City Palate July August 2019

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O F C A L G A RY ’ S S I N C E 19 9 3

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summer in the city palate CITYPALATE.CA

JULY AUGUST 2019

GATHER

AROUND TRUE ITALIAN LEGENDS

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Try some and see why it became our family legend.

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table of contents

CITY PALATE JULY AUGUST 2019

16 19 18

FEATURES Festival Food

CELEBRATING EST.

60

1959

YEARS

SERVING ALBERTANS

Julie Van Rosendaal

Summer Eats Shelley Boettcher

¡Tacos Calientes!

Wanda Baker

DEPARTMENTS

5

WORD OF MOUTH Notable culinary happenings around town

7

EAT THIS What to eat in July and August Ellen Kelly

9

GET THIS Eat. Engage. Explore.

Wanda Baker

10

ONE INGREDIENT Fire Julie Van Rosendaal

12

THE SUNDAY PROJECT Barbecued meat skewers and steamed pickerel — together at last with Karen Ralph

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DRINK THIS Spiritual Awakening: The Renaissance of Gin in Alberta Erin Lawrence

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4 QUICK WAYS WITH...

Strawberries Chris Halpin

22

STOCKPOT Stirrings around Calagry

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BACK BURNER... SHEWCHUK ON SIMMER Paging Passenger Smith!

Allan Shewchuk

COVER ARTIST: Mandy Stobo is a Calgary-based artist whose work is steeped in play. Her Bad Portraits project has garnered her international attention and her work can be found in film and, soon, in the Calgary Public Art program. Watch for her new show, “Temporary Showroom,” at Axis Contemporary Gallery this December.

READ US ONLINE AT CITYPALATE.CA

Showcase our land at the dinner table.

Let the bounty of our beautiful province guide your appetite this summer. Combine European spices and staples from our pantry together with produce from local farmers and Alberta raised Piedmontese beef, veal or pork and get cookin’!

Create seasonally inspired meals at home, everyday.

Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.

Italiancentre.ca

EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End CALGARY Willow Park

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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city palate editor Camie Leard (camie@citypalate.ca) publisher Kathy Richardier magazine design Nataly Gritsouk G Design (nataly@citypalate.ca)

BRUNCH & $4 MIMOSAS

contributing editor Kate Zimmerman contributors Wanda Baker Erin Lawrence Shelley Boettcher Chris Halpin Ellen Kelly Karen Ralph Allan Shewchuk Julie Van Rosendaal Kate Zimmerman

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

FROM 10AM - 3PM

NEW LATE NIGHT

HAPPY HOUR & DAILY FEATURES

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contributing photographers Camie Leard

POINTS

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please contact advertising@citypalate.ca account executives Ellen Kelly (ellen@citypalate.ca) Debbie Lambert (debbie@citypalate.ca) Margie Hope (margie@citypalate.ca) website management Todd Robertson (todd@vilya.com) controller Jesse Fergstad (citypalatecontroller@gmail.com)

VISIT WAALFLOWER.CA TO BOOK NOW @WAALFLOWERYYC

prepress/printing CentralWeb distribution Gallant Distribution Systems Inc.

Ulster Weavers: unique Irish designs.

1

FRENCH ROSÉ IN ALBERTA

To Find a Retailer Visit: LIQUORCONNECT.COM/+778270 Also available in 1.5L or 375ML bottles.

1331 - 9th Ave SE 403.532.8222

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

Subscriptions are available for $48 per year within Canada and $68 per year outside Canada Editorial Enquiries: Please email camie@citypalate.ca

In Partnership With

savourfinefoods.com

City Palate is published 6 times per year: January -February, March -April, May-June, July-August, September-October and November-December by City Palate Publishing Inc., Suite 419, 919 Centre St. NW, Calagry, AB T2E 2P9

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Photos by Camie Leard

NOTABLE CULINARY HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN

Le Jacquard Français Partners with Calgary’s Inspirati for Tap-s-tri Tea Towels Calgary’s Inspirati has partnered with one of the world’s leading weavers of quality cotton and linen tea towels to bring unique marketing, gift-giving and fundraising opportunities to Calgary through its Tap-s-tri collection. Organizations and individuals can put their name, brand or any image on Jaquard Français towels and receive great discount pricing through Inspirati. Then, it’s up to you what to do with them – sell them, give them away, or raise money for your charity with them. Inspirati will even donate 10 per cent of the purchase price back to your non-profit cause. Email wendy@inspirati.ca for more information.

The Coup Launches #petitcoup Tasting Series Local, seasonal, plant-forward ingredients are the stars of The Coup’s new #petitcoup tasting menu and beverage pairing. We participated in a beautiful tasting featuring 15 creative courses, including wild leek perogies and popcorn fiddleheads with Poprocks candy (yep) served on a 45 RPM record. Thanks to Chef Adam Ryan for such an epic effort. Tastings happen at the chef’s bar, so seating is limited. Reservations only. Email General Manager Katie Gallupe at gm@thecoup.ca to reserve for your group.

Eat Your Way Through Heritage Park this Summer Calgary’s favourite historical park is bringing it this summer with a variety of culinary offerings on the SS Moyie and around the park. Head to Heritage Park early on Monday mornings May 20 - Aug. 26 for a continental breakfast on the dock before the first sail of the week. The park has added a country cruise with troubadour Matt Masters on July 9 to its traditional Thursday-night captain’s cruise lineup. If trains are more your speed, savour a taste of the golden age of luxury rail travel with River Forth dining car lunches offered every Tuesday, June through August. There’s also the afternoon tea, served from 11:30 -3:30 p.m. every Sunday. Enjoy a three-tiered tea tray of dainty finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones served with clotted cream, and an assortment of pastries from Heritage Park’s own bakery. New this year are special teas on Canada Day, Heritage Day and Labour Day. You might also consider dressing up and attending one of two Edwardian garden party dinners, on July 19 and August 23. The new Night at the Midway offers a cash bar, old-fashioned rides and, of course, food. Visit heritagepark.ca for information.

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

New on the Culinary Scene You’ll want to check out three new additions to Calgary’s food scene before the summer’s out. Get yourself to Lulu Bar’s patio at 510 17th Ave. S.W. and have a fancy tiki cocktail and a bao hotdog.

If you’re hosting guests, impress them with brunch at the Hawthorne Dining Room in the Fairmont Palliser. The desserts alone are worth the trip, but also try the Croque Madame.

For a night on the town, shine up your Oxfords and head to Westman Village and the Chairman’s Steakhouse. Chairman’s embodies the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood. Head Chef Cedric Truchon (Sky 360 and Vintage Chophouse) will serve the best cuts of Canadian prime beef and mixologist Justin “JD” Darnes will serve drinks aligning with this classic era.

Coming Together for Food’s Sake If you find yourself out and about in Marda Loop this summer (and you should, because it’s a great food neighbourhood), be sure to stop in to visit the Marda Loop Mercantile.

This boutique farmer’s market is home to The Farmer’s House eatery, Pie Cloud and Brant Lake Wagyu as well as Latte Love Art Luxury Espresso Bar and the products of more than a dozen other fine food merchants.

Wet Your Whistle Two new local products have caught our eye and you’ll find them in our coolers all summer long. Eau Claire Distillery’s Cherry Gin Collins is so delicious, your kids might want to drink it. Don’t let them, of course – it packs a kick, and you’ll want it all for yourself. And it comes in a can, so you can hide it in your purse when you go to the movies. Second on our to-drink list is Lekker Cider’s new Pippin’s Bru. This cider is subtle, fresh and tasty-butunobtrusive, and will complement any of your summer eats.

HAPPY HOUR MONDAY BUBBLES AND OYSTERS GLASSES OF BLANQUETTE 7 | OYSTERS 1 TUESDAY SANGRIA RED OR WHITE GLASSES 7 | JUGS 20 WEDNESDAY WINE NIGHT 6oz GLASSES 7 | 9oz GLASSES 10 THURSDAY BEER NIGHT DRAFT AND BOTTLES 5 | DANDY 8 6920 Macleod Trail S, Calgary, AB 403-252-4365 | tangobistro.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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Local. Unique. Convenient.

FO O D & DR IN K

FAS H IO N

Britannia Wine Merchants

Ginger Laurier

Suzette Bistro Britannia Starbucks

H O US E & HO M E

Sunterra Market

Britannia Kitchen & Home

Village Ice Cream

BO O KS P ER S O NAL & P RO FES S IO N AL S E RVIC ES

Owl’s Nest Bookstore | Owlets

Britannia Dermedics

PETS

Britannia Hair Company & Esthetics Britannia Pharmacy

Bon-A-Pet-Treat!

Chinook Optical Britannia Medical Clinic The Ritual Fitness Studio The Tech Shop

OPEN 7 DAYS A WE EK ELBOW DR I V E & 4 9 AV ENUE SW

BRITANNIAPLAZA.COM

WSET’S 50th ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATION WINE EDUCATION WEEK 3 Different Courses in honour of Wine Education Week:

• Finding the Perfect Match (Food & Wine Pairing) September 11 | 7PM - 9PM | Shawnessy Tasting Centre

• Deciphering Labels

September 12 | 7PM - 10PM | Midtown Tasting Centre

• Vine to Glass (Introductory Tasting)

September 13 | 7PM - 9PM | Crowfoot Tasting Centre

$15 +GST & FEES To register, please visit: coopwinespiritsbeer.com/events To view our full WSET course offerings, please visit: coopwinespiritsbeer.com/learn

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

eat this

by Ellen Kelly

WHAT TO EAT IN JULY AND AUGUST Ilustrations by Eden Thompson

Has anyone waited more hopefully, with more anticipation, for anything? Well, yes, probably. In the grand scheme, it may seem a small thing to obsess about, but summer was but a dream for an awfully long time. Sure, it was cozy next to the fire, snacking on all the goodies we put by for those long winter months last summer. But like the frozen denizens of Narnia, we need glorious summer to replenish our souls … and our larders. Now it’s time for revelling and alfresco-ing; let’s get busy with the bounty in this all-too-short season.

PEACHES A perfectly-ripe peach is a joy too seldom experienced; it’s a fruit that should ripen on the tree for best results. They’re fragile, must be picked almost ripe and handled carefully if they are to travel. Ideally, pick them up at roadside stands as you travel through B.C. Alternatively, watch for them at the markets and enjoy them while they last. There are jams and pies to be made, of course, but first try to eat as many unadorned ripe peaches as you can without getting sick. It’s summer, damn it!

BUY: There are two types of peaches, clingstone and freestone. The flesh of clingstone peaches adheres to the stone that of freestones does not. Look for fruit that is unblemished, heavy in the hand and firm.

For a quintessential summertime treat, cover slices of perfectly-ripe peach and equally perfect strawberries with prosecco and chill for no longer than an hour before enjoying. Garnish with fresh mint, lemon verbena or lemon balm. Serve in the prettiest stemmed glasses you have.

TIPS: Simply pour boiling water over a ripe peach and the peel should slip right off. If you’re poaching peach halves, leave the skin on for a rosier coloured syrup.

Grilling peaches is another delight exclusive to summer.

Infuse 3-4 T. of butter with a couple of slices of fresh ginger. Brush peeled peach halves with ginger butter and sprinkle the cut side generously with sugar. Grill cut-side up to warm through and then turn and grill on a higher heat to caramelize the sugar and form grill marks.

Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or, for something really special, Made by Marcus Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk ice cream.

PEPPERS Multi-coloured bell peppers are the sweetest members of the capsicum species, as well as members in good standing of the oft-reviled nightshade family.

In my opinion, the best way to enjoy ripe bell peppers in season, and put them by for the winter at the same time, is to fire roast them on the barbecue. Using long-handled tongs, repeatedly turn whole peppers over high heat until the skin is evenly blackened, careful not to cook the flesh too much. Place them in a plastic bag and allow to steam for a bit making it easier to peel off the charred skin. Cut the peppers open and remove the stems, seeds and white membranes. The peppers are ready to use or you can freeze pieces in small zip-lock bags with a crushed garlic clove, a sprig of fresh basil and a glug of olive oil.

With thanks to the inimitable Deborah Madison, this pepper relish is easy to make and delicious on just about anything. Dice the flesh of 3 large, meaty peppers that have been fire roasted, peeled and seeded. Use one red, one orange and one yellow pepper for colour. Heat 2-3 T. olive oil in a skillet and add the peppers, 2 cloves of sliced garlic, 1 T. fresh sweet marjoram leaves, 1-2 t. tomato paste. Cook stirring for about 10 minutes and then add 2-3 t. sherry or balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of honey, kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

BLUEBERRIES are one of our few native fruits, and as recently as 1920, were brought from the wild into commercial cultivation.

They’ve taken off in popularity since then, deservedly becoming a “superfood.”

Of course, blueberries can be used in pies, jams, muffins and as a breakfast staple with cereal and yogurt. But beyond the regular, a blueberry sauce is an excellent way to showcase this tasty and healthy fruit. Start with about 1 lb. of berries with a little water, juice and zest of an orange and a lemon, a pinch of salt and about ¼ c. sugar or to taste and cook until the sauce looks like a loose jam.

Spoon over ice cream, serve with panna cotta or on the side of warm gingerbread cake. Substitute white wine vinegar for the water and call it a gastrique; use as a savoury sauce for duck or pork.

DID YOU KNOW? Smooth-skinned nectarines are closely related to peaches and the white-fleshed varieties, as with peaches, are sweeter. From China originally, peaches were long thought to have come from Persia, where the name comes from — another little culinary anomaly.

BUY: Look for peppers with smooth, shiny skins no wrinkles or soft spots. A fruit heavy in the hand means thicker walls, thus better value especially if priced by each rather than by weight.

TIPS: Green bell peppers are ubiquitous, but in fact are under-ripe fruit and can be bitter and hard for some to digest, especially if eaten raw.

DID YOU KNOW? Like their cousins eggplants, peppers are beautiful plants and are as at home in sunny flower borders as they are in vegetable gardens.

Peppers on a single plant ripen at different rates and make a lovely multicoloured showing as they do.

BUY: Blueberries are pretty much only sold in covered containers, but check for smooth-skinned berries with a waxy silver frost; avoid shrivelled berries, and any with obvious mould or bleeding juice. Smell them to detect unseen spoilage.

TIPS: Unwashed blueberries keep well for up to a week in the fridge, but if you can’t get to them right away, freeze them. In fact, freeze any and all berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) and cook them down together for sauce. A little frozen rhubarb is good in the mix as well.

DID YOU KNOW? In the wild, there are two varieties, high bush (over five feet tall with large, mild-tasting berries) and low bush (growing one foot from the ground, bearing small, tart berries). Low-bush blueberries grow far into the north and are extremely hardy.

Ellen Kelly has written about food, among other culinary pursuits, for years and is a regular contributor to City Palate.

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 Â? Â?Â? Â? Â? Â?Â

the ultimate in refined living

Don’t miss Lina’s Ferragosto Party Thursday August 15, 2019 from 12:00 noon!

A great Italian Party to celebrate summer together.

Join us for Lina’s Italian Festival! Ferragosto at Lina’s is a time we celebrate our community and friends. Enjoy the day while we put out our best and freshest goods for you to sample, and discover true Italian ingredients and flavours.

Fresh cheeses from Italy, a wide selection of Italian groceries, fresh meat, Italian bakery, authentic food served in our cafe, grab-and-go meals, sauces, fresh pasta, and more. This is the Real Italian Experience.

2330 Fish Creek Blvd S.W. Calgary, Alberta | Phone: (403) 460-3771

TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY NOW AVAILABLE GROCERY ~ BAKERY ~ DELI ~ CAFÉ

WWW.LINASMARKET.COM | 2202 CENTRE STREET NE

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

Premier 40+ Resort Style Community Located on Calgary’s Picturesque Fish Creek Park Wine Cellar | Movie Theatre | Games Room Fitness Centre | Swimming Pool | Bowling Alley Woodworking Shop & Much More 2330 Fish Creek Blvd S.W. Calgary, Alberta www.sandersonridge.ca Phone: 403-460-3771

get this

by Wanda Baker

EAT. ENGAGE. EXPLORE.

Eat. Engage. Explore.

Destination Canada recently designated the Inglewood Edibles: Made by Mavericks tour a Canadian Signature Experience (CSE). The tour has been recommended by Tourism Canada as one of 200 permanent “must-see, must-do” experiences for visitors and locals to help them understand what it is to be Canadian. On this tour, guests learn about the maverick spirit that defines Calgary. They hear stories about the indigenous people who have lived here for 12,000 years, the early pioneers and today’s culinary mavericks. Guests sample Alberta’s signature foods, including beef, bison, honey, canola, red fife wheat, root vegetables and Saskatoon berries.

Photo courtesy of Alberta Food Tours Plan on approximately 3.5 hours and come hungry. Tours run every Thursday and Friday from May through October. Alberta Food Tours operates in Calgary, Banff, Canmore and Edmonton, offering food tours through communities supporting local businesses.

The Inglewood Edibles: Made by Mavericks Tour, Alberta Food Tours, $115.00

More than just smoked meat An afternoon barbecue is not quite complete without something smoked. If you don’t have a smoker, or any desire to smoke your own food, no worries – Empire Provisions can help. This small, family-run business is built on hand-crafted specialties utilizing products from local farmers. Here you’ll find fresh sausages, burgers, prepared meals and even smoked items, all made in-house. Empire smokes with cherrywood for the subtle sweetness it provides smoked almonds, Cerignola olives and sea salt, all available in the store. The almonds and olives are perfect to keep on hand for summer snacking, and the cold-smoked sea salt can be used to season red meat, pork and even eggs.

The store also features a café that offers breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch.

Located in the endangered wild northern fescue grasslands of east-central Alberta, TK Ranch is as diverse as the land it inhabits. Three generations live and work on the ranch, all committed to caring for the wild prairie and producing quality grassfed beef, free of growth hormones.

In addition to its cattle, TK Ranch has added grass-fed lamb, heritage pasture-raised pork, free-range chicken and turkeys. This working ranch carries on traditions like dry-aging the entire carcass for 21 days, the old-fashioned way, before butchering and preparing the meat for the stores it supplies. Pick up some grass-fed, dry-aged striploins for your out-of-town guests and show them that Alberta beef really is the best. Visit TK’s website (tkranch.com) Photo courtesy of TK Ranch to find a list of local stores offering its products in Calgary or take a drive to the country store or purchase any TK products on its website.

Grass-fed dry-aged New York Striploin, TK Ranch, www.tkranch.com, $14.10 (10oz) to $19.25 (13oz) each

From Italy to Canada, it’s grate Made with 100 per cent balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy, The Urban Fare balsamic vinegar sphere is the first solid, grate-able product of its kind. All natural and entirely vegan, the sphere takes balsamic vinegar to a whole new level. It’s easy to use, too. Simply grate the sphere over a cocktail or sparkling water, on tapas, over chunks of parmigiano reggiano served with charcuterie, salads and even grilled vegetables.

Take it a step further and try it over ice cream or grilled steak. Urban Fare is located in the heart of the Mount Royal community, and is the newest supermarket chain to land in Calgary offering high-end, gourmet, organic and imported foods.

Photo courtesy of Empire Provisions

Smoked almonds, cerignola olives, sea salts, Empire Provisions, $5.99 - $9.99

Keep calm and cherry on

Balsamic Sphere, Urban Fare Calgary, $16.99 Photo courtesy of Urban Fare

Variety is the spice of life

Summertime means it’s cherry season and, thanks to Sunterra Markets, you don’t have to drive to the Okanagan to enjoy its sweet, ripe, juicy cherries. Calgary might have the barley belt, but the Okanagan has the cherry trail: a growing season that starts as far south as Osoyoos and travels up the Okanagan to Vernon as cherries ripen according to variety, weather and elevation. Sunterra sends a team to visit the orchards annually and meet the growers to learn about the challenges and processes of running orchards. In addition, the market works with a local partner who visits these orchards weekly, ensuring all the cherries arriving from British Columbia are the freshest and best varieties available. Who knew so much thought, time and effort went into bringing cherries into Sunterra’s stores? Fresh cherries are delicious when washed and eaten right out of the bag, made into salsa, and added to ice cream or even sangria. To keep your cherries fresh, store them in a clear plastic bag in the refrigerator and only wash them when you’re ready to eat them.

Photo courtesy of Sunterra Market

Know where your meat comes from

B.C. cherries, Sunterra Market, $4.99 - $6.99

Compania de Sales exotic sea salts are made in Mexico using native ingredients, like insects.

Eight varieties to choose from include charred corn and lime, grasshopper and ginger, habanero and orange or chicatana ant and cardamom. Exotic salts are excellent sprinkled on salsas, or grilled meat, or used to salt your margarita rim. Available in two sizes, they are the perfect conversation-starter at your next barbecue. Find them at Tres Marias in its new location in Marda Loop.

Photo courtesy of Tres Marias

Compania de Sales exotic sea salts, Tres Marias, $5.70 - $18.60 Wanda Baker is a Galgary food writer and author of bakersbeans.ca who writes about life, adventure and food.

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one ingredient

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. canola oil

1/3 c. plain yogurt

FIRE

1 large egg

Story and photos by Julie Van Rosendaal

oil, butter and/or ghee, for cooking

At a point in time when technology allows us nearly complete culinary control, our kitchens are equipped with high-tech convection ovens, home sous-vide machines, infrared laser thermometers and Instant Pots, many of us are reverting back to the oldest, most primitive cooking method: an open fire.

When your only heat source is glowing coals and smouldering logs, it somehow feels the most like cooking: you depend on your senses, your ability to feel the heat and attempt to control it by adding wood or adjusting fiery embers accordingly.

The trick, of course, is getting a feel for it. Anyone who has roasted a marshmallow knows that the best fire for cooking is not a fire at all, but a well-established bed of coals, with perhaps a burning log or two pushed to one side. Ideally, your fire pit or chiminea will be spacious enough to move things around allowing for hotter and cooler sides. Inexpensive metal grates that fold open like short TV tables are available at Canadian Tire and similar stores and can be set over your fire; some people arrange large rocks or bricks to make a platform to set aluminum pans or cast iron skillets on, creating a buffer between the food and the intense heat of the coals. Larger cast - iron cauldrons, which are often supported by tiny feet, can be set directly into the coals; they’re ideal for soups, stews and braises -- just keep things moving so that whatever you’re cooking doesn’t burn on the bottom.

Remember that you can trap the heat by adding foil or a lid, creating more of an oven-like environment to allow your food to cook through more evenly.

Garlic Yogurt Tahini Sauce: 1/2 c. plain yogurt (preferably thick) 2 T. tahini

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1-2 big garlic cloves, finely crushed big pinch salt high, rinse your mussels, discarding any that are already open. Cut the lemons in thick wedges or in half crosswise.

Scatter the mussels directly on the grill along with the lemons, cut-side down.

Close the lid of the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and garlic clove in a small saucepan or skillet off to one side.

Remove the mussels from the grill – they should all be open; discard any that aren’t.

Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with the garlicky butter; toss to coat. Transfer to shallow bowls, scatter with parsley and serve with crusty bread and grilled lemon.

Serves 4.

Lamb Kofta and Naan Some people love standing over a fire or grill flipping steaks—I love flipping flatbread. A simple, chewy dough can be transported to campsite or back yard and tossed directly onto a grill, or cooked in a cast-iron skillet nestled into hot coals.

The hotter, the better—traditionally, naan is cooked on the wall of a tandoor oven, which typically reaches about 800 degrees.

Naan: 1/2 c. warm water

2 t. active dry yeast 1 t. sugar

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

Grilled Cheese Salty, briny, semi-firm halloumi cheese can be cut into slabs and cooked directly on the grill -- or in a small cast-iron skillet set over an open flame or nestled into hot coals. It’s delicious on its own, or dipped into all kinds of sauces—this sweet-spicytangy dip is adapted from a recipe by Nigella Lawson.

1/4 lb. halloumi 1 lime, halved 1 T. honey 1 red Thai chili, finely chopped (or a pinch of red chili flakes) Slice the halloumi into ½-inch thick slices, insert small skewers if you like, and cook directly on a grill or in a cast-iron skillet over hot coals, with the lime cut-side down alongside, until the cheese is crisp and golden on each side and the lime is soft. Squeeze the lime juice into a bowl and stir in the honey and chili. Drizzle over top.

Grilled Mussels with Garlic, Butter and Lemon Mussels cooked in their shells directly on the grill are one of summer’s greatest pleasures—toss them on, close the lid, and in five minutes they’re perfectly cooked, ready to toss in garlicky butter and set out on the table for everyone to dig into with their fingers. If you toss some lemon wedges or halves on the grill along with the mussels, they’ll soften and release more of their juice more easily. If you’re a fan, there are few things better to eat on the patio in flip-flops, with a cold beer or Prosecco, crusty bread and a few of your favourite people.

1 lb. fresh mussels lemon halves

olive oil, for cooking 1/4 c. butter

1 garlic clove, peeled fresh parsley, for garnish While you preheat your grill to medium-

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

Kofta: 1 lb. ground lamb

2 green onions or a few chives, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely crushed

1 T. chopped fresh mint (optional) 1 t. ground cumin 1 t. coriander 1/2 t. salt

pinch red chili flakes To make the naan dough: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.

Stir in the flour, salt, oil, yogurt and egg and stir until the dough comes together, then knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for an hour or two. (If you want to make it in advance, cover and store in the fridge to slow down the rise.)

Pinch off pieces the size of an egg and roll them out as thin as you can. Set a heavy skillet on a grill, or nestle it into hot coals, add some oil or ghee and cook each naan until it bubbles on one side, then flip and cook until golden on the other.

To make the sauce: Stir together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt; taste and adjust as you like it. If possible, make it up to a day or two in advance to allow the flavours to blend.

To make the kofta: Mix all the ingredients together gently with your hands. Soak about 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 10 minutes. Shape a small handful of the meat mixture around the end of each stick (you could even fit two per stick).

Cook the kofta on a grill over hot coals, turning them often for 8-10 minutes, or until they’re cooked through. Serve warm, with the yogurt sauce and warm naan.

Serves 6-8.

Grilled Lettuce with Blue Cheese Dressing Yes, you can even cook lettuce over an open fire—the intense heat of a hot grill or skillet chars it quickly on the edges, adding a subtle smokiness that pairs well with sharp, creamy blue cheese dressing.

1-2 heads romaine or butter lettuce olive or canola oil, for brushing salt

Dressing: 1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese

FARM to

TABLE

June 15 to October 12 SATURDAYS 9AM - 2PM

M i l l a r v i l l e R a c e Tr a c k . c o m 403.931.3411 JUST 30 MINUTES FROM CALGARY 2 T. sour cream

a small handful of parsley, dill or other

freshly ground black pepper

canola or olive oil, for cooking

2 T. cream (any kind)

fresh herbs

Cut the heads of lettuce off their stems, keeping them intact at their base. Cut in half lengthwise, right through the stem end. Brush away any visible dirt, or run under cool water to get rid of it, and shake loosely to get rid of excess moisture.

Establish a solid base of coals while you rinse and pat the trout dry with paper towel and season it with salt. Stuff thin slices of lemon and a few sprigs of fresh herbs inside the cavity and cut a few slits in the skin on top.

Brush the cut sides of the lettuce with oil and cook directly on a hot grill or cast-iron skillet for a few minutes, flipping once or twice to get a bit of heat on the leafy side, until the cut side and the edges of the leaves are char-marked.

To make the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, blue cheese (save half for sprinkling over top if you like), sour cream, cream and a grind of pepper. Serve the grilled lettuce drizzled with dressing and sprinkled with extra blue cheese.

Serves 4.

Set a cast-iron or other heavy-duty pan over the heat and add a generous drizzle of oil. Once hot, place the fish in the pan, drizzle with a bit more oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook directly on the hot coals — or on a grate over them — tented loosely with foil if you want to trap some of the heat. Gently roll the fish over its spine as it cooks on one side, and continue to cook until the thickest part is firm to the touch and the meat flakes with a fork but is still moist. Serves 2-4.

Pan-roasted Rainbow Trout Because campfires often come with camping, and camping often comes with fishing, it makes sense to know how to cook an Alberta rainbow trout in a skillet over an open fire. There are few rules here—use fresh herbs and lemon if you have them, but all fresh fish really needs is a light shower of salt.

1 whole rainbow trout, cleaned salt

thinly sliced lemon

Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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the sunday project BARBECUED MEAT SKEWERS AND STEAMED PICKEREL -- TOGETHER AT LAST Story and photos by Karen Ralph

History tells us that as descendants of Homo neanderthalensis, evolved from Homo erectus (if you are looking for evolutionary accuracy, keep looking), whose ancient cooking tools date back more than two million years. We’ve been sharing food for a long time.

Cooking methods have evolved, but there’s something irresistible about cooking outside over an open flame. Whether it’s turning red meat on a spit or hovering over a grill waiting for shrimp to turn pink, cooking and sharing food can be as formal, or as relaxed, as the occasion requires.

Small plates, mezze platters, sushi, tapas, pinxos, dim sum, et al -- bite-sized morsels served via platter, pot or skewer — are tried-and-true ways to start a dinner party.

When I host, I’m not concerned about keeping to a theme, and the following recipes are for two things that I love to eat: meat on a skewer, and then, steamed fish. Going from the heavier to the lighter seems counter-intuitive, but these days, many of us start the evening with charcuterie boards, so why not morsels of grilled meat? Do this outside in the summer and give guests the option of cooking their own skewers with drink in hand or having you—the gracious host—cook and take the skewers to them.

The steamed fish can also be eaten outside, but sitting down is recommended. A pot of rice or roasted potatoes – it’s your choice -- goes well with the meat skewers and the fish, and add whatever vegetables you want to the steamer.

Getting charcoal ready for BBQ

Skewered raw beef

Ingredients for fish

Taro leaves

Taro leaf wrapped fish

Grilling meat on bbq box

Barbecuing with a Konro Grill Box A gas grill or barbecue can be used for grilling skewers, but I have a ceramic Japanese Konro barbecue grill box (from Knifewear in Inglewood), and after grillcooking with Thai charcoal, for me, there’s no going back.

All charcoal is not created equal, so do yourself a favour and use Thaan Thai-style fruitwood charcoal logs. At $20 a box, they’re not inexpensive, but the logs burn long and hot and are worth the price. This charcoal requires a tin “chimney” to get it burning. Charcoal, tin chimney and bamboo skewers can all be found at Knifewear in Inglewood. Take the chimney, fill the base with paper, place the charcoal in the top and light it up. It takes about an hour for the charcoal to reach the proper heat.

Do this over a fire-pit or other non-flammable area. Load your barbecue box at the same site, and if you’re moving it to a table, ensure that your cooking area is cement or covered with slate tiles or other flame-retardant material on a heat-proof surface. Be careful — you could burn your house down if a spark falls onto your wooden deck or table. Only use the barbecue box outside; it gives off potentially fatal carbon monoxide.

Once your non-flammable barbecue area is prepared and your coals are hot, start cooking.

Meat Skewers Pork and chicken are delicious when cooked over charcoal, but for a party where people might grill their own skewers, beef is preferable because it can be eaten rare and doesn’t flame up.

1 lb. flank steak (or any cut you can slice into strips or cubes), thinly-sliced (about 6-inch by 1-inch pieces; see instructions below) 1/4 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. hoisin

1 lemon, juiced

1 T. fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 t. black pepper

15 bamboo skewers

To start, slice beef into thin strips about 6” long or buy pre-sliced stir-fry beef (1 lb. of thinly-sliced beef will make about 15 skewers). Place the sliced beef in a bowl and add the soy sauce, hoisin, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and pepper; stir to ensure each slice is coated and allow to marinate for at least an hour. While the meat marinates, soak the bamboo skewers in water. Once marinated, the meat can be threaded onto the skewer until it resembles a miniature donair skewer, or can be threaded more sparingly, like a stick of satay. Discard the marinade. Once the meat is skewered, it’s ready to grill. Turn it occasionally to cook on all sides. Once it’s done, it can be eaten immedi-ately, right off the stick, or served on a bed of rice and garnished with sliced green onions. If you find that you’ve made too many, freeze them. I’ve got a few bags of skewers in my freezer as I write this, some raw, some cooked, just waiting for our next soirée.

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It’s a versatile way to eat— the barbecued meat is delicious when tucked into a lettuce leaf with a bit of basil and a drop of chili sauce, and eaten as a lettuce wrap.

Steamed Fish The second course, a steamed fish, is served family-style and only requires 10 minutes to cook, but start soaking your taro leaves an hour before. Change the water on them at least twice before using and cut off the stems, taking away ¼ inch of leaf with them.

The sap is very undesirable. If you don’t want to use taro leaves, you can simply steam the fish unwrapped. Use a long spatula to re-move it from the streamer so it doesn’t fall apart. I use pickerel in this recipe, but sea bream is also fantastic. Ask your fishmonger for advice.

Ingredients 1 medium-sized (2 lb.) fresh pickerel (available at T&T Supermarket) 5 large taro leaves (available at T&T Market), optional 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned 1/4 c. light soy sauce 1 T. rice vinegar

1 green onion, julienned 1 t. kosher salt

Start by cutting the stems off the taro leaves, taking about ¼ inch of leaf with them, making sure the sap doesn’t touch your skin, as it can cause irritation. Wash the leaves and let them soak in a large bowl filled with water for 20 minutes, rinse, and repeat the 20-minute soak in fresh water. Once soaked, pat the leaves dry with paper towel and set them on a clean surface. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the fish on the taro leaves, salt the inside and outside of the pickerel and stuff the cavity with half the ginger, putting the rest on top of the fish. Add water to the steamer pot, making sure it doesn’t touch the steam basket. Bring the water to a boil.

Place the taro-wrapped fish in the steamer basket, curling it to make it fit. Add any vegetables you want steamed, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

While the fish is steaming, mix the soy sauce with the rice vinegar and set aside. When the fish is cooked, gently remove it from the steamer, place it on a platter and carefully peel the taro leaves away, discarding them. Place the julienned green onions on the pickerel, drizzle with the soy and rice vinegar and serve.

You Pthae rBBtQyan,d thWe foeodc...ayotu eparrty.!

We bring

Together at last!

Karen Ralph is a co-cookbook author and long-time contributor to City Palate.

(403) 454-2550 136 2nd STREET SW info@minassteakhouse.com www.minassteakhouse.coM

#EATATMINAS

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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drink this

by Erin Lawrence

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: THE RENAISSANCE OF GIN IN ALBERTA

If you lived during a certain age, you might one day have found yourself in an old-timey apothecary, seeking counsel from the local physician or chemist. Depending what ailed you, a certain potion might have been administered: gin.

Once thought to help fight off the plague, gin spent many years as a revered spirit. Flash forward to modern times, and for many of us of a certain age, just the mention of gin elicits shudders and memories of the bitter potion nicknamed “panty remover.”

Gin has a long and complicated history, but a group of brave Alberta alchemists is turning the reputation of this much-maligned spirit back around.

“Gin is exciting, it is growing, and it is changing. It’s vastly different from what you remember the last time you approached the gin category,” says Bryce Parsons, distillery operations manager at Last Best Brewing and Distilling.

Parsons believes so strongly in the power of gin, he took it upon himself to create 52 types of gin in 2018, in a project he dubbed #GinCrazeYYC when he shared his weekly updates on social media.

“Gin has always fascinated me just simply because of how creative you can get with it,” explains Parsons. “I do not think there is any other spirit category where one distiller can be as creative; working with different botanicals and herbs and spices. I actually read a lot of cookbooks to come up with different spice blends.”

Several Alberta distillers, including Rob Gugin of Old Prairie Sentinel Distillery Ltd., are using local botanicals and fruits in their gins, creating spirits that are truly unique in the world.

Burwood Gin Burwood Distillery prides itself on the extensive testing of flavours that resulted in its Burwood Gin. This gin is made with the typical hints of juniper but also a nice dose of citrus.

Eau Claire Parlour Gin & limited release Hawthorn Gin One of the original Alberta Distilleries, Eau Claire’s products are familiar to many people. Its Parlour Gin is adds citrus and spice to the typical juniper taste. Eau Claire also collaborated with the Fairmont Palliser Hotel’s new restaurant, Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar, on a Hawthorn Gin, available only at the restaurant.

Krang Spirits Nimbulus Gin Located in Cochrane, Krang Spirits’ Nimbulus Gin contains the usual juniper and coriander hints, but its unique ingredient, “grains of paradise,” is a pepper from Africa.

RAW Distillery Peppercorn Gin If you’re looking to try some unique twists on gin, RAW Distillery Peppercorn Gin or Citrus Gin are both good places to start.

Strathcona Spirits Seaberry Gin This gin is distilled in the same way as typical London dry gin, but, as the name suggests, seaberry is the not-so-secret ingredient that balances out the additional ten botanicals that are combined in this drink.

Wildlife Distillery Gin

“We created Prairie Berry dry gin,” says Gugin, the distillery’s founder.

“We wanted to create a gin that is true to the dry gin style. So it has a nice drying sensation on the back end from that juniper, but it’s not piney or punchy. That makes it maybe a more approachable gin for those that are just dipping their toe in the gin water, so to speak. We’ve also added raspberry, Saskatoon berry and black currant to it. So you get those berries on the nose and the front of the palate, as well.”

Wildlife Distillery Gin has quickly become known for being one of the more balanced examples. Instead of juniper and coriander being the “lead” tastes, lemon and orange give a citrusy taste up front, with a smooth, enjoyable finish.

At Edmonton’s Strathcona Spirits, they’re distilling a seaberry gin, made with local crowd-harvested seabuckthorn berries, while Canmore’s RAW Distillery’s co-founder Brad Smylie says its staff hand-harvests their botanical mix from area forests.

This gin is a crisp blend of handpicked botanicals, distilled in the Manchester area of Calgary. Juniper, Saskatoon berries and wild rose impart subtle sweetness with floral notes.

“We go out and hand-pick the spruce for our gin ourselves. We actually go out and harvest it the day we distill it. We do family outings and take the kids with us and get them to pick the spruce tips,” says Smylie.

Heather Barlow, category manager of spirits for Co-op Wine Spirits Beer, says, “Gin is definitely growing in popularity. Co-op Wine Spirits Beer now carries about 40 different locally-made gins. We’re seeing so much creativity in this category, and a really high level of quality.”

Barlow says gin today is smooth, complex and so interesting as a spirit that many drinkers looking for something different are willing to experiment with it.

Part of what makes gin so drinkable now is the high quality of the grains used. Alberta is known the world over for its topquality grains. While we used to simply ship them off to other countries, today, much more of our grain harvest is staying here, becoming the raw ingredient for our growing spirits and brewing industry.

“Alberta is getting international recognition for its spirits,” says Smylie.

His wife, Lindsay Smylie, sums up this particular Alberta advantage. “With distilleries here able to source some of the best grains in the world in our back yard, it’s no wonder our industry is getting recognized. And we’re looking forward to Alberta being even better-known for its spirits.”

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Confluence Manchester Dry Gin

Erin is a Calgary communications professional, journalist, and freelance writer who loves food, technology and travel. Find her online at ErinLYYC.com or on Twitter @TVChick1313

Alberta’s newest dine around festival celebrating local food and drink

AUGUST 9-18, 2019

AlbertaONThePlate.com full lineup of participating restaurants urban & rural experiences across Alberta

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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Story and photos by Julie Van Rosendaal

B R I N G T H E F E S T I VA L T O YO U R TA B L E T H I S S U M M E R Early July, when the city smells of pancakes and maple syrup in the early morning hours, Stampede week kicks off a season of outdoor eating. In late July, the local food vendor lineup at the Calgary Folk Music Festival (which celebrates its 40th year this summer) is as hotly anticipated as the musical guests—people go with an appetite, knowing they’ll be well-fed all weekend. And we know there will be plenty of food trucks and pop-up eateries at Sunfest, Globalfest, the Inglewood Night Market and every other fest and palooza that gets people outdoors while the weather is warm.

Of course, the best thing about going to summer festivals is the buffet of uniquely local offerings, and yet there are iconic midway dishes that you can’t generally find anywhere else that are as festive and fitting in July and August as turkey is at Thanksgiving.

For ten days, the Stampede midway smells of grease and sugar—corn dogs, mini doughnuts, candy apples, funnel cakes and other classics are the much-loved stalwarts alongside annual trendy additions like smoking charcoal ice cream and the deep-fried bugs and chili pepper pizzas added purely for shock value.

Though fried food on a stick is not something you likely think to make at home on a regular basis, it is entirely possible to do so—there’s no need for special equipment (not even a deep fryer). You’d be surprised how simple they are, and how happy they make people, even if there are no rides or live bands in your own backyard.

FUNNEL CAKES Funnel cakes are perhaps the most fun to make—pour batter through a funnel into an inch or so of hot oil, using your finger to control the flow. They cook quickly, and can be dusted with icing sugar as they get cool enough to eat.

BATTER: 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 2 T. sugar 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. milk 1/2 c. water 1 large egg canola oil, for cooking icing sugar, for dusting

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DOUGH: 1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 ¼ t.)

1/4 c. warm water 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 c. milk, at room temperature 1/4 c. butter, softened 1 large egg 2 T. sugar 1 t. salt canola oil, for cooking sugar, for dusting cinnamon (optional) In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and water; set it aside for 5 minutes, until it’s foamy. Add the flour, milk, butter, egg, sugar and salt, and stir until you have a soft, sticky dough. Stir for a minute or two, then cover and set aside for an hour, if you have time.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and pat it out to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as possible with the rim of a shot glass, and poke a hole in each with your finger, stretching it out a bit (keep in mind that it will puff up as it cooks). If you like, cover with a kitchen towel and let the doughnuts rise for another 20-30 minutes (this isn’t necessary, but will produce lighter doughnuts).

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot until it’s hot but not smoking—you’ll know it’s ready when a scrap of bread or dough dipped in it starts to sizzle, and if you have a thermometer, it should read about 350˚F. Cook the doughnuts in batches, turning occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon, until puffed and golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then toss in a shallow dish of cinnamon-spiked sugar while still warm. Makes about 4 dozen.

In a medium bowl (if you have one, use a large

measuring c. or bowl with a spout), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, water and egg and whisk until perfectly smooth. The mixture should have the consistency of pourable pancake batter—if it’s too thick to run through a funnel, thin it with a little milk or water.

Heat about an inch of oil in a deep, heavy skillet until it’s hot but not smoking. (A scrap of bread should sizzle if you dip it in.) Get a funnel and put your finger over the bottom end. Pour in some batter -- not quite 1/4 cup -- and take your finger off over the hot oil, letting the batter pour out as you move the funnel in a squiggly motion over the oil. Let the batter cook for a minute, or until it’s golden, and flip with tongs to cook on the other side. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm. Makes lots -- about a dozen, depending on their size.

MINI DOUGHNUTS Perhaps the quintessential festival food, mini doughnuts can be made without the little extruder machine we all love to watch at Stampede. They require a simple yeast dough that can be cut with

the rim of a shot glass, the hole in the middle poked with a straw, chopstick or your finger.

RED CANDY APPLES Bagged apples are ideal for making candy apples-they tend to be smaller than the ones you buy

at the store or on the midway. Modernize it with a squirt of Sriracha if you want to spice things up—or leave it out.

8 c. popped popcorn 1 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 c. corn syrup or Rogers Golden syrup 1/4 c. butter 1 t. baking soda a squirt of Sriracha (optional) salt Preheat the oven to 250˚F and put the popcorn in a big bowl.

in bulk. You’ll need some lollipop sticks, wooden popsicle sticks or small bamboo skewers.

1 dozen small apples 2 c. sugar 1 c. light corn syrup 1/2 c. water several drops red food colouring Wash and dry your apples; insert lollipop sticks, wooden popsicle sticks or small bamboo skewers into the stem end and set aside; line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Combine all the ingredients in a large, heavybottomed saucepan and cook over mediumhigh heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar (this is important -- it will prevent crystallization; just stop stirring once the mixture comes to a boil).

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until the mixture reaches 300˚F. Immediately dip the apples by holding them by the stick and submerging them completely in the candy; tilt the pan as you need to in order to coat them well. If you would like to add candies or other toppings, sprinkle them over the apples (or dip their bottoms into a shallow bowl before the candy sets), then set them stick-up on the

lined baking sheet. Set aside to harden and cool.

Makes about a dozen candy apples.

CORN DOGS

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and boil without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and Sriracha – the mixture will foam up at first, but stir it well to get any lumps of baking soda out.

Another classic, corn dogs are surprisingly simple to make (you’ll need some wood popsicle sticks, skewers or chopsticks), and they’ll make a backyard full of friends very happy.

1 c. all-purpose flour 3/4 c. yellow cornmeal 1/4 c. sugar 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1 t. salt 1 1/4 c. buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1/2 t. baking soda 1 pkg. hot dogs In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the buttermilk, egg and baking soda; whisk until well-blended.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy saucepan until it’s hot but not smoking. You’ll know when it’s hot enough by dipping in a piece of bread or a bit of dough – it should start to sizzle, and if you have a thermometer, it should read about 350F.

Stick a wooden stick into the end of each hot dog (cut them in half crosswise if you want smaller corn dogs), and dip them in the cornmeal batter to coat, and then into the hot oil, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until deep golden. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Makes about 16 corn dogs.

Quickly pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir (with a heatproof spatula or tongs) to coat well. Spread out onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool and break apart.

Illustration by Mandy Stobo

SRIRACHA CARAMEL CORN Caramel corn is so old-timey, and the homemade kind is far more delicious than anything you’ll get

Julie Van Rosendaal is a cookbook author and blogs at dinnerwithjulie.com

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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¡Tacos Calientes!

EIGHT HOT TACO SPOTS BRING A TASTE OF MEXICO TO CALGARY

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SPANISH FOR TACO LOVERS Carne Asada: marinated grilled and sliced beef Al Pastor: marinated roasted pork with pineapple Chicharron: pork rind Discada: grilled seasoned sliced steak, bacon, sausage, green & red pepper, onion and jalapeno Barbacoa: beef in huajillo (chilli) sauce Taco dorado: deep-fried bean taco served with lettuce, tomato sauce and feta cheese Suadero: lime-marinated beef Lengua: beef tongue Pollo: chicken Chorizo: pork sausage Frijoles: refried beans Hongos: mushrooms Gringas: marinated pork with melted mozzarella cheese Choriqueso: melted mozzarella cheese and chorizo Elotes: street corn Chilaquile: fried tortilla strips simmered in red or green salsa, crema, queso, cilantro Hamburguesas: hamburger

It’s the toast of Tuesday-night dinner, and the one thing we can all agree on.

The ooey, gooey, messy, crunchy, chewy spicy savoury taco has come a long way and as these eight taquerias prove, there’s no one way to do it right.

TRES MARIAS: THE MEXICAN MARKET EXPERIENCE Marda Loop: 3514 19th St. S.W. Those seeking a true Mexican experience can order their tacos, grab a table and shop the market while they wait. This family-owned business offers Mexican ingredients like exotic salts, organic corn masa flour, moles, dried peppers and tamales. Carne asada and al pastor tacos are always on the menu and you can find special tacos like bison available on certain days.

by Wanda Baker

NATIVE TONGUES: COME FOR THE TACOS, STAY FOR THE TEQUILA Central Memorial Park: 235 12th Ave. S.W. This authentic, upscale Mexican restaurant has a small menu focused on tacos and small bites. The rustic, chic Mexican décor leaves you feeling right at home and mezcal-based cocktails make you want to stay awhile. Already a mainstay on the Calgary taco circuit, Native Tongues is known for its elotes, chilaquiles and hamburguesas, but the tacos are the real stars of the menu. Choose from the tacos de guisado (braised meats and vegetables wrapped in corn tortillas) or taco al carbon (meat grilled over charcoal and served market or family style.) Traditional and exotic fillings are available like lamb neck, organic chicken, slow roasted pork belly and hongos. Bonus: there’s a takeout window for those who need to take their tacos and run.

ANEJO MEXICAN RESTAURANT: THE TRENDY TACO Mission: 2116 4th S.t S.W. Located in the landmark 4th Street Rose building in Mission, Anejo takes its tacos seriously. Handcrafted recipes are cooked to perfection in Mexican traditions showcasing a flair for contemporary flavours.

Anejo keeps its menu simple offering six varieties of tacos available throughout the day, evening and late night. Tacos come with your choice of fillings, corn or flour tortilla, hot sauce and pico de gallo. The restaurant is vibrant and bold, and offerings include table-side guacamole, more than 200 tequilas and some muy tasty margaritas. The patio is perfect on hot summer days making you believe, just for a moment, you are actually in Mexico.

LOS CHILITOS TAQUERIA: STAMPEDE TACOS – IT’S A CALGARY THING. 17th Avenue: 1309 17th Ave. S.W. The family-run Los Chilitos offers a wide selection of good Mexican eats including breakfast. The fish tacos get lots of local buzz as do the Stampede tacos (beef strips grilled with cheese, caramelized onions, mango-chipotle sauce and salsa). Summer in Calgary is always a good time to kick up your boots and check out these tacos. It’s busy on the weekends, so make a reservation.

GRINGO STREET: TACOS WITH ATTITUDE

TACOS MEXICO: AUTHENTIC STREET FOOD

17th Avenue: 524 17th Ave. S.W.

3725 Memorial Dr. S.E.

There’s so much to love about the tacos at Gringo Street. You won’t find authentic Mexican tacos here: instead, discover a gringo take on Latin street food serving up tacos with a twist. Be sure to come hungry as the creative offerings here are off the charts. Try the crispy duck, buffalo chicken wing, Thai coconut braised short rib, lamb shoulder guajillo braised, even lemon and yuzu tofu tacos.

This might be the hidden gem you’ve been looking for. It serves authentic Mexican street food in its little restaurant in a strip mall on Memorial Drive. The location has lots of parking, but few tables. Fortunately, take-out is always an option. The menu features 17 different Mexican street-style tacos including chicharron, discada, barbacoa and taco dorado. Beverages, desserts and all your Mexican favourites round out the offering.

THE MOOSE AND PONCHO: TACOS IN CHINATOWN – ONLY IN CANADA Chinatown: 132 3rd Ave. S.E. The newest kid on the taco block is The Moose and Poncho, one you could easily miss if you weren’t looking. You’ll find this tiny taco eatery in a shopping mall in Chinatown, of all places. Everything here is made in house including all the salsas in the selfserve salsa bar. The tacos are so good on their own, salsa is almost not needed, but it’s nice to have fresh options available. The menu features suadero, lengua, pollo, chorizo and frijoles tacos. It’s casual, cozy and insanely busy.

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MESTIZO MEXICAN STREET FOOD: A FLAVOUR JOURNEY Avenida Food Hall & Market: 428, 12445 Lake Fraser Dr. S.E. Mestizo prepares flavourful, simple cuisine intended to take you on a journey to Mexico while you enjoy your meal. Tacos here are served in corn tortillas with your choice of fillings, which include traditional and unique items like gringas and choriqueso. Place your order, grab a table in the market, pick up your order and dive in. Mestizo is open Thursday through Sunday and always busy.

Wanda Baker is a Galgary food writer and author of bakersbeans.ca who writes about life, adventure and food.

W

e all know that summer is short in Calgary, which means we have to cram in as much pleasure as possible. Here’s your checklist of 16 great places to eat and drink during sandal season — starting, of course, with patios.

PATIOS From romantic hideaways to busy places to peoplewatch, every patio in Calgary has its own personality and charm. Here are a few of the city’s finest:

1. The new Lulu Bar patio (510 17th Ave. S.W.)

promises to be a hot stop on 17th Avenue this summer, with a patio that comes close to doubling the restaurant’s inside seating. And if the patio’s packed, the three massive roll-up garage doors that form the front wall of the restaurant will give you that outdoor vibe, even if you’re inside. (Side note: get the lobster dumplings. They’re out-of-this-world delicious.)

2. River Café (Prince’s Island Park) recently reopened

after flood mitigation work, and the beautiful garden patio is back. Feel your big-city stress vanish after a few sips of wine here, listening to the birds and the bees, and admiring the cascading flowers in baskets and pots.

3. Ricardo’s Hideaway (1530 5th St. S.W.) has a gem of a patio, with great cocktails and plenty of inner-city buzz. The menu is small, but you won’t much care after a couple of Dark & Stormys in the sun.

4. Not everyone wants to head downtown after a busy day, and that’s why Famoso Neapolitan Pizza rocks, with locations in Westhills (Suite 125, Westhills Towne Centre S.W.) and Country Hills (102, 5149 Country Hills Blvd N.W.). The patios fill up fast, but if you land a table, order the thin-crust seasonal summer pizza.

5. Nothing starts a morning quite like a cappuccino and pastry on the sunny patio at the Italian Centre Shop (120, 9919 Fairmount Dr. S.E.). It may not offer the views that you’ll get in Tuscany, but at least you can savour the flavours without the hassle or expense of a flight. Trivia: Italian Centre Shop celebrates its 60th year of business in Alberta in 2019.

brunch, or smoky barbecue, or casual dishes like burgers, club sandwiches and brisket.

11. Las Canarias (1129 17th Ave. S.W.) brings a little

taste of Spain to #yyc — and it’s wonderful. This is a great place to score a last-minute seat in the sun. It’s also a good place to drink big pitchers of sangria and eat good things: Spanish-style garlic shrimp, traditional “papas bravas,” mussels, you name it.

SUMMER HAS THE HAPPIEST HOURS 12. Model Milk (308 17th Ave. S.W.) offers a Park Life

happy hour all summer, featuring deals on cocktails, beer, wine and, yes, food. Unlike most happy hours, it doesn’t end at a certain hour, but it isn’t available Sundays and it’s only offered in the bar area and on the patio.

13. Even on a rainy day, Calcutta Cricket Club (340

17th Ave. S.W.) feels sunny — and its happy hour offers great deals on dishes such as papri chaat (spiced potatoes and chickpeas with tamarind chutney) and ghugni dip (garlicky curried chickpea puree).

14. The Simmons building (618 Confluence Way

S.E.) has one of the most glam rooftop patios in the city. Part of Charbar (downstairs, with its own fine ground-level patio), it’s warm and relatively sheltered, even on the chilliest of days. And if it’s raining, go for Crappy Hour — the Charbar team isn’t going to let rain spoil the fun.

BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH 15. This summer, Pigeonhole (306 17th Ave. S.W.)

has an early-bird breakfast Wednesday through Friday

from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. With these hours, even late birds should be happy.

16. Create your own brunch with cream cheese,

smoked salmon and a sack of wood-fired bagels from St. Lawrence Bagels (2638 Parkdale Blvd. N.W.). Take them across Memorial Drive to eat by the river, or stick them in your backpack and go for a bike ride until you find the perfect spot for a breakfast picnic.

FURTHER AFIELD 17. If you’re in Banff, take the gondola up Sulphur

Mountain for one-of-a-kind, locally inspired meals and an all-Canadian wine list at Sky Bistro. Award-winning chef Scott Hergott honed his skills at the Fairmont Banff Springs before landing here. You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world — and really, you are.

18. And in Jasper, check out the Maligne Canyon

Wilderness Kitchen chef Stuart Allen, who’s worked in some of the best kitchens in North America. Now he’s creating smoked-meat platters in one of the world’s most beautiful places, mere steps away from the deepest canyon in the Rocky Mountains. His home-made barbecue sauces are addictive.

Shelley Boettcher is a wine columnist for the Calgary Herald, the syndicated national wine columnist for CBC Radio’s morning weekend shows and the author of three books about wine.

Follow her on Twitter @shelley_wine and Instagram @shelleyboettcher

Summer Eats

Hot Eats For Summer In The City

By Shelley Boettcher

6. The Ship and Anchor (534 17th Ave. S.W.) patio is legendary, a bit grungy and always fun, with lots of beer, good food and some of the best people-watching in the city.

7. A little further afield, Oxbow in Kensington (1126

Mandy Stobo

Memorial Dr. N.W.) has a pretty patio overlooking the river and Memorial Drive. The food is excellent and the wine list is great, with lots of inexpensive-but-delicious wines by the glass.

Illustration by

8. Oxbow’s sister property, Hotel Arts (119 12th Ave.

S.W.), has recently completed a renovation of its pool and surrounding patio. Sit poolside and maybe choose a panzanella salad and a glass of Italian white — or a fancy Raw Bar cocktail. Or two. Or three. We don’t judge.

9. Take your pooch with you to Vin Room’s Aspen

(8561 8A Ave. S.W.) and Mission (2310 4th St. S.W.) patios; your pup will get its own treat and you’ll enjoy the menu’s vast array of outstanding wines and the chance to share plates with friends. The choose-yourown charcuterie and cheese platters can’t be beat.

10. If you love people-watching and beer, Trolley 5

(728 17th Ave. S.W.) offers great pints and ring-side seats to the avenue’s action. There’s beer, of course; Trolley 5 is a brewery. But you can also enjoy a boozy

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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4 quick ways

by Chris Halpin

STRAWBERRIES Photos by Camie Leard

There’s something romantic and a little nostalgic about a strawberry.

We remember the time we had a perfect strawberry with that sweet perfume, juicy and rich…mmm.

There is a trick to getting really juicy, fragrant strawberries. When purchasing them, make sure they are mostly red and don’t look bruised or tired.

Keep them in their basket, open the lid and rinse under warm-ish water, close the lid and set on the counter until the next day. After 24 hours you will find that the strawberries are ripe, juicy and full of flavour.

Strawberry Balsamico Spatchcock Chicken Spatchcocking allows the chicken to cook in half the time it would take if it were left as a whole chicken, and it’s great for the barbecue. To a blender, add 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped, 1 c. over-ripe strawberries, trimmed, ¼ c. balsamic vinegar, ¼ c. avocado oil, 1 T. ground black pepper, 1 t. salt, 1 t. sugar, 1 t. ground coriander, and 1 t. dried oregano. Blend until almost smooth. To spatchcock a whole chicken, using a sturdy pair of scissors cut the spine out of it by cutting on both sides of the tail to the neck. Flatten out the chicken on a

Beautiful kitchenware featured in this article courtesy of Zest Kitchenware Boutique.

Visit them at Dalhousie Station N.W. Glass strawberry dish $10. Vietri Portofino small oval platter $155.00

Strawberries with Sour Cream and Demerara Sugar

Strawberry and Asparagus Salad Take 2 bundles of asparagus and, from the top, cut them in 2-inch lengths, 3 times, discarding the bottom third of the stalk. Blanch them in boiling water only until they turn shiny and a brighter green, less than a minute. Drain and cool under running water. Blot the asparagus dry and add it to a salad bowl with 20 trimmed-and-quartered underripe strawberries and ¼ c. olive oil; gently stir to evenly coat. Then add ¼ c. cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and toss one more time before serving. Serves 6.

When this combination was first offered to me as a dessert, I thought it sounded weird. But the brown sugar and sour cream do something special and surprising with the strawberry. To a bowl, add 1 c. sour cream and ½ c. demerara sugar and stir to dissolve. To 4 dessert bowls, add 6 ripened strawberries apiece, cut in quarters, spoon some sweetened sour cream over top and sprinkle some more brown sugar to garnish. Serves 4.

Peking Handicraft hooked pillow $92. Vietri Lastra oil bottle $70. Peugot Salt and Pepper Mills $72/each.

baking sheet, breast side up. With your hands, loosen the skin from the flesh and stuff the marinade between the skin and the flesh. Place in a preheated 375° oven or on a grill that’s been pre-heated to medium-high, and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the juices run clear. Baste with the drippings from time to time while cooking. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Strawberry, Avocado and Shrimp Salad Wraps

Peugot Salt and Pepper Mills $72/each. Berry Patch potholder $7.50. Berry Patch apron $26.95. Berry Patch oven mitt $11.00. Le Crueset Utensil Crock $65.00. Vietri Lastra Sunflower handled platter $194.00.

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

Gently combine 1 c. cooked 51-60/lb. count shrimps, ½ avocado, diced, 4 under-ripe strawberries, thinly sliced, 1 T. chopped fresh dill, 2 T. finely-chopped green onion, 1 t. horseradish, 1 t. honey, 2 T. mayonnaise, salt and sriracha to taste. Mix well, spoon onto romaine spears and enjoy. Makes 4 to 6 salad wraps.

Le Creuset ice cream bowls, regular $100 for a set of four, on sale for $59.99. Le Creuset sorbet spoons. Regular $50 for a set of 6, on sale for $29.99.

Chris Halpin has been teaching Calgarians to make fast, fun urban food since 1997 and is the owner of Manna Catering Service. mannaonline.com.

HOME MADE FROZEN CURRIES TO GO!

patisseriedusoleil.com

@ The Mercantile

avenidamercantile.com

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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stockpot

STIRRINGS AROUND CALGARY I’m in town. The bacon avocado crisp is a delicious mess of a sandwich.

GENERAL STIRRINGS

Photo courtesy of Diamondfield Entertainment

John Catucci is an actor and writer who travels North America looking for great comfort food restaurants for his new program “Big Food Bucket List,” launched in May. He loves Calgary’s restaurants. Catucci dished with City Palate about dining in Calgary. Here’s what he said: Calgary has one of the best food scenes in Canada. I love that new, interesting restaurants are always popping up. I’ve been to Calgary a bunch of times and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal.

One of my new favourites is Monki Bistro. It’s doing fun takes on brunch classics and offers brunch all week long, so you don’t have to wait till the weekend. They make a brisket benedict with a prosecco hollandaise! So now you can have your prosecco by the glass (I might’ve had a few while I was there) AND you can eat it! Who doesn’t love brunch?

Another place I love is Calcutta Cricket Club. One step through the doors and you feel like you’ve been transported to India. There’s a tandoor oven and they make the most incredible tandoori chicken; it’s juicy, succulent, and spicy with the perfect amount of char around the edges.

UNA is one of my favourite pizza restaurants in the country. It’s loud and busy so you always have to wait for a table, but it’s ALWAYS worth it. The pizza is like nothing I’ve ever had before; its thin crust is crispy, almost buttery.

Another favourite of mine is Holy Grill.

There are a couple of locations in town and Calgary is better for it. It has a very chill vibe and amazing breakfast and lunch menus. It’s another Calgary restaurant that I have to visit every time

Photo courtesy of Cococo Chocolatiers

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

Want to taste the new Ruby Couverture? Calgary’s own Cococo Chocolatiers has it! Ruby is a new type of couverture 13 years in the making.

It offers a totally new cocoa taste experience—intense fruitiness, fresh, with sour notes, and with no flavours or colours added. And it’s pink! Available at select Cococo stores and online at www.bernardcallebaut.com.

Happiness never tasted so good - at the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, sponsored by Sobeys and Safeway Liquor. Enjoy samples from some of Calgary’s best restaurants and sip on amazing wines, spirits and beers from across the world October 18 and 19 at the Stampede Park BMO Centre.

Craving more? Tickets on sale now! Visit www.rockymountainwine.com for more info.

Visit Fresh & Local Farm Market at Kitchen Theatre in the BMO Centre during the 2019 Calgary Stampede Snack on produce and products from 25 local growers and food artisans including fresh BC cherries, blueberries and raspberries, fresh salads, Mountain Rhino vegan donuts, Kruse’s cookies, Sabora’s chips and dip and Fiasco vegan gelato. Visit www.

FreshandLocalFarmMarket.com.

WineTym Ltd. is uncorking a new web service for wine lovers.

The premium, membership-based service connects wine enthusiasts to BC wineries and has enhanced and revolutionized the way tourists and locals can discover, save and plan their winery adventures. Memberships include access to beautiful virtual tours using drone technology, as well as discounts and other perks.

A one-year membership is only $12 at winetym.com.

Irving’s Fresh Farm:Nicole and Alan Irving moved from the UK to start a new life in Alberta nearly 14 years ago.

While Alberta beef is certainly among the best in the world, they still missed British pork products that they had come to love in England. So they started their own pork production company.

Following a steep learning curve about how to raise pigs and produce quality pork products, they began selling at farmers’ markets and local restaurants.

The Irvings now operate a full meat shop where they use simple, traditional English recipes to create their products, which are always made from scratch.

Their facility is allergen friendly, as they do not use gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts or MSG in any of their products. They have been delivering meat to Calgary for about eight years and now have their first brick-and-mortar location at Avenida Food Hall.

The Organic Box is entering its 10th year of delivering quality locally-sourced organic groceries across Alberta. You can now get everything from free-range, organic meats to farm-direct produce, locally made snacks and desserts to natural cleaning products and pantry supplies, all delivered to your home.

When you shop at The Organic Box, you are supporting your community, economy, the planet and hundreds of local businesses. And we love local businesses!

RESTAURANT RAMBLINGS If you’re looking for THE lunch and après-whatever spot with a view, the Cliffhouse Bistro at Mt. Norquay is a renovated 1950s tea house with an exceptional summer menu. Serving up locally-sourced fare with a mountain casual feel, it’s where comfort food and good quality ingredients mingle.

Honouring the tea-house history of the bistro, Mt. Norquay has partnered with Park Distillery to hand-craft tea-infused cocktails, affectionately referred to as “tea-tails.” The mid-mountain bistro is open seven days a week throughout the summer from 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Barbecues Galore is celebrating 40 years! With five locations across Canada (two here in Calgary,) BG offers the best selection of barbecues, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, patio furniture, and accessories. And the products are only a fraction of why we love them. BG is known for its Barbecue Butler expert assembly, delivery and installation team.

Follow BG on Instagram at @BarbecuesGalore. PLUS, if you too were born in ’79 – submit a photo at www.barbecuesgalore.ca and receive a $40 gift card.

Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant’s fresh new summer menu is now available to the delight of Calgary’s foodies. New creations like Beretta Farms beef tenderloin, maple-butterglazed pork duo, soy-sake marinated sable fish, and all-time favourites alongside plenty of local produce, combined with new appetizers like the watermelon and cashew cheese (A new favourite) creates a stunning fine dining experience. Pair the menu with refreshing summer drinks for an extra layer of flavour complexity. Also, BVR’s Cork & Cuisine Dinner Club introduces its members to Calgary’s ever-changing, expanding -- and improving -- culinary scene. Taking the world’s most beloved cuisine into the fine-dining realm, the series aims to create a masterfully executed four-course dinner that is meticulously paired with the most enticing wines available in Alberta.

When? The third Wednesday of every month (Next chapters July 17th and Aug. 21) Visit www.bvrrestaurant.com for details & tickets.

Hotel Arts unveiled a new Poolside patio in June. The new urban oasis transports patrons to South Beach North. Dip and dine poolside with award-winning cuisine and cocktails in

this hot spot featuring luxurious deck furnishings, fire-top tables, lush greenery, heated deck and a new patio bar.

Beermakers dinner at Oxbow.

Calgary brewery Caravel and Oxbow Restaurant are collaborating for an evening of food and brew on July 25. Join a passionate team of beer enthusiasts and hear from Caravel Brewery founder Vlad Covali on beer tasting notes and their mission to revisit forgotten old-world beers. Caravel is unveiling a custom chef collaboration brew for the event. Be the one of the only in Calgary to taste this exclusive beer, this small batch collaboration will only be available for event attendees.

Visit www.oxbowyyc.ca for tickets.

Two Penny’s chef, Mharlon Atienza, is taking creative license during Stampede and serving American style barbecue.

The tea-smoked barbecue menu will include delicious eats like tea smoked ribs, brisket and Sichuan hot links, served with house-made milk buns.

Enjoy this BBQ feast downstairs in the tea house for the full 10 days of July festivities, or in Two Penny when booking private parties or large group reservations. HOT TIP, Two Penny will be opening a patio space just in time for Stampede this year.

Twenty years after an ambitious and gregarious Greek immigrant opened his first restaurant in Calgary’s Market Mall, Calgary’s own OPA! of Greece opened its 100th store this spring. The new store resides at 511 - 500 Country Hills Blvd. NW and is partly owned by the franchise’s CEO, Dorrie Karras.

Congratulations, Dorrie!

Vintage Group is thrilled to be reopening Butcher and the Baker with a rebrand and new menu. This popular breakfast and lunch spot’s new menu includes breakfast sandwiches, breakfast tacos, premade bowls, lunch paninis and lunch bowls. The menu items are sourced from local producers and the egg sandwich offers a competitive advantage with its pan-fried fresh egg made on the spot -- unlike other grab-and-go food joints in the downtown core.

It’s the season of sunshine and Cravings Market Restaurant has launched some new summer creations to enjoy during these good times. A satisfying ahi tuna poke to start, quinoa-crusted salmon, five-peppercorn-crusted NY striploin a Mediterranean-inspired shrimp pizza, and more. There is sure to be something that will satisfy any craving! Stroll through the market stations, interact with the chefs and watch your meal be prepared before your eyes! Check out these new and all-time favourites dishes at Cravings Market Restaurant on 7207 Fairmount Dr. www.cravingsmarketrestaurant.com.

Canmore’s Beamer’s Coffee Bar has opened its third location at the new Shops of Canmore. The new store, aimed at elevating the brand

after 25 successful years in business, was designed and overseen by owner Michael Beamer’s own step-daughter, Stephanie Martin, of Martin Lee Design.

DRINKS DOCKET On Sunday, July 7, head down to the Central Library for an AeroPress event hosted by Prairie Coffee Collective and Eight Ounce Coffee.

Watch some of Canada’s all-star baristas and coffee professionals go head-tohead in an AeroPress competition, or sign up to compete yourself! The night will conclude with the AeroPress Movie.

Looking to score some new coffee gear but don’t want to break the bank?

Eight Ounce will be hosting a garage sale on Saturday, Sep. 7 from 10am4pm in its warehouse, selling gentlyused and open-box items. Head over to events.8oz.ca for more details.

Congratulations to Calgary’s Partake Brewing for its win in the “hopeful” category at the 2019 SIAL Canada Awards. Using a proprietary process, Partake creates a craft brewery quality ultra-low calorie, non-alcoholic ale that appeals to people on specialty diets who still want to enjoy a great-tasting beer. SIAL is the world’s biggest network of trade fairs dedicated to food and drink. Visit www.drinkpartake.com for more information.

The Inner Circle of Burwood Distillery offers a unique opportunity to create custom products, purchase private casks and unique products, invest in whisky and be privy to all the innermost secrets of a truly local, hand-crafted distillery. Its Private Batch whisky program invites a select group of likeminded individuals together to be part of something new and exciting in the world of craft aged spirits. The Private Batch whisky program is for those with discerning tastes; it’s for those who have an eye on the future, but know where they’ve come from. This is not a club – it’s a community. A community that understands value, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Email info@ burwooddistillery.ca for more info.

YYC Barley Belt Tap Tour: The thirdannual Barley Belt Tap Tour takes place Aug. 24 and features Annex Ale Project, Banded Peak Brewing, Born Colorado Brewing, Cabin Brewing Company, Confluence Distilling, The

Photo courtesy of Cravings Market

MOUNTAIN MIXER

Establishment Brewing Company, Legend 7 Brewing, Outcast Brewing, The O.T. Brewing Company, Paddy’s Barbeque and Brewery, Uncommon Cider Co. and Village Brewery. It’s a day of beer gardens, cider, spirits, bands, biking and food in Calgary’s Manchester and Highfield Industrial Park. Hop between all the barley-belt breweries by bus or bike and enjoy outside beer gardens at each stop with live music from local performers. Tickets are $15 at showpass.com.

12 x 355ml cans | 4 styles | 3 of each

COOKING CLASSES SAIT Culinary Campus – Downtown Downtown Culinary Campus, July 11, Thrill of the Grill; July 19, Date Night; July 20, Artisan Bread; July 25, Vietnamese; July 27, Viennoiserie; August 8, Fish Cookery; August 10, Assorted Buns; August 17, Viennoiserie; August 20, Thrill of the Grill; August 22, Thailand; August 24, Canning; August 24, Artisan Bread.

Main Campus, August 27, Curry.

The Tastemarket by SAIT, August 23, Date Night. Visit www.culinarycampus.ca for details and more courses.

Cuisine et Chateau July 4, Cocina Mexicana; July 5, Made In France; July 6,Table For Two; July 11, A Taste Of Spain - Colourful Culinary Celebration; July 12, ; July 13, Easy Thai, July 14, Best Of Brunch; July 18, Spanish Tapas; July 19, Simply Italian; Saturday, July 20, Cheese Making Workshop Level I and A Wok Through Asia; July 21, Perfect Pies And Tarts; July 25,The Cutting Edge - Knife Skills; July 26, Around the Mediterranean; Saturday, July 27, A Twist On Sushi - Move Over California Roll; July 28, Curing | Smoking | Brining | Grilling - The Fundamentals; Aug. 1, Made In France; Aug. 2, Cocina Mexicana; Aug. 3, Simply Italian; Aug. 9, Easy Thai;Aug.10, A Taste Of Spain - Colourful Culinary Celebration; Aug. 16, Table for Two; Aug. 17, Spanish Tapas; Aug.18, Best of Brunch; Aug. 23, A Twist On Sushi - Move Over California Roll; Aug. 24, From New Delhi with Love; Aug. 29, The Cutting Edge - Knife Skills; Aug. 30, A Wok Through Asia; Aug. 31, Everything Chocolate and Around the Mediterranean

Same great beer in a new package.

Three of our classics from our founders series plus the new Three Sisters Pale Ale. Pick up our new can mixer for all your summer adventures.

Summer Camps at The Cookbook Company, July 29 - Aug. 2 – 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Summer camps will nurture your favourite young chef with a week of learning, cooking and eating.

During their gastronomic education, your intrepid young cooks will learn knife skills, kitchen safety and a variety of cooking techniques. Making everything from scratch, your munchkins will braise, roast and bake their way to a repertoire of recipes that are both practical and delicious.

#1–4005 9TH STREET SE, CALGARY SHOWROOM MON-FRI 9-5 SAT 10-4

or shop online at eightouncecoffee.ca

CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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POSH & PAINLESS: THIS QUEENLY DAY TRIP CRUISES THE STRAITS BETWEEN VANCOUVER AND VICTORIA Kate Zimmerman You board the V2V Empress right in downtown Vancouver, amid the waterfront’s buzzing seaplanes and swooping seabirds, and quickly realize that your trip today will be about the journey as you’ll while away seven on this passenger vessel – the only one that takes you from downtown to downtown (starting in either city) on Canada’s West Coast.

On a glorious March morning, all golden sunshine and glittering wavelets, the white twin-hulled catamaran (or “clipper”) couldn’t look fresher or more inviting. The crisp red, white and black orca design on its hull comes from ‘Namgis First Nation Chief William Cook, an artist renowned for his silver and gold jewelry and cedar carvings.

Inside, aqua and bright red leather seats and the water’s reflection contribute to the marine ambiance. But you’ll want to climb up to the top deck to experience cruising underneath the Lions Gate Bridge.

In royal class, on the upper deck, tables with glass-covered wooden topographic cutouts of the waters you’ll be sailing, their depths marked, invite you to sit and mull them over. Boat builder and artist Jerry Kool is responsible for the handsome route maps, which trace your passage through Active Pass and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

We’ve cleverly started our day (and will end it in) Vancouver’s Coal Harbour. The boat will spill us out at Victoria’s dainty feet, in the Inner Harbour, at the Steamship Building. We’ll disembark across the street from the newly refurbished Fairmont Empress Hotel and the BC Legislature building.

Soon after departure, we enjoy a scrumptious three-course breakfast from Victoria’s Truffles Catering, beginning with delectable scones, proceeding to our choice of warm egg dish – quiche or frittata with a drizzle of red pepper sauce – and winding up with bowls of mascarpone-topped berries. Those with allergies or dietary restrictions can request, in advance, more suitable options, and there are gluten-free and vegetarian dishes already on the menu. (On the main deck, travelers can purchase their food and drinks á la carte.)

Our host recommends a glass of Salt Spring Island rosé and we toast our good luck in being two of the 242 foot-passengers who can fit on this vessel, whose 2-2800bhp diesel engines achieve cruising speed at a brisk 26 knots.

around in a horse-drawn carriage or tour the area’s breweries and distilleries by bike. V2V can set these up for you (at an additional charge) with your reservation.

You might choose the Culinary Walking Tour, which must be booked at least a day ahead, for a minimum of two people. At 1:15, you’ll meet one of its guides at Sticky Wicket Pub, the first pub to serve alcohol in Victoria. A local beer paired with the chef’s bite of the day launches two hours of walking, stopping in at five or so eateries for savouries and sweets and tales about “the Garden City.”

Clearly, there’s more to the BC capital’s food scene than the traditional tea at the Empress. Fish ‘n chips on the waterfront is another Victoria classic, with Barb’s Fish & Chips and the less traditional Red Fish Blue Fish, located in an upcycled cargo container, both highly rated. The Steamship Grill & Bar, in the historic Steamship Terminal Building, offers a patio, craft beer and lots of BC wines on its list.

Other nearby eateries include Nourish Kitchen & Cafe, a charming restaurant with a small patio in a 150-year-old heritage home. The restaurant grows its herbs, peas and salad greens and even uses its own cherry blossoms in its cocktail syrups.

You might treat yourself to a memorable meal at the Magnolia Hotel’s elegantly modern Courtney Room, named one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants in 2018 by enRoute magazine. Even if you’re just stopping in for a snack, try the Potatoes Courtney – squares of melt-in-yourmouth potato fried in duck fat, served with an onion dipping sauce.

Remember, though -- on the return trip, you’ll be served that three-course lunch.

A little rigorous exploring by bike or on foot might help you work up an appetite.

For more information, visit www.v2vvacations.com/day-trips/ Kate Zimmerman was a guest of V2V and the Courtney Room, neither of which read or approved this article.

On the way home, later this afternoon, as “royal” guests will be able to savour a local cider, beer or glass of wine as we mull over our light lunch selections.

A glass of BC bubbly leads into a small, fresh Greek salad and then mezzes, or open-faced sandwiches, one bearing smoked salmon with cream cheese and the other tender ribbons of ham, with the crunchy surprise of fried capers. A quartet of truffles, made daily, caps off the indulgences.

The savvy traveler will have planned ahead and booked a tour for the afternoon (or a hotel for the night). During the summer, the day-trip stopover is five hours, giving you time to visit the Butchart Gardens, take a carriage ride through 155-acre Beacon Hill Park, do a hop-on, hop-off city bus tour, explore the nearby BC Royal Museum, trot CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

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back burner shewchuk on simmer

Allan Shewchuk

PAGING PASSENGER SMITH!

As the chaotic summer travel season commences, it’s appropriate that I am stuck sitting in an over-crowded airport restaurant after my super-early morning flight was postponed three hours due to heavy fog at my destination. “Heavy fog” actually describes my brain, since I have been up since 3 a.m., full of adrenaline from not wanting to miss my plane, and now that the rush is over, I’m so tired, I could lay my head on the table and crash out. But falling asleep would just mean another dose of adrenal anxiety about missing my plane, so I’m struggling to pass the time figuring out what to eat while keenly observing the goings-on around me, which, believe me, “chaotic” doesn’t even begin to describe.

As for what to eat, I am conflicted, because I ate breakfast at home and don’t feel like eggs, but I’m watching the servers bring heaping platters of nachos, hot wings, and burgers dripping with Sriracha aioli to their bleary patrons. That food seems wrong at 7 a.m., and I can’t stop thinking that these diners are shortly going to board a cramped aircraft smelling like the dish pit at an all-night diner, and I’ll be wedged in between two of them.

The thought of that also has me debating whether to order an alcoholic beverage, since I’ve been up for so long that it is, in fact, lunch-time, but there is the trepidation of being “that guy” who slides into his seat on a morning flight reeking of booze and being a little too chatty for everyone in his row, thereby making a complete nuisance of himself.

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CITYPALATE.ca JULY AUGUST 2019

That gets me to observing the goings-on around me in the airport eatery, which involve shocking amounts of morning drinking. I’m not talking about dainty champagne flutes of mimosas here, but full on giant-size margaritas, double Caesars and Moscow Mules by the tray-full. It’s deafeningly loud for this early in the day, and tables of strangers are watching sports highlights and laughing and yelling at each other like they’re long-lost friends.

I start to wonder where on Earth these fliers are headed that they can arrive in the morning completely smashed out of their gourds and smelling like aioli. The obvious answer might be Las Vegas, where night and day are topsy-turvy, and eating dinner at the crack of dawn is the norm. But there are no flights to Vegas from this gate area, so I’m left to ponder whether these daybreak boozers are headed home to a sister’s wedding or to visit their aging parents. I picture the family reunion at the arrivals gate as being a bit “frosty” when they can’t walk in a straight line to the baggage claim.

As the morning drags on, I notice another disturbing trend as every flight that has boarded makes an announcement looking for fliers who have failed to show up at the gate. I’m bombarded by constant desperate announcements, like “Paging passenger Smith -- your entire flight has boarded, please report to the gate immediately! Paging passenger Smith!

The door to the plane is closing now!” I sit in disbelief that someone could go AWOL, given what I went through to get here, which included barely sleeping, setting four alarm clocks in various parts of the house, showering, packing, getting to the airport, checking in, getting a boarding pass with a boarding time on it, dropping luggage, going through security and coming out on the other side at the gates where every 10 feet, there’s a sign showing a boarding time for departing flights. After all that hassle and so much notice, how does anyone miss boarding time? I suppose a possible reason for not making a plane after all the work it took to get there is that there are exhausted people who fall asleep accidentally, or geeks who get on their laptop with headphones and get lost in gaming, or maybe just folks who get distracted with all the shops for travellers.

But given the day drinking I watched, my bet for the reason someone is paging passenger Smith is that ol’ Smitty made the unfortunate decision to use his boarding pass as a coaster for his sixth Moscow Mule and to laugh so loud, he never caught, “This is a final boarding announcement for….” or “Paging passenger Smith!” To which I can only say, “Have a safe flight, passenger Smith…tomorrow.

Allan Shewchuk is a lawyer, food writer and sought-after Italian food and wine guru. He currently has kitchens in both Calgary and Florence, Italy, but will drink wine pretty much anywhere.

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