feet below us, and the twin peaks of mountains Sahuasiray and La Veronica towering 6,000 feet above us. And we’re only on an acclimatization hike. If visitors to Peru know anything about the Sacred Valley, it’s the quaint little archaeological site called Machu Picchu— with its cool 1.4 million visitors a year— that sits at the valley’s western reaches, but ironically it’s the sparsely visited area between bucket-list central and the colonial city of Cuzco that features the area’s most spectacular vistas and hiking. This outdoor playground was long the secret purview of two groups: the backpackers who came across this area while taking the cheap way to Machu Picchu and fell in love, and hard-core mountain bikers. Being neither of those, it took the luxe eco-chain Explora opening an architectural marvel to ping the destination on my radar. westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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WLTRAVEL // peru
E for Effort
The high-altitude hikes are not for couch potatoes, but you’ll likely have the terrain all to yourself (above), save for a few random signs of ancient civilization (bottom, left). You’ll be happy to be embraced by the luxury of the lodge (above, left) on your return.
Like many of Explora’s properties, the combination of remote location (it’s set among acres of mature maize fields) and high design (architect José Cruz Ovalle used traditional materials in crafting the radically modern facade and spartan interiors) screams James Bond villain. But the reality is—given that you’re here to basically hike, bike and eat—you end up having much more meaningful interaction with the staff here than at many resorts. Take, for example, your nightly consultation with the guides: after a dinner (a blend of Michelin-level preparation with at least one of those 4,000 varieties of potatoes) that seems more at home in the food-obsessed capital of Lima than at this isolated outpost, you cozy up to a corner of the great room with a guide and a slew of topographical maps to plan the following day’s adventures. Each night my routine is the same: acting like a child at some dessert buffet by pointing to the highest, toughest hike, only to have my guide tactfully ease me into a hike I might be able to complete. The added issue here is the very real possibility of altitude sickness (the resort’s highest hike brushes 16,400 feet in elevation), so for a weekend warrior who lives at sea level, precautions must be taken, which is why the first two days are spent on acclimatization hikes, where less time is spent at high altitude, allowing the body to slowly get used to the thin air. But after those few preparatory days I feel ready to summit something, so my guide grudgingly agrees to take a few of us across the valley for a full-day hike that gets real high. There’s a giddy excitement as four of us pile into a van to chug toward the trailhead— we had all acclimatized well and we are taking the preventive drug Diamox, so we feel ready to tackle some elevation. As the van switchbacks up the side of the mountain, the dense verdancy of the valley 4 8 o c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
gives way to smaller groupings of trees and, finally, as we near our starting point, no trees at all. The Incan empire may be long gone, but make no mistake; this is still very much Incan territory. Quechua is more widely spoken than Spanish, the traditional garb of oddly shaped ten-gallon hats for the men and bright handwoven blankets used as shawls is ever present, and while there are roads and modern trucks, they’re often used to transport teams of oxen to plow fields much the way they would have three centuries ago. And, 15 minutes into the hike, everything does look like it must have three centuries ago—fences made of stacked stone, the rare shepherd’s cabin burning peat for warmth—and we walk miles without ever seeing another soul. But as rich as the cultural backdrop is, it pales in comparison to the natural beauty. One of our group says it reminds her of northern Scotland, another, the Ural Mountains. To me, it looks like a happier version of Mordor, but we ultimately agree it’s fundamentally like no place we’ve ever seen. Imagine if the lichen you see on a mountain rock found a way to spread over an entire rugged landscape and you might have an idea. And, for the most part, the scenery is so striking that we forget the effects the exertion and thin air are having. For the most part. The steep pitches, which are thankfully few, resemble scenes from mountain climbing documentaries—slumped shoulders, one step at a time, sucking air through your teeth trying to get some fuel for your lungs. As we near what seems like the summit, I pull out my iPhone and pull up my newly installed altimeter app. It reads 14,432 feet. I would belt out a yahoo if it weren’t for the expenditure of oxygen required. But soon enough (well, not really soon enough, but well before passing out) we’re descending, moving past a series of still
Machu Picchu: Ksenia Ragozina
One of the more popular hikes is to the Incan archaeological site of Moray, where terraces of farmland were used as sort of an early crop experiment.
lakes—and, in a peculiar inverse thanks to the ever-thickening air, the tired legs perk up with each step. By the time we set up a little picnic in the open ruin of an old farmhouse, I’m almost ready to start hiking back up again. Almost. Pulling back into Explora after an eight-hour day, the near necessity of the lodging’s luxeness seems evident. I can’t wait to amble back into my beautifully minimal room and let the rain shower pelt my tired muscles, and the rewarding pint of Barbarian craft beer from Lima seems sent from heaven (which, by my estimation, is only slightly higher than we were today). The night unfolds in a melange of ceviche, Chilean pinot, potatoes and me pulling out my altimeter to show the recently arrived guest what they’ll be doing in a few short days. New heights are literally reached each day. On subsequent days, Incan ruins factor in, as does some gnarly but satisfying downhill mountain biking, and my one brush with altitude sickness on a steep descent is immediately put in abeyance by my guide, who reaches into his backpack for a Ziploc bag of green leaves. “Chew on these,” he says, and within minutes of loading a wad the size of a tennis ball into my mouth, my headache disappears. And then my mouth turns briefly tingly before zoning completely out to full numbness. Even before I can ask “what is this?” I know the answer: coca leaves, legal in their raw state and part of the cultural fabric here. By week’s end I’ve ironically reached full acclimatization just in time to have to go. I ask about the possibility of bringing some of the headache-alleviating leaves with me, but the answer is a polite, but firm, no. Take only your memories, as the saying goes, which, in this place, I’m just fine with.
Machu Picchu
Whether you lose your mind over Machu Picchu or can’t figure what all the fuss is about, you’ve still got to see it if you’ve spent all the time and money required to get to Peru. So, an insider’s tip: spend a little more (well, a lot more, actually) and have Explora book you on the Hiram Bingham train, a time machine built out of mahogany, white-jacket service and bubbly that will see you arrive at the very crowded destination all smiles and dignity. From $475, belmond.com westernliving.ca / o c t o b e r
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T‍ ה‏L�k
MODERN VINTAGE
Bring heritage and contemporary elements together around a neutral colour palette. 5 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 / westernliving.ca
D E S I G N E D B Y n, K M n d K s n k Ar i c , C Â
When Frank Architecture was tasked with renovating this vacant suite in a Calgary heritage building, they started from scratch. Principals Kate Allen, Kelly Morrison and Kristen Lien pulled off the drywall to expose the existing brick and then layered on modern details—an imported-from-Italy Scavolini kitchen, an angular light fi xture and smooth Corian countertops. The sleek finishes are a textural contrast to the rugged brick and warm, weathered floor, but a grey-toned palette—colours natural to the space—ties all of the elements, old and new, together, “to work with the character of the existing building,� says Lien.
Portrait: Nathan Elson; room: Alison Andersen
WL // TRADE SECRETS
Monika Deol
CAN A FINANCIAL PORTRAIT C A P T U R E T H E R E A L YO U ? Artists take time to understand their subjects. So does CIBC Private Wealth Management. We go deeper and look beyond the surface to create a financial portrait that uniquely reflects who you are and what you value. See what CIBC Private Wealth Management can achieve for you. Visit cibcprivatewealth.com.
CIBC Private Wealth Client as painted by Jen Mann
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