Culinaire #14.1 (May 2025)

ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES MAY 2025

THE NEW FACE OF

Alberta’s Legendary Outpost

For over 25 years, Field Stone Fruit Wines has been a cherished stop on Alberta’s prairie map — known for handcrafted wines, local berries, and warm welcomes. Now, a new chapter begins.

Meet Laura Atherton and Phil Hoogendam — real estate leaders turned prairie dreamers — who’ve traded the city skyline for starry nights, berry fields, and bold vision.

“We didn’t just buy a winery,” says Laura. “We’re creating a place where people can gather, celebrate, and sip something that’s truly local.”

Expect refreshed branding, a new wine + cocktail collection, and an upcoming series of events and upick days, Field Stone is transforming into Alberta’s Legendary Outpost — a destination for connection, celebration, and storytelling.

7 mins. South of Strathmore & 40 mins. from Calgary

8 Chef’s Tips

Two Calgary chefs and two Edmonton chefs share their recipes for sweet and savoury breakfasts and tips for making them

34 Making the Case

… for wines from Alberta and eastward all the way to Ontario and Nova Scotia 36 Etcetera… What’s new?

38 Open That Bottle with Jeff Matthews, owner of Expat Asia

Mother’s Day breakfast and brunch can take as many shapes and sizes as there are mothers. Will it be sweet or savoury, indulgent or simple? How to capture this in an eyecatching photograph that sums it up? We tasked photographer Katarzyna Kowalewska, of Live Your Dream Photography, with this undertakingand we love the result. Many thanks to Kasia!

12 Smoky, Meaty – and Messy Cookbooks to really sink your teeth into… by Tom Firth

14 Step by Step: Lamb Kofta Burgers

Shaking things up with spiced ground lamb for an entirely different burger profile by Renée Kohlman

16 Burwood Distillery Creates Hub for Local Makers

Honey-focused products are just one thing that sets this business apart by Lucy Haines

18 Garlic Scapes: The Elegant Loop above the Bulb

For a crop that is such a star, very little is written about the greens above ground by Morris Lemire

20 Smooth Operator

…three recipes where avocado is the star! by Natalie Findlay

23 Righteous Rye’s Time to Shine

Now is the time for distillers to show domestic and international markets that we are in the renaissance of rye spirits by Tom Firth

24 Rye the Rockstar! It’s a bold new world for rye lovers, and we have 16 home-grown products to recommend to you by Tom Firth and Linda Garson

26 On Trend - The Renaissance of Rye Rye cocktails are gaining popularity By Linda Garson

28 The Results of the Best Rioja Wine and Tapas Pairings!

Twenty + restaurants competed, offering a small bite at no charge to complement the wine by Linda Garson

32 Take a Walk on the

Weird Side: Part One

A short collection of interesting and unusual beers that have appeared in our market by David Nuttall

We’re Teenagers!

It’s our birthday, and it’s hard to believe we’re thirteen years old this month. This is my 120th letter to you, and I haven’t run out of things to tell you yet.

It’s still such an exciting time for the food and beverage scene in our province. There are so many events and new restaurant openings that I was out 26 of the 30 evenings in April. That did include a quick day trip to Vancouver to meet one of our favourite French winemakers, Gerard Bertrand, (I’m such a lucky person!) and a couple of days in Banff for the Made with Love festival. We know of a lot more exciting openings and events to come too…

And I’ve been busy judging cooking and cocktail competitions - Masters of the Craft is for upcoming chefs and mixologists, and I am SO impressed

with the amazing young talent behind the scenes at Calgary Airport Marriott and Delta Hotels, and The Westin Calgary. Creating outstanding savoury dishes, desserts, and cocktails - these are the future, and I have to tell you – it’s very bright!

Lastly, we are so chuffed to have our treasure hunt almost half sold out when our April issue landed. Proof positive that people read magazines and act on what they see in them!

Cheers,

Linda, Editor-in-Chief

Claudia T Photography

Thanks so much to Candy W for her very kind words about our April issue, she certainly made our day with her email (edited for space):

“I've never been so taken with a magazine cover photo as I have with this one. I immediately wanted to wear the colours and excitement it provokes, and I checked my wardrobe to see what I had in those colours that I may put on soon. Congratulations to photographer Katarzyna (Kasia) Kowalewska! I could frame this cover as a work of art.

The April 2025 Edition is certainly worthy of many Magazine Awards. Do they still exist, I wonder? It is exceptional throughout and I will relax and enjoy the contents this weekend. Culinaire is the gold standard for a food magazine. Well done!”

Alberta / Food & Drink / Recipes

Editor-in-Chief/Publisher

Linda Garson linda@culinairemagazine.ca

Editor Carmel Loria carmel@culinairemagazine.ca

Managing Editor Tom Firth tom@culinairemagazine.ca

Multimedia Editor Keane Straub keane@culinairemagazine.ca

Assistant Editor Quinn Curtis quinn@culinairemagazine.ca

Design Kendra Design Inc

Contributors

Natalie Findlay, Lucy Haines

Dong Kim, Renée Kohlman

Katarzyna Kowalewska Morris Lemire, David Nuttall

Contact us at:

Culinaire Magazine #1203, 804–3rd Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 0G9 403.870.9802

info@culinairemagazine.ca @culinairemag @culinairemag @culinairemag facebook.com/CulinaireMagazine

Our contributors

Morris Lemire

Morris lives in retirement in Edmonton where he gardens, cooks and writes about both. He finds the culinary arts a fascinating culture that’s impossible to exhaust. Mo (to friends and family) thinks cooking and writing have things in common, both require fresh ingredients, organization, attention to detail and a dash of love. The love bit is the easy part.

Natalie Findlay

After a brief period with an Easy Bake Oven, Natalie’s mom allowed her to use the big girl’s oven and set her on the course for a life filled with delicious outcomes. Since graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Natalie has worked in restaurants, hotels, bakeries, and her own business. Currently, Natalie is a freelance writer, recipe developer, photographer and health coach, and is loving every minute of it.

Tom Firth

For subscriptions, competitions and to read Culinaire online: culinairemagazine.ca

Tom has been travelling the world and pulling corks for over 25 years. He is the Managing Editor for Culinaire Magazine and Competition Director for the Alberta Beverage Awards. He has a weakness for old-school nachos and a love of modern wines made from cabernet franc. He has no qualms about tasting first thing in the morning, and his desk is constantly covered in paper and bottles - somewhere under all that, a corkscrew might be found.

Culinaire Magazine acknowledges that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut'ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their home in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. We are committed to support Indigenous chefs and amplify their voices to bring awareness of the food and culture of the First Nations.

Proudly printed in Alberta by Burke Group.

So many noteworthy anniversaries to celebrate this year! Second Cup Café started as a kiosk in a Toronto shopping mall selling whole bean coffee in 1975, and in the last 50 years, has spread across the country with, as of the end of last year, 166 locations in 68 cities, over eight provinces and territories!

And congratulations to One18 Empire who are celebrating 10 years of elevated fare, whiskies, cocktails, and more. 820 Centre Street S, Calgary, open all day, every day! one18empire.com

And to Starbelly Open Kitchen who are also celebrating 10 years of casual, home-style, globally inspired, comfort food, cocktails and wine. 19489 Seton Crescent SE, Calgary, starbelly.ca And also to Bow Valley Ranche who are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a "Taste of History" Chef's Menu inspired by Alberta's ranching history until May 17. 15979 Bow Bottom Trail SE, Calgary. bvrrestaurant.com

Do you know of any other Alberta restaurants having big anniversaries this year? Let us know too!

Edmonton’s Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is open on Sundays! After 40+ years of Saturday markets, plus occasional pop-ups and mid-week activities, and years of discussion, the decision has been made - and now the indoor market is permanently expanding its hours from May 4 to open Saturdays 8-3 pm and Sundays 11-3 pm. osfm.ca

New for Calgary’s Marda Loop! Many breakfast spaces close after lunch,

so Lam Pham, of Calgary’s Pure Kitchen downtown and Pure Street Food in First Street Market, has cleverly partnered with Diner Deluxe in Marda Loop, and opened Pure Saigonese Kitchen in the evenings there. It’s a bright space with floor to ceiling windows and a cozy diner-retro feel for casual family dining, yet with upscale sharing dishes. Pham’s famous noodle soups go wherever he goes, and his AAA tenderloin steak pot au pho is a new classic. Of course his signature Kimchi Fried Rice is here and a super tasty Seafood Fried Rice too, along with new dishes like Roasted Duck Crostini and the savoury, stuffed You Tiao Sticks – and great service. Don’t miss Wednesday AYCE Wing Night for $25! Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm, 2252 33 Avenue SW.

Deville Coffee have opened their third Edmonton location! As well as Macewan University and West Edmonton Mall, you can now get your direct trade coffees, lattes, and espresso drinks, along with your local-baked pastries and sandwiches, in Garneau at 8329 112 Street. And they’ve just opened a new location in Kelowna too, at 138-3477 Lakeshore Road, devillecoffee.ca

If you loved Cannibale, you’re going to love Calgary’s new Small Bar even more! The barber’s chair has gone, allowing for extended seating, and there’s an extended menu too. The community asked, and partners Shane Perrin and Mike Hope answered, giving them what they wanted - an easy, low key, comfortable, inclusive, and fun

neighbourhood bar with superb comfort food. Chef Kevin Turner says to ‘keep it simple but execute well’, and that’s exactly what he does! Order the fries and curry sauce (or with Bushmill’s Peppercorn Gravy!) and you’ll be hooked. Wings, nachos, and everything else here is so good, as are the cocktails and nonalcoholic cocktails too. Monday is $4 taco and $10 margarita night (our chorizo and shrimp tacos were excellent!). The heated patio is still here, and open year-round. 813 1 Avenue NE, seven days noon-late, smallbarbridgeland.ca

Leopold’s Tavern has a new Edmonton location, so now, as well as Strathcona and Orchard (and four Calgary locations and one in Okotoks!), you can get your burgers, poutine, chicken fingers, wings, and deep-fried cheesecake, in Heritage Valley, seven days from 11-late at 2861 119A Street SW.

Are you ready for a proper naughty night out? Then check out Calgary’s new Pimlico Bar in the former Gringo Street space at 524 17 Avenue SW. Simon and Judy House of the Dorset Pub, have brought us a bit of the London underground bar scene with a terrific menu of modern Commonwealth fusion dishes. London-trained, executive chef Smit Rawal’s signature Beef Tartare comes on roasted bone marrow with grainy mustard – and it’s outstanding. As is the fish of the day on bubble and squeak with avocado salsa, and the Duck Wings are a must-have! We really enjoyed the cool, elevated London vibe and tongue-in-cheek humour – and bonus,

there are hooks for your handbag under the tables! Sip one of the UK inspired cocktails (we loved the Clock Tower and Sergeant Pepper), while soaking in the cool house music, and you’ll feel proper posh. Seven days noon-late, pimlicobar.ca

Blind Enthusiasm Brewing’s Greg Zeschuk has opened Relish Bar & Market in their former Biera space in

the Ritchie Market, at 9570 76 Avenue, Edmonton. It’s a new concept - a cosy bar setting, where what’s on the shelves is what’s on the menu! Relish is a place to slow down and relish the moment, with your choice of cheese, charcuterie, and warm sandwiches (such as Grilled Cheese and Relish Reuben), alongside a curated selection of beer, wine, and spirits. And as a market, everything on the menu is also available for purchase to take home. Open Wednesday to Sunday for walk-ins only - no reservations (and no minors). relishbar.ca

Jinya has a third Alberta location as well as Edmonton and Calgary’s Mission restaurants. The new Jinya is at 8818 Macleod Trail South, a modern space where you can indulge in one of their rich, simmered for more than 20-hour, ramen broths. Some have a choice of spice level from 1-10 too. If you order garlic, you get a jar of fresh garlic cloves and a press to squeeze them in yourself! Or come for a few small bites and a beer; we’d recommend some of

the sharable small plates – you won’t be able to stop popping the Brussels Sprouts Tempura (so good!). The mini tacos are super crunchy and super cute, crispy wanton shells – super delicious! If you’re allergic, watch out for MSG as it’s in many of the dishes, but you’ll still find plenty to enjoy. Cocktails and non-alcoholic cocktails are on point too! Seven days from 11:30 am to close. jinyaramenbar.com

Mamie Odette is open! It’s been a long journey for Charlie Ille, and after many months of planning and preparation, his Provençal market is finally here. Inspired by his grandmother (Odette), it’s a tribute to all grandmothers who pass down their love and traditions – and their recipes! Celebrating Provence, Ille is showcasing its artisan producers, and bringing handcrafted jams, honey, biscuits, nougat, syrups, and spreads, with new products arriving all the time. Some products are available at Calgary’s Avitus in Marda Loop, and all are online at mamieodette.com

SIP, SWIRL AND SAVOUR

Toast to Stampede season at Stampede Cellar Uncorked! Featuring the winning wines from the 2025 Stampede Cellar Showdown International Wine Competition, paired with locally produced culinary offerings, Stampede Cellar Uncorked celebrates the best in western hospitality, international wine and local culinary innovation.

From bold reds to crisp whites and sparkling varieties, there’s a wine to suit every palate and preference at Stampede Cellar Uncorked!

Breakout Breakfasts

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

The origin of the word ‘breakfast’ is in the word itself: to break one’s fast which occurs while sleeping. Of course, with dishes like the ones here, breakfast for dinner (or any other meal for that matter) could quickly become a trend in your household.

When Chef Tony Tipping needs a little inspiration, he takes his cues from his environment. “I either go for a walk through my garden or in the forest, roam the farmer’s market, or pull out a cookbook from my collection of over 150 books.”

The Chef and co-owner of WildRoots Bistro in St. Albert, his favourite menu item is the Pizzwich, a cross between a pizza and sandwich. “We have developed a really great dough, and we can change the fillings based on what is in season or what I’m in the mood for.”

Keeping up with the ‘two-for-one’ trend, here he shares a recipe for Tiramisu Pancakes. “My wife and son love both, so I needed to find a way to combine them into one dish. I also took it as a personal challenge to make the thickest pancakes possible.” His trick? Stainless steel All-Clad gratin dishes. Keeping things clean and organized is key in his kitchen. “Measure everything out before you start cooking, and clean as you go. Have fun, and don’t rush it!”

Four Alberta chefs bring the sweet and the savoury to the breakfast plate this month, showing us what lies beyond toast and coffee. Rise and shine, folks: the early bird gets fed very, very well!

Tiramisu Pancakes

Serves 4

400 g flour

60 g sugar

30 g baking powder

5 g salt

2½ cups (600 mL) milk

2 whole eggs

½ cup + 1 Tbs (140 mL) canola oil

500 g ricotta

100 g icing sugar

100 g butter

7 Tbs (100 mL) maple syrup

1 shot espresso

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.

2. Mix together milk, eggs, and canola oil,

then blend wet and dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms, let rest 15 minutes before cooking.

3. Bring a greased pan up to medium temperature, dollop 140 g batter into the pan and let gently cook until bubbles start forming on the raw surface, flip and place in the oven for 4 minutes to finish cooking through. Repeat with remaining batter.

4. Place ricotta and sugar in a bowl and whisk together.

5. In a small pot add butter and turn to high heat until butter starts to burn, remove from heat and add maple syrup, whisk to combine.

6. Place pancakes on plates, drizzle with maple brown butter, top with a dollop of the whipped ricotta pressing a well into it with the back of your spoon, pour the espresso shot into the ricotta dollop.

For Chef Jenny Chan of Calgary’s Queens Breakfast Cocktails, inspiration goes hand-in-hand with adventure. “I love exploring Europe to uncover the origins of dishes and ingredients and bringing those discoveries back to my kitchen to craft them afresh with my own imagination.”

This much is evident with dishes like Cr’q Nduja, an Italian spin on the Croque Madame, or the Montreal Smoked Brisket Benedict – served on croissant, of course. “Our Omelette al Tartufo is my favourite,” she says. “I love truffles and all kinds of mushrooms.”

Then there is the Queens Bolognese Poutine: fries, provolone, eggs, hollandaise, and of course, Bolognese. “I love a good ragu. Several years ago, I specifically went to Bologna to learn how the traditional Bolognese is made.”

The key to this one is obviously the sauce. Gather and prep your ingredients, follow instructions precisely – including times and temperatures, and as always, use fresh, quality ingredients. “Learn from your mistakes,” she adds. “If a recipe doesn’t turn out as expected, make adjustments next time, and keep notes. Have fun, and don’t stress over perfection. Experimenting in the kitchen can lead to delightful discoveries!”

Queens Bolognese Poutine

Serves 4

1 recipe of Bolognese sauce

8 cups of crispy hot french fries

2 cups provolone cheese

½ cup Parmigiana Reggiano

8 poached eggs

1 recipe of hollandaise

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.

2. Divide the fries into four skillets. Pile the provolone and Reggiano cheeses on top

and then pour over the Bolognese sauce. Place in hot oven to melt everything together.

3. Top with two poached eggs and hollandaise and serve immediately.

Queens Bolognese Sauce

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil

4 Tbs finely diced onion

4 Tbs finely diced carrot

4 Tbs finely diced celery

1/3 cup Italian guanciale, diced

330 g ground pork shoulder and shank

½ cup (120 mL) dry white wine

4 ripe roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup (240 mL) tomato passata

1¾ cups + 2 Tbs (450 mL) vegetable stock

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil.

2. Add onion, carrot and celery to the saucepan and stir for about 5 minutes. When the onions are translucent add the guanciale.

3. After about 10 minutes, add the pork and continue to cook down the liquid

from the meat. Once the liquid has mostly evaporated, add the dry white wine and continue to stir the sauce.

4. When wine has mostly evaporated, add the tomatoes, passata and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook the sauce, for at least one hour.

Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks

1 Tbs (15 mL) water

1 Tbs (15 mL) fresh lemon juice

170-225 g European butter, very soft

To taste sea salt

To taste fresh ground white pepper

1 dash Spanish sweet paprika, optional

Combine the egg yolks, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan, whisking vigorously until blended. Add half the butter and cook over low heat, stirring with a whisk, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining butter. Whisk until the butter melts and is fully incorporated, making a smooth, velvety sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika if using. Serve immediately.

Chef Ethan Campbell’s cooking style encompasses both nostalgia and curiosity. “I’m inspired by the connection between memory and flavour,” he explains. “I also draw a lot of inspiration from travel and the people I cook with.”

The Culinary Director of Calgary’s Our Daily Brett, Chef Ethan’s menus reflect tradition and seasonality with approachable, global appeal. The Classic Breakfast is just that – eggs, toast, hashbrowns – but alongside it are things like Shakshuka, The Nordic Breakfast, and Sicilian Pandoro.

It’s no surprise, then, that his top tip for making breakfast is, “Make it bold, but keep it simple. Let one thing shine and support it with a few flavourful extras.”

Spanish Baked Eggs with Saffron Yogurt is a hearty dish with a smokysweet flavour that can be served right out of the pan. He says that it started off as a staff meal that quickly became a go-to for family-style brunches. “But it works just as well as a comforting dinner,” he adds. Take your time building the sauce, use good quality eggs, and don’t overbake them, says Chef Ethan. “And always toast the bread – it’s your spoon!”

Spanish Baked Eggs with Saffron

Yogurt

Serves 4

2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili flakes, optional

2 Tbs (30 mL) tomato paste

1 cup (250 mL) dry Spanish apple cider

(or a splash of white wine or stock)

1 – 784 g can fire-roasted crushed

tomatoes

To taste salt and pepper

2 medium tomatoes, halved

1½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, rinsed)

200 g Spanish chorizo, sliced (cured or cooked)

8 large eggs

Olive oil, for drizzling

Grilled sourdough or crusty bread

1. In a large, oven-safe pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5–6 minutes. Add garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and chili flakes, if using. Cook for one more minute.

2. Stir in tomato paste, then pour in the cider. Let it bubble and reduce for a minute or two. Add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer sauce gently for 15–20 minutes until thickened slightly.

3. Place tomato halves cut-side down in a hot skillet or on a grill. Cook until the cut sides are nicely charred and softened. Roughly chop and set aside.

4. Stir the cooked chickpeas, sliced chorizo, and chopped charred tomatoes into the sauce. Let simmer for 5 minutes so the flavours combine.

5. Preheat your oven to 375° F. Use a spoon to make 8 small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Drizzle the eggs lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft.

6. Remove the pan from the oven. Spoon the saffron yogurt over the top, scatter the blistered shishito peppers, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and flaky salt. Bring the whole pan to the table and serve with warm, grilled sourdough.

Saffron Yogurt

Pinch saffron threads

1 Tbs (15 mL) warm water

¾ cup (180 mL) plain skyr or Greek yogurt

1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice

To taste salt

Soak the saffron threads in warm water for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, stir the saffron water into the yogurt along with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Chill until ready to serve.

Garnish

12–16 shishito peppers (or small sweet peppers or padron peppers)

Olive oil (for blistering peppers)

Fresh parsley (optional)

Flaky salt

Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the shishito peppers and cook until blistered and slightly charred, turning occasionally (about 4–5 minutes). Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

For a vegetarian version, skip the chorizo and add smoked paprika roasted mushrooms or eggplant.

At Edmonton’s Golden Sparrow you’ll find Chef Mizra Taimoor, whose culinary journey started when he moved from Oman to Canada – PEI to be exact – in 2017. “What began as a line cook job quickly turned into a passion, pushing to hone my craft and rise through the ranks to become sous chef.”

He draws inspiration from around the world, balancing technique, imagination, elegance, and playfulness. His favourite dishes to create are desserts, and on Golden Sparrow’s menu, it’s the Tallest Chocolate Cake that, well, takes the cake. “It’s not just an afterthought,” he says. “It’s an event.”

Raspberry and Mascarpone Cheese

Stuffed French Toast is a showstopper itself, with creamy mascarpone, tart raspberries, and brioche bread. “This is one of my go-to dishes that brings joy to the entire family. It’s a perfect brunch treat for Mother’s Day, as well!”

Keep things simple and use quality local ingredients where you can. “Try using different types of bread or substituting raspberries for any other berries for a unique twist.”

Raspberry and Mascarpone

Stuffed French Toast Serves 4

227g mascarpone cheese, cold

⅓ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

330 g fresh raspberries (plus extra for topping)

1 brioche loaf, cut into 2.5 cm slices

1 cup (250 mL) whole milk

3 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp fine sea salt

Butter for frying French toasts

½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream, cold

1 Tbs granulated sugar

Maple or agave syrup, optional

1. Combine mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

2. Spread a generous layer of mascarpone filling on one side of each

brioche slice. Top with raspberries, then place another slice on top to make a sandwich.

3. Whisk together milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until fully combined.

4. Dip each sandwich into the batter, ensuring all sides are well coated.

5. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter, and cook each soaked brioche for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crispy.

6. Using an electric mixer, combine heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form and top toast with whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and a drizzle of maple or agave syrup. Best served warm with a fresh coffee or tea.

Keane Straub has travelled from Tofino to Charlottetown, sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.

Smoky, Meaty – and Messy

Cookbooks

to really sink your teeth into…

We get quite a few cookbooks sent to our offices each month and honestly, many don’t make the cut for inclusion in the magazine or earn our recommendations, but from time to time we start seeing a bit of a theme emerging and know we

Chuck’s Home Cooking

by Chuck Hughes

Montréal-based chef and personality

Chuck Hughes is a busy guy.

I’m going to start off with the back of the book and highlight the sweet stuff. There is a whole chapter called “Sugar Shack” that focuses on the most Canadian of ingredients – maple syrup. First off, what a great idea to spend a little attention there with Tire d’erable (p.205) a taffy of sorts made by reducing maple syrup and letting it set on fresh snow for a unique treat, but also “Maple Doughnuts” (p.211), and “Maple Baked Beans” (p.220) get a little love. Plenty of desserts are featured too that cover a good range of options ranging from decadent to sweet.

The bulk of Home Cooking is 10 chapters covering over 80 dishes, but most importantly, at least 2-3 dishes were flagged on my reading as things that my own, sometimes picky family would like –or that I’d plan to make for them. Brown Butter Scallops (p.166) called to me, but also a good recipe for Chicken Schnitzel

have a pile building up of great books that we don’t have room to cover in depth for most issues.

To solve this, this month we have recommended a bevvy of weighty and “meaty” tomes that sort of all seem to appeal to a demographic that seems

(p.181) and Braised Beef Short Ribs (p.189) is a crowd pleaser. But too, the selection of breakfasts, soups and stews, and vegetable sides was comprehensive, mouthwatering, and certainly got my family pumped up.

Chef Hughes has a gift for clear instructions and the recipes are well laid out too.

Perhaps best of all is that the dishes do reflect a Canadian palate, and while a little more eastern Canadian, ingredients should be relatively easy to find and work with. Penguin $40

Salt Hank “A Five Napkin Situation”

by Henry Laporte

Refreshing would be possibly the wrong word to describe this one, but it’s in some ways a brutally honest, brevity-rich book that lives up to its “A Five Napkin Situation” byline. Packed with salt-rich, fat-laden, flavour-driven dishes with plenty of grown-up words, admissions of failure and acknowledgements that some

to love grilling, love meat-centric (but not skipping the veggies or the sides), messier dishes, and big, flavourful, intense dishes.

Break out the napkins – you’re gonna need them.

people prefer things another way.

One example being the Bruschetta Brick Chicken recipe (p.129) that makes a salty and garlicky bruschetta which can be dialed down for a “worse” version.

If you are trying to cut down on the aforementioned salt or fat content in your diet, this might not be your best book to tell your doctor about, but man oh man, if you want some flavour in your meals, you’ll likely want to peruse this one. Thought of another way, all the books on these pages were shown to a small test group of middle-aged men who frequently cook at home or professionally, and ALL of them politely asked if when I was done with it – they could maybe have it. To hell with them – right? Penguin $45

Dinner in One Take by

Bo Corley

This was precisely the sort of cookbook to take your time looking through, as it was exceedingly easy (and foolish) to try to pigeonhole into a simple category of

book. This man, Bo Corley – apparently of @bothegoattv – knows how to cook, knows how to layer flavours and how to feed some hungry kids too. Almost every single dish inside is centred around animal-based proteins, which may cause consternation for some flavour fiends, but there is certainly a wide variety of dishes to explore. Importantly, many of these dishes offer variety and quick ways to add flavour. This really is about getting a great meal on the table when time is essential. Herb-Crusted Salmon (p.76) can be on the table in less than a half hour, and if potatoes are your comfort food, “Come to the Table Potato Skillet”, (p.96) would be pretty damn good after a “late night”. Everything is explained candidly with plenty of tips or fittingly called here “Cheat Codes”, things to avoid – and the reason why – when appropriate. But at the same time there is a fine variety between dishes that use the tools, spices, and appliances that we likely have already. Importantly, these are all meant to fill the need for quicker, weeknight dishes, but I’d think that you’d find a few of these will help on our still busy weekend meal planning. Harvard Common Press $33

Tastemaker – Cooking with Spice, Style, and Soul

by Scot Louie

Hey – we should all cook with a little more love and a little more “soul” and Tastemaker should appeal to all sorts who want to incorporate a little more Jamaican influences into their cooking. There are plenty of things to recommend in this one, and there is an excellent balance of veggie, seafood and yes, meaty dishes that can dial up the spice or bring a

bit of a sweat – what was most appealing is how many of these dishes have a different approach or would really work at a party or outdoor gathering. Many of these recipes would complement a cold beer or two, and almost all have a little more kick – case in point – think about the Garlicky Lemon Pepper Lamb Chops with Honey Glaze (p.99).

Honestly, the dishes that caught my eye the most were the breakfast and brunch dishes – and the desserts!

Weldon Owen $40

Modern Creole

by Eric Cook

New Orleans and its cuisine is rather exotic for most of us, and visitors to the city tend to rave about the food (and drinks) they experience. Chef Eric Cook – one of the leading lights in New Orleans cuisine, has assembled a collection of modern, flavourful, and family-worthy dishes that may excite the guests at your next gathering.

Starting things off are a number of fairly decadent cocktail and beverage options, but things rocket along quickly into some appetizers (in the chapter fittingly called “Cocktails and Yum Yums”), small bites and so on (seriously check out the Mini Chicken Biscuits with Crystal Honey Gastrique on p. 51) before moving along to some flavourful salads and soups, stews and one-pot cooking. Meat and seafood are covered diligently, but it’s the number and quality of the sides that really shine. Especially if your own cooking involves high quality ingredients simply prepared, and you want some real bangers to show off.

Plenty of spice and layered flavours are found here, with a special focus on seafood, but plenty of attention

is focused on soups and stews, along with some inspiration-worthy images that may bring some discussion about whether your eyes are bigger than your appetite – or vice versa. Gibbs Smith $53

Meat Pies

by Brian Polcyn with Michael Ruhlman

Honestly, I almost felt a little dirty perusing Meat Pies. It seemed EXACTLY what my Dr. or my family might suggest I avoid if I wanted to continue watching cholesterol, salt, or calories. But, on the other hand, it’s the melding of two great loves in dining, Meat and Pie.

Hell yeah! In reality, this is so much more. Covering everything from the dough or pastry needed and running the gamut from pot pies, (which are awesome!) tarts and galettes, but also yummy treats like turnovers – ample space is also given to making gluten-free versions. Finding only one or two dishes to recommend was a bit of a trick here as particular tastes will definitely come into play, but Wild Mushroom and Leek Pot Pie (yes, its vegetarian) on p.57 should pack in the flavour, and my family has already flagged for me to make the “Post Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie” on p.133. Hopefully my doctor doesn’t read this and see my plans to dig into some Individual Duck Confit Pies (p.146) one night soon. Not to worry either, there are things for the red meat fans, but also poultry, seafood and some vegetarian options too. Exceptionally well photographed throughout and a rather inspiring selection of dishes for crowds big and small, rewarding those that want to make something that looks insanely good at the table. Highly recommended. Norton $54

Lamb Kofta Burgers

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

Burger season is upon us, and I couldn’t be happier. Who doesn’t love a big, juicy burger, loaded with all your favourite toppings? While beef is usually my go-to meat of choice, I occasionally like to shake things up with spiced ground lamb, for an entirely different flavour profile. These burgers are giving me Middle Eastern kofta vibes and I’m totally here for it.

If you’re not familiar, kofta is a Middle Eastern dish made from ground lamb (or beef), mixed with onions, garlic, aromatic spices, and herbs. The mixture is shaped into balls, logs, or patties, then grilled and served with pita, hummus, and tahini. There are endless variations

Lamb Kofta Burgers

Makes enough for 8 burgers

900 g ground lamb

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely diced

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

3 Tbs finely chopped fresh mint

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp smoked paprika

1½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbs (30 mL) canola oil

Vegetables:

1 large eggplant, cut into 1 cm thick rounds

2 red bell peppers, thickly sliced

2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil

For Serving:

8 pita breads, warmed

1 long English cucumber, sliced

2 cups arugula, spinach, or lettuce

leaves

2 tomatoes, sliced

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

½ cup (125 mL) tzatziki

½ cup pickled red onions (recipe follows)

¼ cup fresh herbs such as mint, basil, or parsley

of kofta throughout the Middle East and into the Mediterranean as well. Ground nuts such as walnuts, pine nuts, and almonds can be added to the meat for a depth of flavour, as well as cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.

Cilantro is popular, but I like the freshness of mint and parsley in this recipe. Once the mixture is combined, you can shape it into burger patties and either pan-fry or fire up the grill. Either way is wonderful, and I can assure you that if you weren’t already hungry, one whiff of these cooking and your mouth will surely be watering.

The great thing about these Lamb Kofta burgers is how customizable they

are. Fresh cucumber and tomato slices are a must, but I quite like the addition of roasted (or grilled) vegetables as well. Pickled red onions add a lovely tang, and believe me, once you have them in your refrigerator, you’ll find yourself putting them on everything.

I swapped mayo for a creamy tzatziki, and slices of cheese for crumbled feta. Tuck in whatever greens take your fancy, as well as snippets of fresh herbs. While you can opt for traditional burger buns here, it’s fun to slide a lamb burger into sliced warm pita bread. Arrange all the toppings on a platter and let your dinner guests customize their burgers as they like.

1. In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, garlic, onion, herbs, spices, salt, and pepper. Shape into 8 burger patties and place on a plate. Set aside until ready to grill or pan fry.

2. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the eggplant and red pepper slices to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with generous pinches of salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Alternatively, if grilling the burgers, you can also grill the vegetables at the same time. Just toss the eggplant and red pepper in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss well, then grill until softened with slight bits of charred edges.

3. If grilling the burgers, preheat the grill and brush with canola oil. When hot, add the lamb burgers and cook for about 5 minutes per side. If pan-frying, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil. When it’s hot, add the burgers and cook for about 5 minutes per side. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.

4. Arrange the cooked burgers on a platter along with the warmed pita bread, cucumber, greens, tomato, roasted eggplant and peppers, feta cheese, tzatziki, herbs, and pickled onions. Let those gathered at your table build and customize their own burger to their liking.

Pickled Red Onions

Makes about 2 cups

1 large red onion, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then sliced into thin half moons

¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)

¼ cup (60 mL) white vinegar

1 Tbs (15 mL) honey

1½ tsp salt

½ tsp yellow mustard seeds

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

2 whole garlic cloves

1. Pack the sliced onion into a pint jar.

2. In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup (125 mL) water and everything else except the garlic cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat then pour over the onions.

3. Tuck in the garlic cloves. Use a spoon to press the onions under the liquid.

4. Let the onions come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover with a lid and refrigerate.

The pickled onions will last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Renée Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon. Her two cookbooks ‘All the Sweet Things’ and ‘Vegetables: A Love Story’ have won awards and been on best-of lists.

Burwood Distillery Creates Hub for Local Makers

BY LUCY HAINES

Jordon Ramey and his business partners have always been focused on the hyper-local aspect of running a distillery, using Alberta ingredients like honey and malted barley for a line of spirits under the Burwood Distillery banner. It’s really the company’s calling card – unfettered access to prairie honey (thanks to partner Marco Cilic, who happens to be a beekeeper), creating award-winning whiskies and rums (plus liqueurs, gins, and canned cocktails) for an eager consumer.

But the uniquely honey-focused products are just one thing that sets this nearly ten-year-old business apart. Burwood is a leader in the craft beverage field, (Ramey is on the board of the Alberta Craft Distillers Association, for one thing), helping grow the industry at an uncertain time, given the recently instigated trade war. Ramey’s impulse to focus on interprovincial (and international) trade – of creating an Alberta experience for spirits lovers in the breadbasket of the country – hasn’t just been happenstance,

Burwood Distillery is an intentional hub for other entrepreneurs, in a Calgary heritage building bringing like-minded creators and patrons together to support and promote their love for Alberta-made spirits and brews.

In 2022, the AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis) reported 47 licensed craft distilleries in the province, a huge increase from just seven in 2016. Burwood was one of the early leaders, forming in 2016 soon after Ramey (who is a dual US citizen, earning a PhD in microbiology in that country), found himself running the brewmaster program at Olds College.

Meeting Croatian brothers Ivan (dubbed ‘the hand slapper’) and Marco Cilic (beekeeper) was a game-changer for Ramey. In the pair, he found similar passions – a chance to collaborate and celebrate Alberta agriculture when the frontier of craft distilleries was just opening up.

“I’ve done what I was going to do,” Ramey says simply, recalling how the trio just bought a still and took the plunge.

“At first, I’d teach during the day (at Olds College) and then in summer, go fulltime distilling. We were a good startup, and adding the step of barrel aging made us unique. We pushed the boundaries, combining classic whisky-making styles with new and innovative techniques. It definitely brought something new to the world of spirits.”

Ramey says the trio grew the business themselves, working pretty much for free the first couple of years. Then, as many Canadian entrepreneurs do, Burwood made an appearance on Dragon’s Den in 2020. Even though the partners got an offer from the Dragons, they chose to go another way.

“We turned that down; we decided to crowdfund instead, again back to that local focus. We got 179 investors and moved to the Stables on Currie Barracks; a great historical space built in 1936. With Burwood Distillery and Vaycay Brewing (run by some of Ramey’s former students), it’s a functional craft beverage production facility. There’s a home brew

retailer too, Grapes to Glass – and a classroom space,” Ramey says. Burwood’s space at The Stables sees two traditional wood fermenters and double pot stills (1,800 litre and 3,000 litre) that do the job of creating heady spirits to fill some 45,000 bottles each year.

“There’s such a community aspect to it all,” adds Burwood’s marketing manager Tyler Hill, pointing to the company’s brewpub, Veranda, at the Stables (a vibrant, casual space where people can do a tasting and take a tour, enjoy some local fare – even sign up for a class on gin making). As the business has expanded, so has the core team at Burwood – Hill is the marketing man, Eric Gillespie is head distiller, plus there’s a sales team, staffers at the brewpub and farmers’ markets in Edmonton and Calgary, and more. “From the start, everything has been aspirational; from a 300 square foot start to this new space and central location, with a patio –it’s what the owners envisioned, a place to tell their story and really connect people with what we do.”

What Burwood has been doing since its start (moving to its current digs in 2022), is growing its lineup of whisky and aged spirits, a line of gins, old world ‘European’-style spirits – even liqueurs, cocktails and canned mojitos, a vodka soda, and a haskap and honey summer sipper. From the company’s sherry caskaged single malt whisky to an impressive made-in Canada honey spiced dark rhum, the company is doing innovative and award-winning turns at international competitions, at farmers’ markets

(Calgary’s Crossroads Market, in Red Deer’s Gasoline Alley, and at Edmonton’s Bountiful Market), plus online and retail sales throughout the province. At the distillery, patrons regularly sign up for cask-blending or gin making classes – it has even hosted weddings, funerals and pop-up events.

“Brown grains are our focus. We’re working with the University of Calgary to do something with a honey/molasses fermentation – the honey tar in the box that is usually thrown out. But there’s a deeply flavoured, waxy product there. It’s neat to do things like that in southern Alberta, collaborating again, but also to recreate a tropical fermenting environment–island style – right here,” says Ramey. “We know honey is our niche, and we’re blending with it from start to finish. That puts us in a category with maybe ten other distillers (globally).”

Along with Burwood’s cask club of community members who invest in and help grow the company, the business continues to work with others. Currently, Burwood is part of a fundraiser with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and its Hammie’s Own-named spirits and merchandise. A second fundraiser with the PPCLI for Burwood, the special edition product is a tribute to those who occupied the Stables that Burwood now calls home for 50 years. Beyond that, there’s a spring garden party and gin making classes around Mother’s Day – more of the celebration of homegrown happening at Burwood Distillery.

“The world of spirits is centralized with

mega corporations, but we want to be the opposite of that. We’re an official tourist destination now – crafting connections and distilling memories,” Ramey adds. “Alberta produces more honey than all Canadian provinces combined. Why aren’t we the worldwide epicentre for what is in abundance, what we’re known for here –rye, wheat, barley, and corn? Local is a way of life for us, and we want people to get excited the same way we are. We need to be investing in ourselves.”

Lucy Haines is a long-time freelance writer, specializing in travel, food, arts and entertainment. When she isn't writing, Lucy is a busy mom to four fantastic kids, and enjoys singing and performing in the local community theatre scene.

gh Garlic

The Elegant Loop above the Bulb Scapes

BY MORRIS LEMIRE

For thousands of years garlic was foraged both for its medicinal properties and as a culinary delight. Understandably, much has been written about the plant and a good deal of it, utter nonsense. No, it doesn’t scare off vampires. Although along the same vein, a New York joke (c.1905) around the time the subway was being built went like this: “A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat.”

For a crop that is such a star, very little is written about the green portions above ground – the leaves and scapes. Many don’t know that all parts of the plant are edible, and there are good reasons for this. Grocery stores don’t carry the green bits, in part because they require hand harvesting - which is expensive, and once cut they need care. Contrast this with the main event, the bulb. The garlic bulb is harvested by machine. It is easy to package and ship, and it stores very well for up to a full year.

Many years ago, before global food distribution and modern medicine, when people lived with the land, the first greens of spring were anxiously awaited, not just for fresh food, but also to prevent scurvy. Basically, an affliction resulting

from a deficiency of Vitamin C, scurvy was a late winter disease in the northern hemisphere that persisted among the poor, well into the early 1900s. Over the years, folks learned the importance of the first greens of spring, like chives, dandelions, and especially garlic leaves and scapes. The bulb came months later.

There are two main types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Grocery store garlic is predominately softneck, a mono crop, mass produced for the international market.

The advantage of softneck’s year round availability is offset by reduced nutritional value, compromised flavour, and a complete lack of varietal choice.

The advantages of the hardnecks are the exact opposite: a wider range of varieties, like the Rocomboles, that offer more flavour profiles and greater culinary interest, including the very tasty, beautiful scape. Keeping it simple, the scape is part of the stalk that supports the flower head. When young, it twists and turns, forming an elegant loop before straightening up and shooting for the sky. Cunningly, only hardneck garlic grows a scape.

Hardneck garlic, genetically closer to wild garlic, is preferred by gardeners

and small farmers who supply our local farmers markets. If you don’t have access to a garden, check out your local farmers’ market. But keep in mind that garlic scapes are available in Alberta from about mid-June, until the third week of July, depending on where you live. Don’t be shy to phone around and ask who provides scapes, and when they are available.

Have you ever given any thought to growing your own garlic? Now is a good time to start. Any sunny corner of your yard will do. All you need is good seeding stock, which you can get from Apache Seeds in Edmonton, or The Botanist in Calgary. Three bulbs are selling for $20. If you buy just three hardneck garlic bulbs at a farmers’ market, each bulb will have seven to eight cloves, giving you about 24 cloves total. Every clove, when planted, will produce a new bulb, each with a scape. That will give you enough scapes to make the recipe below.

In Alberta, garlic is usually planted in the fall, but you can plant in the spring. Tip: mimic mother-nature by putting your bulbs in a cold fridge for a week or so. Once planted, they will come up a little later than usual, but you’ll still have better stock than you can buy at the grocers.

And yes, garlic can be grown in a pot, so if you are an apartment dweller you can experiment with different varieties and try both the leaf and the scape. Modern research has shown that cutting just one leaf off the garlic plant reduces bulb size by 17 percent. Little wonder that commercial growers seldom, if ever, offer the leaf. Ironically, cutting the scape has the opposite effect. The energy that would have grown the scape, now goes directly to the bulb, resulting in more garlic. In response to the science on leaf cutting, a gardening friend says, “just plant more garlic”.

Garlic scapes can be used in just about every way the onion family allows. They are particularly flavourful in stir-fries. With a quick sauté, they work in a risotto, or as a garnish in soup. If you use them in an omelette, softly crush them with a spoon and sauté with whatever other flavours you are using, mushrooms perhaps.

Our recipe here is for pesto, where it offers a mild garlic flavour with a grassy hint of asparagus; absolutely lovely on a vegetarian pizza. Experiment and have fun!

Garlic Scape Pesto

Makes about 2 cups

450 g garlic scapes, roughly chopped

½ cup pine nuts

¾ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 cup (250 mL) extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 Tbs (15 mL) fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

To taste salt and ground pepper

1. Put the chopped scapes, pine nuts and cheese into a food processor, and pulse for several seconds.

2. With the food processor running, slowly pour the EVOO into the above mix. Tip: Use a good oil from a designated area. Look for DOC on the label.

3. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes (if using), and the salt and ground black pepper.

4. To keep long term, freeze in ice-cube trays. Silicon trays make it easier to pop the pesto cube out. Once frozen, transfer to a sealed plastic bag. Your pesto will keep well into the winter.

Morris Lemire lives in Edmonton where he spends the summer gardening and winter skiing. He likes winter, in part, because citrus is plentiful. He uses citrus in everything from marmalade to preserved lemons, cocktails to meringues.

Smooth Operator

Ionce wrote that avocados were the cashmere sweater of foods. Luxurious, smooth, hard-to-find and expensive. Well, you can find avocados in every grocery store now, their taste still feels luxurious, and they are still expensive - but worth it as long as you get to enjoy every last morsel of that golden, creamy flesh.

But how do you get the most out of your avocado?

First is to pick your avocados at the stage that suits your needs. Most often they arrive hard and underripe at the grocer. You can buy them at this stage and set them on your counter and wait for them to ripen in three to five days.

“Just about ripe” avocados will feel softer in your hand. These you want to buy if you want to enjoy it in a day or two.

“Just ripe” avocados will yield to gentle pressure but not leave an indent. Now it’s ready to eat.

Inevitably, you will find yourself with an overripe avocado or two. At this point you can use it for your smoothie - don’t let that beauty go to waste. If you can’t use it right away, then cut it up and freeze it to enjoy as part of your favourite smoothie blend or as a base for “nice cream”.

Want to hasten the ripening process? Place your avocado in a paper bag with a banana and seal it. It should ripen in a day or two. If you want to slow the over ripening, as soon as the avocado has ripened, place it in the refrigerator and that should slow it down slightly so you can get an extra day or two at peak ripening.

How do you keep your cut avocado from browning too quickly?

Firstly, browning is a natural process resulting from a chemical reaction called oxidation. There is no harm in eating the browned avocado. It’s just not as

pretty. Once an avocado has been cut, polyphenol compounds are exposed to oxygen and in turn convert to melanin which is a brown pigment. This is why just the exposed part of the avocado turns brown while the underneath is still yellow.

There are two main ways to minimize the browning process.

- Add acid: add lemon or lime juice to the exposed surface of the avocado.

- Minimize the exposure of the avocado to oxygen: the easiest way to do this is to cover the avocado with plastic wrap by pressing it completely firm onto the surface of the avocado.

Avocados have a subtle flavour and can always handle a touch of salt. However, they really shine when it comes to their creamy texture. Whenever you are looking for something smooth and creamy to balance out your meal, think avocado.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIE FINDLAY

Greek-Style Stuffed Avocado

Greek-Style Stuffed Avocado

Fills 2 avocados

1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

8 olives, halved

1½ tsp (7 mL) olive oil

5 leaves basil, finely sliced

2 Tbs feta, finely crumbled

1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice, plus extra for coating avocado

To taste sea salt

2 avocados

Garnish lemon zest

1. In a medium bowl, add the quinoa, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, basil, feta, and lemon juice. Gently stir to mix all ingredients together.

2. Season with salt if needed.

3. Cut two avocados in half and coat with lemon juice. Stuff each avocado with the mixture. Add lemon zest to garnish.

Note: make sure to serve with more of the quinoa mixture on the side to refill the avocado.

Shrimp, Mango and

Avocado Salad

Serves 4

450 g shrimp

2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil

¾ tsp paprika

¾ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp cayenne powder

8 cups arugula (or other lettuce blend as you desire)

150 g mango, cubed

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ sweet pepper, diced

¼ cup (60 mL) lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbs (15 mL) lime juice

1½ tsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard

1 tsp (5 mL) honey

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch sea salt

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

2 Tbs parsley, finely chopped

1½ avocados, sliced

1. In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the shrimp, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and cayenne powder.

2. Cook approximately 2 minutes each side. Swirl around the shrimps to make sure they are coated in the spices. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, add the arugula, mango, red onion, and sweet pepper.

4. In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and zest, lime juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic and sea salt, and whisk to combine.

5. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust to desired taste and add the parsley.

6. Add the shrimp and avocado to the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Lightly drizzle over some dressing and gently stir.

Matcha Avocado Chia Pudding with Strawberries

Makes 5 snack size servings

½ avocado

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp matcha

1 Tbs (15 mL) honey

4 Tbs chia seeds

10 strawberries, stem removed

½ Tbs sugar

½ lime, zest and juice

6 leaves mint

1. In a blender, add avocado, coconut milk, matcha and honey and blend till smooth. Pour into a glass container and add the chia seeds.

2. Stir immediately and every 30 seconds or so to keep the chia seeds from sticking together in a lump. You want the seeds to disperse among the liquid. Keep doing

this for about 5 minutes. Place in the fridge to chill.

3. Dice strawberries and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries and leave to macerate.

4. Once you are ready to enjoy, add the lime juice and thinly sliced mint leaves into the strawberries.

5. Dish out the pudding and top with the strawberry mixture.

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer, and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.

Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Salad

Matcha Avocado Chia Pudding

13th Annual

2025 ALBERTA BEVERAGE AWARDS

A clean, blind tasting methodology where only the best drinks will rise to the top. Judged by leading Alberta sommeliers, retailers, and beverage media, who know the preferences of the Alberta market. Visit culinairemagazine.ca / ABA to enter your products 2025

OPEN TO ANY:

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SAKE < LIQUEUR < NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES < RTDs

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JULY 2

Judging July 14, 15, and 16

COMPLETE Results are published with photos and prices in October

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tom@culinairemagazine.ca

R RIGHTEOUS RYE’S TIME TO SHINE

BY TOM FIRTH

ye has been used for millennia to fill hungry bellies, and by extension - whet thirsty palates. But, it’s really in the last few decades that things have been taking off again. In the United States, seemingly as an alternative to bourbon (being corn-centric), but also as more distilleries expanded out of the corn belt during the craft boom, and fueled too by America’s love of Canadian whisky (more on that another time), but also bringing to the fore a bigger, fuller, and yes - spicier spirit, to drive cocktail creation and expand the offerings to consumers. Canadians owe their love of rye in whisky to Dutch and German settlers who brought the hardy, long-stemmed cereal over with them, and it was these same settlers who likely started adding a little rye into the mash for whisky, making for a little extra “oomph” and flavour. Adding a “little” rye to the wheat and barley, and corn to the mash, is operative as rye is a bit of a pain in the ass to work with. The “mash” for those interested, is a bit like a porridge that is fermented (like making beer) and later distilled. Rye contains more complex polysaccharides, and most distillers try to get some of the rye flavours into their whiskies without too many of the rye drawbacks. Keith Robinson of Canmore’s Wild Life Distillery shares that, “Rye can be challenging to work with as a grain but the flavour that flows from the still makes it all worth it… using the right combination of enzymes to break down the starches present in the rye grain, you can successfully convert starches to sugars that are fermentable.”

Most rye produced in Canada comes from the Prairie provinces, with smaller amounts coming from Ontario and Quebec, but it’s the cold-hardiness and ability to grow in a shorter season and in less fertile soils that are part of the appeal for farmers. Geoff Fischer, of the Country Malt Groups, explains that “Rye whiskey, in general, has been experiencing a resurgence in the last decade. Distilleries are looking at heirloom, regional sources of rye and experimenting with different inclusion rates, yeast strains,

and barrel finishing techniques. Craft distillers are even embracing specialty ryes such as Crystal Rye, Biscuit Rye, and Chocolate Rye to create unique profiles.”

According to Kensington Wine Market’s globally recognized whisky expert, Andrew Ferguson, “Rye is one of the most difficult grains to work with, but it also produces one of the most flavourful spirits. Whether it is distilled straight, or in a mixed mash of grains, rye gives the resulting spirit a rich, oily, and spicy profile.”

“I think Canadian rye (100 percent rye) is one of the most exciting categories of Canadian whisky for consumers right now, and I expect we’ll see producers and brands continue to respond to that. We still struggle from confusion in the category that the terms “rye” and “Canadian whisky” are interchangeable,” says Alex Hamer of Artisan Distillers Canada, adding, “This isn’t a criticism of brands that chose to call their whiskies rye, as this has been a tradition for a long time, but as the diversity in the market changes, and consumers come to expect more transparency, we may find this impacting the category in some way or another.”

Canada in some ways is at a turning point for its whisky production. Canadian whisky doesn’t have to actually contain any rye in it at all, though historically it was more of a nod to some of the spicier flavours (often coming from rye) in our whiskies. Producers likely need to focus on updated labelling, clearly sharing their grain content for their whiskies, but also even borrowing from the wine world and discussing the terroir of their whiskies. Site and situation – what are you doing that makes yours so special? So too would producers benefit from updated regulations from both provincial and federal regulations – clearly identifying what makes a whisky “Canadian” and what makes it a rye whiskey FROM Canada.

Now is the time for distillers to lead the way and show both domestic and international markets that right now, we are in the renaissance of rye spirits.

Rye the Rockstar!

BY TOM FIRTH AND LINDA GARSON

Naturally, it’s impossible to talk about all the great rye bottles being produced these days, but here we have tried to focus primarily on Canadian examples. There are all manner of wonderful, complex examples being made all around the world, and worth seeking out.

If ordering online or from other Canadian provinces, we might suggest looking for brands like Alberta’s Troubled Monk’s GrainHenge, BC’s Sons of Vancouver or Stillhead, Saskatchewan’s Last Mountain, Ontario’s Lot 40 and Forty Creek, and fine rye spirits from further east (including Europe too). It’s a bold new world for rye lovers.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise “Untamed”

Rye Whisky, Canmore

Mmm… just inhale the sexy sweet brown sugar aromas in your glass and you’ll be a fan before it even reaches your lips!

Launched at the end of 2023, this collaboration with Canmore’s Wild Life Distillery has produced a spicy rye whisky with honeyed notes, just a touch of mint, and is that black pepper we detect? Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise chose their barrels of rye and then it was aged it in white oak for 3½ years. Worth a trip to the mountains…

CSPC 892128 $45 (200 mL)

Park Distillery Maple Rye, Banff

Formally bearing the moniker of spirit, rather than whisky, this youthful, rye-based bevvy is also made with Quebec maple syrup, bringing together a few Canadian icons, the Rocky Mountains and Banff, maple syrup, and if you wish, our history of prairie grains and agriculture. Bottled at 30 percent ABV this liqueur is surprisingly good with rich, dark syrup notes, a spicy kick, and not too much sweetness either, and a bracing, spicy finish. Loads of versatility for the creative types, but this might make some fun desserts too for the bold.

CSPC 811638 $62-69

Eau Claire Stampede Canadian Rye Whisky

Diamond Valley

One of the leaders in Alberta’s craft distilling resurgence, Eau Claire is 100 percent worth a visit (a short drive from Calgary) and 100 percent worth trying. Their Stampede Rye is a little peppery on the nose with toffee and cereal characters, and bottled at a sipping-ready 40 percent ABV. Speaking of sipping, on the mouth – where it really matters – it’s smooth, spicy, and showing off versatility for sipping and mixing.

CSPC 858674 $40-44

Broken Oak Alberta Rye Whisky

Grande Prairie

New to this taster, but a finely crafted rye whisky with a little extra oak presence. Mild notes of honey and spice with subtle floral scents under the less subtle oak and rye aromas. Packing

a really spicy kick that persists through the very long finish, but opens up further towards the finish with peppercorn spice and some Asian spices too, finishing with a crème brûleé dessert richness. Mighty tasty. This one can also be ordered from the Latitude 55 distillery website.

CSPC 890378 $56-60

Alberta Premium Canadian Rye Whisky Calgary

A modern classic for Alberta palates, Alberta Premium’s 100 percent rye whisky is a staple at home and on the back bar. Lifted aromas of coffee, toffee, and lemony fruits, the rye aromas bring hints of buttery spices and candlewax. Finely weighted in the mouth, it’s got everything one needs in their rye. A fine choice for sipping by the fireside, but also an easy part of the drink for rye and coke fans too.

CSPC 984 $23-27

Pivot Spirits Rye Whisky, Rolling Hills

Master Distiller Lars Hirch has been playing around to great effect with a number of locally sourced Alberta grains (including spelt, and triticale, alongside wheats and barleys) like their own, high yield rye. Bottled at 46 percent it’s remarkably mild on the nose with honey and flowery aromas peeking from behind the toffee and spice. Big and brassy in the mouth with a lighter mouthfeel, but finely balanced between the spirit and fruit notes. Mixes very well, but the nod might go towards enjoying as an end of day sipper.

CSPC 103744 $75-80

Wild Life Rye Whisky, Canmore

This is Wild Life Distillery’s third release of their rye whiskey, (available in our stores from a couple of months ago) - and just like the last, made from 88 percent rye and 12 percent barley. Even at nearly 46 percent ABV, it’s really easy to sip and enjoy, with a delightfully figgy sort of sweetness that keeps you going for another sip.. and another… and the spice from the rye appearing just at the finish. One for those cool nights round your fire pit!

CSPC 886180 $78-85

Ninety 20 Year Old, Calgary

It’s heavy bottle time (super heavy bottle!), but while you might need strength to pour it, even bottled at 90 proof (45 percent ABV), it needs little or nothing added to enjoy the tropical fruit, banana, and baking spice aromas that follow through onto the palate. The multi-distilled spirit lounges around in charred oak barrels for 20 years, and if that’s not enough, it spends a mini vacation in sherry barrels for six months before bottling, creating a rich and mouth-coating, rather good value sipper.

CSPC 755637 $72-80

Ninety 5 Year Old, Calgary

Like it’s older brother, Ninety 5 year is also in a super heavy bottle, albeit a completely different shape and appearance, and also bottled at 90 proof (hence the name), but now benefits from a drop of water or mixer to soften the bite, mellow the sweetness from the corn, and bring out more of the minty flavour. The 5 year would make a wonderful base for Mint Julep, Whiskey Smash, and Cloverleaf cocktails to really complement, and enhance, the flavours inherent in the whisky.

CSPC 756489 $30-33

Centennial Canadian Rye Whisky, High River

And from Highwood Distillers (who are now in their 51st year!) comes Centennial Rye, a small batch, limited production whisky made from a blend of rye and winter wheat from family-run Twin Valley Farms, near Nanton, whom they’ve partnered with for more than 15 years. Aging 10 years in bourbon barrels gives a lovely, mellow dram, all honey and toasty notes up front and a hint of spice on the finish. An elegant, smooth operator.

CSPC 387209 $28-32

Alberta Distillers Reifel Rye Whisky, Calgary

I’ve had this more than a few times now, and this banger is made with about 90 percent rye grains giving it loads of that spiciness that rye fans crave. Slightly smoky, with dark chocolate, vanilla, and nuttiness on the nose, it’s a little hot on the palate – but only a little – with fine interplay between tannin and cocoa, cereal and spice. Absolutely delicious, and a fine homage to the Reifel name. (Look it up)

CSPC 869179 $45-50

And from out of province…

Dillon’s Small Batch Vodka, Ontario

It may seem odd to use rye – known for its flavour – in a spirit often prized for its neutrality, but this is a match destined to be together. Made with 100 percent rye grains, the nose is light and slightly mineral, with only a little heat and pepper. Smooth and neutral – in the right way, with excellent mouthfeel and a graceful finish. Easy to enjoy neat, chilled if desired, but makes an excellent vodka mule too. A fine base for mixed drinks in the summer months.

CSPC 873928 $34-37

Old Hunter’s Selection 7 Year Old Rye Whisky

Czech Republic

Coming from the Green Tree Distillery (obviously, it’s different in the Czech language) with over 500 years of operation, you’d be correct in thinking they’ve figured a few things out in that time frame. A little bit of vigorous swirling, and leather and toffee aromas emerge with all those wonderful rye notes and bready bits too. Extremely well balanced, but with prominent – very prominent, spicy rye characters, this is an excellent sipper that your palate won’t tire of. Beautiful!

CSPC 893970 $42-48

Canadian Club 100% Rye, Ontario

The team at Canadian Club has been making rye whisky for a very long time, so while their 100 percent rye was a new addition eleven years ago, it’s no surprise that like their other Canadian Club whiskies, it follows suit with the signature smoothness, along with a little vanilla and baking spices, and just a hint of creamy, caramelized oak. Gently toasty and very much toned-down rye spice, so no need for dilution here or to hide it in a cocktail!

CSPC 767076 $29-32

Sortilege Canadian Rye Whisky Maple Wood Quebec

This is the sort of whisky where you wouldn’t mind if it snowed again so you can sit by the fire and look out of your window, and be so happy that you’re inside, sipping this sweet, smooth, and heart-warming drink. Sortilege Rye Whisky is made from corn, rye, and barley, and then after barrel aging for three years, it's macerated with toasted maplewood staves before bottling. And it makes all the difference; think about caramel, burnt brown sugar, a little smoke, a little spice... and all things nice.

CSPC 102308 $32-36

On Trend

- The Renaissance of Rye

BY LINDA GARSON PHOTOS COURTESY LOGAN COX, FINE PRINT

The added effect of the surging national pride in Canadian-made products has meant a renewed interest in rye whisky – it’s easily available, with a very wide variety of quality, local offerings in our stores.

We’re seeing this on cocktail menus, so we asked Logan Cox, Beverage Director/ Bar Manager of Calgary’s Fine Print, for his thoughts as to why rye is becoming more popular.

“Rye cocktails are definitely gaining popularity alongside the resurgence of craft cocktail culture,” he explains. “Bartenders and consumers alike

Press Release

2 oz rye whiskey

½ oz amaretto

2 dashes black walnut bitters

Garnish: toasted hazelnut

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for at least 30 seconds, then single strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

appreciate rye whiskey’s unique spice, sharpness, and depth, which allows it to stand out clearly in cocktails. Its distinctive, spicy, and bold profile sets it apart from sweeter bourbon styles, appealing to those seeking complexity and depth in their drinks.”

“Typical rye whiskey flavour profiles include notes of pepper, baking spice (such as cinnamon and clove), dry grain, subtle fruit, and sometimes hints of caramel or vanilla. These vibrant flavours make rye an excellent base for cocktails that are both balanced and memorable.”

“Also, classic rye-based drinks like the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, and Sazerac

Maple Whisky Sour

2 oz rye whiskey

1 egg white

¾ oz lemon juice

½ oz maple syrup

Garnish: brown sugar brûlée (heat brown sugar on a mixing spoon and drip it onto the top of the cocktail)

Start by adding egg white and lemon juice together in a shaker with no ice, and dry shake. Add the rest of the ingredients into a shaker tin, add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with brown sugar brûlée.

are now staples again, encouraging innovation in rye-based creations,” he adds. “Currently the most popular rye cocktail is likely the Manhattan, followed closely by the Old Fashioned. The Manhattan’s enduring appeal is due to its perfect balance of rye's spice, sweet vermouth, and bitters — resulting in a timeless and sophisticated cocktail.”

We asked if he could use his expertise and creativity to come up with three rye cocktails that we could make at home without having to buy a fridgeful of special ingredients. Many thanks to Logan Cox for creating these recipes for us.

Happy sipping!

Crimson Lowlight

1 oz rye whiskey

½ oz Giffard peach liqueur or other peach liqueur

½ oz Campari

½ oz Noilly Prat Rouge or other sweet vermouth

½ oz calvados

2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

Garnish: orange peel

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for at least 30 seconds, then single strain into a chilled coupe glass.

POINTS

Heritage always leaves a trace.

Over 120 years of winemaking tradition. One Family. The same passion.

James Suckling

and celebrating Rioja’s 100th Anniversary Finding Calgary's Best Rioja and Tapas Pairings

BY LINDA GARSON

The wine region of Rioja, in northern Spain, is celebrating its hundredth anniversary of Designation of Origin status (Spain’s first!), granted in 1925. And here at Culinaire, we’ve been celebrating with them by partnering for a competition to find the best Rioja wine and tapas pairing.

When you order a glass of wine in Spain, you’ll probably be brought a complimentary little snack or tapas; it’s not a meal or even an appetizer, just a way of starting your evening – and conversation – in a delicious, relaxed way. We wanted to adopt the idea here, so we invited over twenty restaurants to see how they fare offering a small bite at no charge to complement the flavours of the wine when guests ordered a glass.

We’ve been thrilled with the enthusiastic response from both the restaurants and from readers like yourself – it seems many of you have

really enjoyed trying the pairings in the different restaurants and discovered your new favourite wine at the same time! We heard that many so enjoyed the small bite with their wine that they ordered another, and many then ordered a full bottle of the wine to drink with their meal at the restaurants as they liked it so much.

It was a fascinating, lip-smacking journey, with more than 30 pairings spread across more than twenty restaurants (some groups really had fun with different offerings over multiple venues!). We couldn't do it alone, so myself and Carmel Loria, our newest member of the team and skilled taster, along with Clément Gallois of Wines of Rioja, who flew in for the competition, enlisted the help of two local food and beverage experts and writers too: Shelley Boettcher and Elizabeth Chorney-Booth.

“I was so impressed with all these Rioja wines — every wine, no matter the price

point, had plenty of character and they were all very approachable. What they did have in common was how well they all went with food,” says Chorney-Booth.

"I really loved experiencing the excitement and pride every participant had when presenting their pairings,” Loria says. “Honestly, they were all amazing!"

“It was wonderful to see the creativity and inspiration behind these pairings, which celebrated these beautiful wines so well,” says Boettcher.

What makes the perfect pairing? What were we looking for?

• The wine: is it a good choice for people who may or may not know wine? Is the price reasonable?

• The dish: was it delicious and tasty? Did it invoke the spirit of Spanish tapas even if it was different from classic Spanish bites?

• The presentation and the pairing: how good did it look? Was it enticing and

Modern Steak

Murrieta's Sumaq

presented well? Did the dish and the wine complement each other?

• And finally, with twice the weight of each of the previous categories, we asked ourselves how highly would we recommend this wine and tapas pairing to a friend. We take this very seriously, and if we’re recommending the best of the best, everything has to be first class –and consistently so.

We’ve split our awards into distinct categories:

• The highest scoring wine and tapas pairings

• Spanish Classics

Our Judges:

Shelley Boettcher wine and food writer and editor

• Taste Adventurers

It was an exceedingly close contest, and in many instances there was only a very small difference between pairings, which is why more weight is given to how likely the judges would be to recommend the wine and tapas at a particular restaurant.

We’re delighted to announce the winners of our competition, with a short quote from our judges to explain why it scored so highly.

Please check with these restaurants as many are offering the wine and tapas pairings throughout May too so now you can try them yourself!

Elizabeth Chorney Booth food writer/ contributor to CBC radio and Calgary Herald

Our highest scoring Rioja wine and tapas pairing:

Modern Steak

WINE: Cune Reserva

TAPAS: Mashed potato croquette with paprika, shaved chorizo, pickled pepper, and smoked paprika espuma

“Absolutely fantastic, really matching the fancy tapas bars in Bilbao or Logroño. If you want to visit Rioja or Spain without leaving Calgary.” CG

“It looks beautiful and tastes even more so, and it’s the perfect size for a tapa.” LG “Really, really good pairing. Good value, excellent wine, excellent pairing.” SB

“Would absolutely recommend. They understood the spirit of the assignment.” ECB

Highly Recommended Rioja wine and tapas:

(in alphabetical order):

Olea Restaurant

WINE: Beronia Reserva

TAPAS: House-made chistorra and cider marinated, pickled apple

“They very much understood the assignment. A very good ‘what grows together goes together’ pairing.” SB

Sumaq

WINE: Beronia Reserva

TAPAS: Adobo pork and sweet potato, salsa criolla, and huacatay (an Andean herb) sauce.

“Superb for the eyes and the mouth, The smokiness from the adobo pairs well with the oaky notes of the wine.” CG

Thai Sa-On

WINE: Montecillo Gran Reserva

TAPAS: Beef and potato masaman puff with peanut sauce and cucumber salad

“People may not think that Thai food and Spanish wine are a good match, but this will definitely change their mind!” ECB

Highly Recommended Spanish Classics:

(in alphabetical order):

Flora Euro Kitchen

WINE: Muga Reserva

TAPAS: Pan con tomate (tumaca) with serrano ham, garlic, and olive oil

“The most authentic tapa on the best homemade bread. Delicious, rustic, simple, very delicious – and generous!” LG

Clément Gallois representing Wines of Rioja

Linda Garson who eats and drinks for a living, and writes and talks about it

Carmel Loria jumping in with both feet for her first "best of" wine and food competition

Flora Euro Kitchen

Murrieta’s

WINE: Faustino Artist Series Crianza

TAPAS: Chorizo and Manchego croqueta with preserved lemon aioli

“It’s a lovely mouthful, and we’re not surprised that people are ordering it and then ordering another!” LG

The Artist Lounge

WINE: Otano Rioja

TAPAS: Roasted lamb chop with black cherry reduction

“Very good, very generous, and beautifully presented.” SB

Highly Recommended Taste Adventurers:

(in alphabetical order):

Hutch Café

WINE: Marqués de Riscal Reserva

TAPAS: AAA CAB tenderloin steak tartare

“A lot of effort on the tartare and its sauces. We can feel they want their customers to be impressed.” CG

Big Fish Open Range

WINE: Faustino Artist Series Crianza

TAPAS: Chimichurri shrimp on a corn

One-off Italian Winemaker Dinner at La Brezza, May 4

Fantini Boutique Wine Estates, from Abruzzo in East Italy, are with us for a one-off premium dinner in May!

French Flair Vine & Dine at Avitus

May 5 and May 20

Avitus’ casual wine bar is very very popular, and we have two six-course pairing evenings in May for an authentic French experience!

Vine & Dine at Sumaq

May 8, 13, and 28

Peruvian cuisine has a rich heritage, and we’re learning about it at Sumaq, over six pairing courses of authentic, traditional dishes!

Calabrese Vine & Dine at SS106

May 26

We’re coming to SS106 for six Calabresestyle paired dishes, and celebrating the social aspect of Italian life in Southern Italy!

Vine & Dine at Flora Euro Kitchen

June 11 and 24

Two June evenings at the new Flora Euro Kitchen for six pairing courses of authentic Spanish and Hungarian traditional dishes.

One-off Winemaker Dinner at NOtaBLE

June 13

We’re at NOtaBLE in June for one special night, with John Griffiths, of the prestigious Faber Vineyards in Western Australia.

One-off Champagne Winemaker Dinner at Modern Steak, June 17

Ultra-premium Champagne House, Domaine Palmer, is with us for one indulgent night at Modern Steak in June!

tortilla chip with fresh guacamole

“The pairing was perfect - salty chip with the fruity wine.” CL

Vin Room West

WINE: Muga Reserva

TAPA: Dry coffee rub petite tenderloin with a blackberry and cherry reduction

“The chef and somm worked together; the wine paired perfectly with the meat and the bitterness of the coffee.” ECB

In collaboration with:

Vine & Dine at Hutch Café

June 20 and 27

Now Hutch Café and Restaurant is open in the evening, we can come for two Vine & Dine six-course pairing dinners here in June!

Indigenous Cuisine Experience at Little Chief, July 19

A new, elevated and premium, sixcourse, creative and modern Indigenous summer Chef’s Table dinner in Little Chief’s private dining room!

Vine & Dine Wine Course

We’re bringing back our Wine Basics course in May/June (it sold out 60 times before Covid!) Let us know if you are interested in joining us?

See vineanddine.ca for full details, and email linda@culinairemagazine.ca to reserve your places, and to be included in our bi-monthly updates. We try to cater for all allergies.

Big Fish Open Range

Vin Room West

Hutch Café

Of all the forms of alcohol made in this world, beer undoubtedly allows for more different ingredients in its recipes than anything else. Even among its base of malt, hops, and yeast, there is much leeway. Then, after a beer is created, almost any herb, spice, fruit, vegetable, sweetener, or edible product can be added to it.

While historical beers often followed this path through the first several thousand years of brewing, when commercial brewing began a few hundred years ago, simpler recipes became the norm. That is, until craft brewing arrived in the 1980s. While they began simply enough with the pale ales and dark beers that were uncommon at that time, craft brewers also experimented with multiple styles and played around with different ingredients. Most craft brewers came from the small batch home brewing world, where almost anything goes. If your recipe didn’t work out, you can always dump it without taking too much of a hit.

Take a Walk Weird Side: PART 1 on the

BY DAVID NUTTALL

So, in this vein, many breweries started exploring long forgotten historical styles and seeing what works. Having a taproom allowed their customers to give them an instant review. By the 1990s, we started to see some of these beers appear on the shelves of stores, while brewers continued exploring all types of ingredients, resulting in some remarkably interesting beers.

What follows is just a short collection of these unusual beers that have appeared in the Alberta market. Some are only special releases, but any that you can currently find will have their CSPC code and price listed.

Dessert Beers

An astute combination of the right kind of malt, hops, and yeast can produce a beer that mimics common dessert flavours. However, what we are talking about here are beers that have actual desserts as part of their ingredients. Yes, a brewer can take a whole dessert and throw it into the mash.

The most common variety found is the pastry stout, since stout’s natural chocolate essence already gives it a head start. However, you may find beers with whole pies, cakes, custards, donuts, and more tossed in as ingredients. One example is Edmonton’s Town Square White Wedding where an entire wedding cake was tossed into the mash of a white stout. Sweet, rich, and decadent. Town Square White Wedding White Pastry Stout (Edmonton) CSPC 822250, $20 4 pk. cans

Oysters

In the 19th century, the term oyster stout became popular in Dublin and London due to how well the mollusc paired with the then new popular dark beer. Naturally, some brewers decided to combine the two and bring the real oyster stout to fruition. A few used oyster shells in the boil or during fermentation, while others added whole oysters.

When you taste the beer, you get the saline qualities of the oyster and notice how well it complements the dark roast qualities of the stout. Big Rock Oyster Stout was part of their special Canada 150 mixed pack, and a version from the Irish brewery Porterhouse also used to be available in Alberta.

Spruce Tips

Using spruce tips in a beer is not just some nouveau craft beer trend but has actually been around for centuries. Ancient Scandinavians began using them due to a lack of native hops and their descendents brought the practice over to North America. Both the British and the French settlers used spruce tips, with their high content of vitamin C, partially to ward off scurvy. The ingredient became forgotten as hops took over, until revived by the craft brewing industry.

The pale/golden ale is the most common style that uses them, where they provide a hint of sweetness and an unexpected citrus flavour, rather than the strong pine notes you would anticipate. Ironically, there are hops available that provide significantly more piney astringency than spruce tips do, so they are rarely used for that.

Most brewers source fresh, locally foraged tips, so the beer tends to come from breweries located near the trees. Since the tips first appear in late May, they are often released as spring/ summer seasonals. Look for examples

from Tofino and Three Ranges Brewing from BC, Yukon Brewing, and Alberta’s Rival Trade Brewing

Zero Issue Brewing Jotunheim Spruce Tip Pale Ale (Calgary), CSPC 863105

$19 4 pk. can

Grain Bin Ale Spruced Up (Grand Prairie), CSPC 855948 $5 473 mL can

Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

While fruit is now a common ingredient in beer, vegetables appear less often. This is partly because they aren’t as sweet as fruit, and partly because most vegetables don’t have a flavour profile that complements many beer styles. If a vegetal characteristic is present in a beer, in most styles it is considered a fault, so brewers tend to stay away from purposely adding them.

Aside from pickle beers there is not really much else. However, you can find sweet potato beers that are often spiced, akin to pumpkin ales. Carrot beers tend to be orange coloured, and with added vanilla, imitate the wellknown carrot cake dessert.

The Growlery Beer Co. from Edmonton brews a Maple Sweet Potato Pie Altbier, Hard Knox of Diamond Valley has From The Patch Carrot Cake Sour, and New Level (Calgary) makes Nitro Carrot Ale as special releases if you can find them.

Coedo Beniaka Imperial Sweet Potato (Japan) CSPC 898087, $5 333 mL

bottle

Steamworks Carrot Cake Ale (BC), CSPC 118484

$5 473 mL can

Next month we will look at some more interesting beers with unusual ingredients.

David has worked in liquor since the late 1980s. He is a freelance writer, beer judge, speaker, and since 2014, has run Brew Ed monthly beer education classes in Calgary. Follow @abfbrewed.

MAKING THE CASE Oh Canada!

By TOM FIRTH

Featherstone 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

While Canada Day isn’t for a few more months, patriotic fervour is stronger than ever, and making Canadian, crafting Canadian, and buying Canadian, is more important than ever. We all have choices in how we choose to spend our dollars, and being a small but noble country – like our national mascot – the beaver –we can’t produce everything we consume from within the country. It’s up to you personally to decide how much you do or don’t buy from friendly countries these days.

This month, if you are looking for some delicious – and locally made wines, we’ve got you covered. Last month we covered British Columbia for “BC Wine Month” and this month we are looking at Alberta, but also looking eastward all the way to Ontario and Nova Scotia. I hope you can try a few (or all) of these. Next month, we’ll return to some international bottles, but not to worry, we’ll find some more gems.

Find these wines by searching the CSPC code at Liquorconnect.com; your local liquor store can also use this code to order it for you. Prices are approximate.

Gehringer Brothers 2023 Old Vines

Auxerrois, Golden Mile Bench, British Columbia

Pinot auxerrois was never really a widely planted grape in BC, but there are a few that work with it successfully, and Gehringer Brothers can lay a longer claim to that experience than most – as proven by their 35 year old plantings of it. Abundantly tropical with all those fresh fruits that evoke the beach or sunny climes, but also pear, apples, and a bit of freshly made white bread on the nose. Slightly off-dry, the sweetness is subtle, but brings to the fore more of those lush, summery fruits. A tasty, crushable wine.

CSPC 171496 $20-24

Tom has been waxing on (and on) about wine, beer, and spirits for more than 25 years and freelances, consults, and judges on beverages all year long. He is the Managing Editor for Culinaire Magazine, and the Competition Director for the Alberta Beverage Awards.

A fresh, fun, and tropical sauvignon blanc with intense gooseberry, lime, and sort of mild jalapeño spiciness. A little bit of residual sweetness can also be found – about 5 grams, so it’s still quite dry, but a little softer and smoother rather than tight and zesty. A real banger for a hot day too, and a fine match with seafood or light snacks.

CSPC 89011 $23-25

This one can be a little hard to find as it’s close to out of stock at the winery, but still around at a number of retail options. I do have to say that every time I’ve tried the Stolen Harvest meads, I’ve found something that blew my mind. “Fruits of the Forest” is quite dry with softer, summery fruit aromas and a lifted blossomy floral flavour. Delicate, very pretty, and lightly chilled, it is a fine beverage to enjoy on a summery day. $40 or so at the winery and farmers' markets

Cloudsley 2022 Chardonnay, Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario

Carrying only about 20 percent new oak, this new to me chardonnay from Cloudsley checked off all the boxes. Clean apple fruits supported by a little pear skin but showing off fine mineral notes and delightfully restrained oak character. Polished, balanced and complex, with a fine weight about it, making for a good match with poultry or cream sauces. However, I liked this best on its own – and very lightly chilled. I’d love to see more chardonnays like this one.

CSPC 116703 $52-55

Stolen Harvest “Fruits of the Forest” Dry Melomel, Alberta

The right time of year to enjoy a rosé is anytime you want! A blend of cabernet franc and merlot, two grapes that can make pretty awesome pink wines, the nose was a little restrained at first but loads of orange, cherry and spice popped up soon enough. Zippy and dry, this was equally as good as a sipper as it was with lighter appetizers, and more delicate seafood dishes too. Pretty damn good.

CSPC 105950 $29-34

Benjamin Bridge 2023 Wild Rock White Nova Scotia

Benjamin Bridge has been changing perceptions of Nova Scotia wines around the world from the very beginning. Very happy to see the new line of easy-going and accessible wines here now, and this blend of ortega and sauvignon blanc is a little softer, more citrusy, and a little more floral than most sauv blanc blends. Serve this summer crusher lightly chilled and with all manner of seafoods, or lighter dishes.

CSPC 110222 $25-28

Featherstone 2023 Fizzios Sparkling Rosé, Ontario

We have a nasty habit of trying to compare every pinot noir to examples in Burgundy, but this stands proudly as an excellent pinot noir on its own. Sourced from four separate estate vineyards and spending about 18 months in French oak (about 20 percent new), what we end up with is a pinot bursting with fresh fruits, mild herbal leafy notes, and a graceful finish. Top shelf pinot noir that is a pleasure to drink.

CSPC 116705 $52-55

With some significant nods to Italy, this robust red blend should almost be thought of as a Super-Tuscan from BC. Mostly merlot with cabernet franc, about one fifth of the blend is cabernet sauvignon and a drop (four percent) of sangiovese. Packed tight and blessed with big tannins, big spice, and loads of fruit, supported by a core of complex earthy flavours too. Big, chewy, cellarfriendly, and tasty. A good wine to bring if steaks are on the menu, or maybe a brisket?

CSPC 768706 $47-52

If you ever get the chance to enjoy part of a summer in the Atlantic provinces, drinking rosé in sight of the water – it makes a great memory. This rosé is made from an undisclosed blend, with a little sweetness, and abundant summer berry fruits and mineral characters. This is the sort of fun wine that goes with casual enjoyment on a hot summer night with friends. Pairings are versatile, but this would be great with a bowl or two of crunchy, salty snacks.

CSPC 110223 $25-28

Although it’s been in Alberta for a little, the newest effort from the Speck Brothers perhaps best known for the Henry of Pelham wines, is brand new to me. A slightly more classical expression of chardonnay with abundant oak characters lending spice, vanilla, and buttery notes, the fruit still shows through on the nose. In the mouth, it’s a rich, full chardonnay that oak lovers will certainly enjoy. I’d pair this with creamy pastas, or some nicely brined poultry coming from the grill.

CSPC 105616 $21-24

Sometimes, the need strikes for just a great bottle of bubble that doesn’t break the bank and is just fun to drink. A blend of cabernet franc and merlot, getting the bubbles from the Charmat method (in a larger tank rather than individual bottles) and carrying some sweetness. Fizzios trends towards off-dry, fresh, clean berry fruits of raspberry and strawberry with a little citrus too. A beautiful treat for a warm afternoon.

CSPC 112126 $25-28

Make no mistake, Stratus has one of Canada’s iconic red wines. A Bordeauxesque blend of sorts led by cabernet franc, and merlot, and the rest of the gang, but including six percent tannat (?!?), and a drop or two of syrah. This monstrously good wine is blessed with intense, ripe fruits, a velvety mouth-feel and scads of balanced flavours that evolve over the experience. A pleaser for the palate today, it will also benefit from a few years in the cellar too. Buy a few if you can.

CSPC 847543 $67-72

Speck Brothers Family Tree 2022

“The Bootlegger” Baco Noir, Ontario Oh baco noir, a hybrid grape frequently appearing in Ontario vineyards (and to a much smaller extent in BC) that has been benefitting from better site selection and viticulture practices - in short, it’s getting better all the time. Case in point, the 2022 from Speck Brothers. Smoky cherry and raspberry jam on the nose with a lovely, earthy spice note complementing. On the palate, full and juicy with mild smoke and spice. I’d pair this like I would great zinfandel, something meaty, with a bit of fat too. Great pepperoni pizza comes to mind!

CSPC 105617 $22-25

Speck Brothers Family Tree 2022

“The Goat Lady” Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

La Stella 2023 La Stellina Rosé Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Cloudsley 2020 Pinot Noir Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario

Benjamin Bridge 2023 Wild Rock Rosé Nova Scotia

La Stella 2022 Fortissimo

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Stratus 2021 Red, Niagara Peninsula Ontario

Ariya Burmese Chili Bits

We’re really happy to see that these Chili Bits are available, and we can tell you about them too now. We tried them a couple of years ago, really liked them, and then couldn’t find them anywhere to buy! Win and Zinmar grew up in Myanmar and immigrated to Canada 22 years ago, but they missed their mom’s chili bits, and other favourite Burmese dishes, so they started serving them at Crossroads Farmers Market. They’ve grown since then, with more choices now too. A mix of crispy onion, chili flakes, crispy soy, and nuts, these crunchy, spicy toppings are ideal for sprinkling on rice dishes, pastas, eggs, and more! Around $8. See ariyaburmesefoods.com for stockists.

Seedlip Notas de Agave

Brunch Season

This year, we’re making Mother’s Day morning even more delicious! How, you ask? By whipping up some of the mouthwatering recipes from Chef Suzanne Vizethann’s new cookbook, Brunch Season. The book is packed with simple, fresh brunch ideas that let fruits and veggies shine as the true stars. Chef Suzanne expertly covers the basics — like how to make perfect bacon, scrambled eggs, and bagels — while also featuring brunch dishes to impress a crowd, like the asparagus frittata with goat cheese (p.42) or the pumpkin bread French toast (p.125). Gibbs Smith $53.

Seedlip’s first release in five years is a non-alcoholic agave alternative, and with a few store cupboard ingredients, makes some pretty darn good summer cocktails (and for Cinco de Mayo if you’re quick!). A blend of prickly pear, lime, and agave flavours, Notas de Agave also has hints of citrus and vanilla, and a little peppercorn heat right on the finish. We tried it with the excellent Pineapple, Lime, Habanero Mixer from Calgary’s Simply Cocktails (480 mL $15, simply-cocktails.com) and it was very good, but also as Ranch Water with just fresh lime juice and club soda, and it was still very good! Add a little agave syrup and a touch of lime, and there’s your alcohol-free Margarita. 700 mL $34-$38

So Easy So Good

When we flipped through Kylie Sakaida’s “So Easy So Good”, we immediately thought how perfect this would be for students or those new to cooking. As the title says, the recipes are so easy and really good - the meals are all flavourful and quick. Sakaida adds chapters on basic nutrition, balancing your plate, stocking your pantry and fridge, and the ever-important meal planning. We really liked the mason jar recipes that are useful for those on the go, and the simple but tasty, build a bowls. The sidebars are super useful too, identifying gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and more. Simon and Schuster $47.

Chef Bombay

25 years ago, Anis Jiwani (aka Mom) started making samosas in a little facility in Sherwood Park, and now the family has a 100,000 sq ft plant in Nisku where they make a range of 12 frozen Indian snacks and meals. We really enjoyed their veggie and chicken samosas, pakoras, and ‘Naanpanadas’ (mini empanadas made with naan dough) - they heat up in just a few minutes and are perfect for a crowd. Some come with a tamarind dipping sauce too. And the frozen meals are also so easyall our favourites are there: Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala, Vindaloo, Biryanis and more. Around $7, widely available.

Our

11th Annual

Culinaire Calgary Treasure Hunt

is Sunday May 25

Everyone has gone home a winner at our Culinaire Treasure Hunts and Taste Tours; they’ve been so popular that the spots sell out every year, so now we’ve planned a new and exciting “We’re Thrown for a Loop –Which Way to Go?!” World Taste Tour with new treats to enjoy. And it’s all in one location – just park up and walk, no driving across town!

You’ll answer questions to learn and enjoy different foods at each stop, and use your new knowledge and skill to complete the We’re Thrown for a Loop culinary puzzle to win fabulous prizes! And there are prizes for the best costumes, the

funniest team names, the funniest photos on social media... and lots more!

It’s another very fun and rewarding day, so grab a partner and sign up as a team of two, or sign up solo at culinairemagazine.ca/treasure-hunt.

Registration is now open

@culinairemag /CulinaireMagazine @culinairemag culinairemagazine.ca

It’s going to be another day to remember!

Jeff Matthews, owner of Expat Asia, found his passion for cooking at 12 years old, making sandwiches for his grandmother. “I really enjoyed cooking because my nanny encouraged me by saying, ‘You’re really good at this. That’s a great sandwich.’ And nobody had ever told me I did something really well. I guess because I was kind of a bad student, so it made me feel good,” he says.

After becoming the top student in his high school cooking class, and later working as a chef at Calgary’s Delta Bow Valley Hotel, Matthews received an unexpected offer — to cook for King Hussein of Jordan. So at just 22 years old, he packed his bags. “They fly me to Jordan, in the Middle East. I’m freaking out that I’m even in the Middle East. I go into this Marriott Hotel suite — top class,” he chuckles. “Met the king, met the queen, cooked for Queen Elizabeth, Saddam Hussein, Yasser Arafat, princes... all kinds of people.”

After his stint in the Middle East, Matthews returned to Calgary before heading to the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal for a year. But clearly, staying

...with Jeff Matthews

BY QUINN CURTIS AND LINDA GARSON

PHOTO BY DONG KIM

in one place wasn’t his thing… “We got an offer to work overseas in Australia for Hilton Hotels. So I went over to Hilton Hotels in the Gold Coast — a huge hotel with 3,000 rooms and 240 cooks in the kitchen. From there, I got transferred to the Jakarta Hilton, and the first night I got there, there was a banquet for 9,000 people.”

Calgary to Jordan, to Montreal, to Australia, to Jakarta… and the next stop in Matthews’ story: Bali. “I got transferred to the Bali Hilton in Indonesia. I stayed there for three years and then went on to become a chef at the Grandage, a privately owned boutique hotel in Bali. That was basically my cooking career, which spanned about 20 years,” he says.

His career then took an unexpected turn, and Matthews was asked by a friend who was starting a spa business in Bali, to help him in what became a thriving international venture. “When we sold the company, we had 85 spas in 24 countries and were doing a hundred million dollars a year,” he says.

“I retired at 59, came back, and my son Joel said, ‘Dad, the Indonesian food here sucks so bad. Let’s open a restaurant.’”

That's what brought him back to Canada, and that's how Expat Asia was born. “Dad builds a restaurant for his son and himself. We've been at Fresh and Local Market and Kitchens for six years now, and it’s been a great ride,” says Matthews. And very soon they’re opening a new restaurant “Ibu”, which means "mother" in Indonesian. It's named in honour of his late wife, the mother of his children. “It just made sense to name the restaurant after her, and all the other mothers who have passed down recipes through generations. Our recipes are a hundred years old. We modernize them, like we do at Expat, but with Ibu, it’s going to be at a much higher level.”

As for a bottle he's saving for a special moment, Matthews reminisces about road trips, driving through the US with no plans, no hotel reservations, just exploring the country. “We were in Oregon, which is a huge state, and we were driving across it. There were so many wineries. We happened upon this place called Sweet Cheeks,” says Matthews.

At Sweet Cheeks, he got chatting with the owner, who had been asked to find wine pairings for a friend’s restaurant in Washington. “He asked me to try some wines he wanted to pair with Asian food. So there we are at 10 o’clock in the morning, drinking wine that paired well with spicy food,” Matthews laughs.

“I bought one of each of the wines, and he goes, ‘This one here — this is the Sweet Cheeks Syrah. Drink it in 2028. Thank me later. Make sure you have it with a nice spicy meal.’ So, I’ve got two and a half more years to go until I open this baby up — with a nice Indonesian beef rendang,” Matthews grins.

SERVING GREAT TIMES SERVING GREAT TASTES SERVING GREAT TASTES SERVING GREAT TIMES

Welcome to the neighbourhood

Calgary’s vibrant Northwest offers a unique dining experience for your taste buds. The Borough Bar + Grill, located in University District serves up delicious North American flavours and creative drinks, sourced locally in a casual, contemporary atmosphere. Borough Bar + Grill offers a refined dining experience for groups of all sizes. From our relaxing lounge to our spacious dining room, or outside on our 4-season heated patio, we have seating for intimate dinners or social gatherings, large and small. You’re family to us, so stop by for a visit.

4011 University Avenue NW 403-210-0201 | boroughbar.ca | Free 3-hour underground parking

Two locations to serve you

Whether you’re overlooking the majestic Rocky Mountains in Canmore or perched at a table overlooking Calgary’s famed Stephen Avenue Mall, Murrieta’s Bar & Grill offers contemporary cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients created by our award-winning chefs. Whether you’re in Canmore or Calgary, we aim to make each visit a memorable dining experience for friends, family and colleagues. Looking to host an event? Then look no further, we can take care of that with our extensive event planning experience. Give us a shout. Calgary 403-269-7707 | 200 - 808 1st Street SW Canmore 403-609-9500 | 200 - 737 Main Street murrietas.ca |