Culinaire #8:3 (July/August 2019)

ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 8 NO.3 :: JULY/AUGUST 2019

SOAKING UPer! m m u S

PATIOS, GREAT EATS SIPS AND MORE! Drinks From Japan | Gelato! | Crab Alberta's Cakes & Lobster Rolls freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

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The Perfect Picnic Pair Grab and go delicious Be Fresh salads & flavourful kombuchas.

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SHO ONLI P NE IN-ST OR ORE

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VOLUME 8 / ISSUE #3 JULY - AUGUST 2019

Features 15

A Taste of Home There are many reasons to eat local food, so we’re exploring Local Food Week, and some of the farms and restaurants taking part.

by Daniel Bontje

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Gull Valley Greenhouses A large-scale tomato crop isn’t going to survive Alberta’s harsh climate, so the Tiemstra family found an alternative solution.

by Elizabeth Chorney-Booth

35 Brewery Patios We’re letting the sunshine in on some new locations for outdoor dining and drinking - brewery patios are popping up all over Alberta!

by David Nuttall

Departments 20 Keeping cool this summer

– with gelato!

by Diana Ng

42 Summer Sipping Rosé style

by Marcia J. Hamm

30 Getting Saucy The holy trinity to make at home

by Linda Garson

44 Konnichiwa!

Japanese drinks - not all are sake!

by Tom Firth and Linda Garson

32 Load Up Your Packs

Let’s take a hike!

by Natalie Findlay

46 Making The Case… for summer friendly wines

by Tom Firth and Linda Garson

38 Canning Season Time to put the corkscrew down?

by Tom Firth and Linda Garson

50 Open That Bottle Chef Darren MacLean of Shokunin

by Linda Garson

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Salutes and Shout Outs

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Off The Menu – Redheads Japa Café’s Shrimp Umani with Matcha Raifort Sauce

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Book Review – The Prairie Table by Karlynn Johnston

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Step by Step: Crab Cakes

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Chefs’ Tips and Tricks: Japanese Cuisine

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Spice It Up: Lobster Rolls

48 Etcetera...

On the Cover: Summer in the city means finding the best outdoor dining and drinking spots, so we’re thanking Edmonton’s Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, whose patio boasts beautiful views, fresh summer eats and great cocktails. And many thanks to Dong Kim for capturing that summer feeling – now we’re all thirsty!

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 3

Letter From The Editor For me, there’s a lot to love in this issue. I’m thrilled that we’ve maintained the increased page count, and I’m looking at tempting recipes from local restaurants as well as our recipe developers, that are easy for us to make at home too.

We’ve also devoted several pages to summer sipping, whether your preference is for wine, beer, or spirits – we have lots of suggestions for you!

We usually have suggestions for road trips in the summer, and we still do in this issue, but this year we’re focusing on knowing where our food comes and meeting the people who produce it.

It feels wonderful to be writing to you now that it’s summer; there’s a clear and bright blue sky above and a warm breeze on my balcony. I’m sipping a rosé from Provence and snacking on my freshly made chicken liver paté on toasted baguette, with my quick-pickled baby cucumbers – life is good!

Since we last chatted I’ve spent a week in Umbria, in Italy, as part of their government’s True Italian Taste project, getting to know more about authentic ingredients, territory food excellence, and protected designations of origin. (And while I was there I competed in a pasta-

making contest at the Università dei Sapori – and my dish won!)

This translates to Alberta too; it has never been a more important time to recognise and value our farmers, so our road trips this year are centred on getting to know your producers.

And now it’s time for our two major awards programs – Alberta’s Finest Drinks Lists Awards and the Alberta Beverage Awards – watch out in September and October issues for the results!

We still have places open for you on our 4th Edmonton Culinary Treasure Hunt but it’s booking fast, so don’t delay in snagging your spot at culinairemagazine.ca/treasure-hunt for one of the most fun and rewarding days you’ll enjoy this year!

I hope it’s an exciting and pleasure-filled summer, Cheers Linda Garson Editor-in-Chief

CELEBRATING EST.

60

1959

YEARS

SERVING ALBERTANS

Showcase our land at the dinner table.

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

Create seasonally inspired meals at home, everyday.

Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.

EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End

Italiancentre.ca CALGARY Willow Park

ALBERTA | FOOD & DRINK | RECIPES Editor-in-Chief/Publisher: Linda Garson linda@culinairemagazine.ca Managing Editor: Tom Firth tom@culinairemagazine.ca Multimedia Editor: Daniel Bontje web@culinairemagazine.ca Sales and Marketing: Chris Clarke 587-998-2475 chris@culinairemagazine.ca Denice Hansen 403-828-0226 denice@culinairemagazine.ca For Edmonton: Lorraine Shulba 780-919-9627 lorraine@culinairemagazine.ca Design: Little Blue Bug Studios Edmonton Contributors: Anna Brooks Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Natalie Findlay Marcia J. Hamm Renée Kohlman Mallory Frayn Dong Kim Karen Miller Diana Ng David Nuttall

To read about our talented team of contributors, please visit us online at culinairemagazine.ca.

Our Contributors < Elizabeth Chorney-Booth

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a freelance writer who focuses on stories about food and travel. In addition to writing for Culinaire and other publications, she is a Globe and Mail bestselling cookbook author, having contributed to two books with the Best of Bridge franchise. She’s also a regular contributor to CBC Radio and Calgary Herald. An avid traveller, Elizabeth lives in Calgary with her husband, two kids, and her ever-growing collection of vintage cookbooks.

< Mallory Frayn

Mallory is a food writer and PhD student living and learning in Montreal.

She loves to combine her two passions, food and psychology, to help people develop healthier relationships with food. Her site, becauseilikechocolate.com, aims to do just that (and obviously chocolate is always included). When she isn’t busy with research or writing, Mallory is most likely jogging, or eating (or both!) her way around Montreal.

Follow her @cuzilikechoclat

< Marcia J. Hamm

Contact us at: Culinaire Magazine #1203, 804 -3rd Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 0G9 403-870-9802 info@culinairemagazine.ca www.facebook.com/CulinaireMagazine Twitter: @culinairemag Instagram: @culinairemag For subscriptions, competitions and to read Culinaire online: culinairemagazine.ca

Marcia owns a wine consulting business Joy of Wine, running educational tastings in various venues. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits, and is one of only 13 Italian Wine Experts in the world through the Vinitaly International Academy. Her expertise comes from both passion and accredited learning. Marcia is truly a wine geek who considers wine a gift that must be shared!

All Trademarks presented in this magazine are owned by the registered owner. All advertisements appearing in this magazine are the sole responsibility of the person, business or corporation advertising their product or service. For more information on Culinaire Magazine’s Privacy Policy and Intention of Use, please see our website at www.culinairemagazine.ca.

All content, photographs and articles appearing in this magazine are represented by the contributor as original content and the contributor will hold Culinaire Magazine harmless against any and all damages that may arise from their contribution. All public correspondence, which may include, but is not limited to letters, e-mail, images and contact information, received by Culinaire Magazine becomes the property of Culinaire Magazine and is subject to publication. Culinaire Magazine may not be held responsible for the safety or return of any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other materials. Reproduction of this publication in whole or in part without written consent from Culinaire Magazine is strictly prohibited.

Shout Outs…

Congratulations to environmental scientistturned entrepreneur, Aja Horsley, of Drizzle Honey, who has received the Startup Canada Social Enterprise of the Year Award, Prairies Region! Drizzle also raises funds for Pollinator Partnerships, a not-forprofit who protect and promote pollinators and their ecosystems.

And to Good Earth Coffeehouse, who has opened their 24th Calgary café in the East Village, at the Verve condominiums.

This is the 49th location as they grow across Canada, offering Rainforest Alliance Certified, Organic, Fairtrade and Direct Trade coffees, and an extensive wholesome menu, prepared daily in their kitchens.

And also to long-time Canmore resident, Terry Jensen, on his first restaurant, The Sensory Restaurant and Wit Bar, now open in the Shops of Canmore - an exciting combination of wine bar and upscale dining room with stunning mountain views.

Executive Chef Tracy Little utilizes wild, local ingredients in her creative, artistic dishes. Wit Bar’s menu includes casual fare of bison tacos in banncock and ‘sandwich of champignons’, while up the grand staircase you’ll find Rabbit Tortelli, Elderflower Infused Pork Tomahawk, and The Hike – a 7-course tasting menu. Also of note are the inventive local spirit cocktails and 25 by-the-glass wines!

The Sensory Another eatery has opened in Edmonton’s Oliver area, in the ex-Bru space on Jasper Ave! Edmonton chefs, Josh Wilhelm and Joel Margolus, have partnered with Bon Ton bakery and the Colombian, local craft

breweries, and local producers, for their delicious, artisanal toast dishes, pizza, and more, at Toast Culture.

bean chokecherry ice cream – a memorable experience! Check out @petitcoupcalgary on Instagram for the next date.

Downtown Calgary has a stunning new Conference Center, White Diamond, on 3 Avenue SE. Run by longstanding food service industry locals, the venue can be tailored to host all sorts of fun occasions and business events, and we know the catering will be excellent from Chef Guru Singh! whitediamondcc.ca

Chairman's Steakhouse Calgary’s ritziest fine dining restaurant is now open in Westman Village, on Mahogany Lake. In partnership with Vintage Group, and designed by Hribar Design Group, Chairman’s Steakhouse is a tribute to the glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood, but also distinctly Albertan. You’ll be impressed with the elegant dining room and patios overlooking the lake, and even more so when you try Head chef Cedric Truchon’s firstclass menu and the casual, yet premium menu in the lounge – not to mention the 4,000 bottle wine list, enormous spirits list, and hefty selection of vintage cocktails.

Destination dining at its best!

The folks at Edmonton’s Northern Chicken, Prairie Catering, and Sandwich & Sons, have opened Say Uncle (104 Street), so we know we’re in for great food. There’s an inviting menu of snacks, share plates, and burgers (the Say Uncle burger has 5 beef patties!), a big beer list and cocktails too!

The Coup has launched a multi-course vegetable and drink-pairing menu, Le Petit Coup. We tried it for you, and it was mindblowing! Chef Adam Ryan is incredibly creative, coming up with amazing dishes like beet and barley sausage vol-au-vent; charcoal-grilled marinated rhubarb steak and potatoes with sorrel and citrus ash; parsnip and wild leek stuffed nettle dough pierogis with ramp leaves and birch syrup yogurt; and baked Alaska with a sunchoke cake and tonka

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Calgary’s newest craft brewery is impressive!

Rapid Ascent Brewing has opened at 10985 38 Street NE. After contract brewing for a while, they’re finally able to meet the demand for Finnigan’s Irish Pale Ale and Rocky Mountain Lager, and eight more to try with charcuterie and snacks in the new taproom.

Brand new and notable is Calgary Heritage Roasting Company (CHRC), now open in Ramsey’s CC Snowdon building. Former wildland firefighters, CHRC founders Mike Wenzlawe and Jamie Parker, have extensively refurbished the 1911 heritage building, using cedar shelves found in one of the safes for window jambs, and wood from the building for table tops and counters. The coffee shop serves up beans, avocado, and smashed banana toasts, pastries from Butterblock (sausage and kimchi Danish!), grab and go in mason jars, shakes, a choice of coffees (with free milk alternatives!), and a rotating percolated coffee.

Heritage Roasting Company

Calgary Heritage Roasting Company, Churros by Fernando, Pio Peruvian, Good Fillin' Empanada, Coco Brooks, Foothills Creamery, China Rose, Flower & Wolf, One18 Empire, Amizone Inc, YAKIMA Social Kitchen + Bar, Arepa Boss, Pho Hoan Pasteur, Simply Irie Carribbean Cuisine, Red Plate Catering, Sabor Sonora, 3 Foods, Expat Asia, Pure Contemporary Vietnamese BistroMini Melts, PZA Parlour, Minas Brazilian Steakhouse, Vegan Street, Waffle Pops, Tasca PicanteFamily Squeeze/Dough / Family Freeze, Viet 2 Go, Crepes 'n Eggs, Aglio E Olio, Burgers 320Not Just Curry Ltd., The Canadian Brewhouse, Canoe & Shoe, State & Main Kitchen BarPampa Brazilian Steakhouse, Legend 7 Brewing, Black Fly Beverages, Citizen Brewing Company Social lite Vodka, Zero Issue B r e w i n g , C a b i n B r e w i n g , C o n fl u e n c e D i s t i l l e r y, A n n e x A l e s P r o j e c t Burwood Distillery, Summer Love Vodka/ Starr Distilling Co. Ltd, Eau Claire Distillery, Highwood Distillery, Corkbeard Wines, Banded Peak Brewing, Freehold Brewery, Wildlife D i s t i l l e r y, R i p s o t . G r i z z l y P a w, V i l l a g e B r e w i n g a n d m a n y m o r e . . .

AUGUST 8-9-10-11 EAU- CLAIRE - PLAZA

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 7

Off The Menu

by LINDA GARSON

We’ve run many Sunday afternoon Fine Japanese Tea Tastings with Matsu Kaze Tea, and they almost always sell out. While it’s all about tea, Redheads Japa Café prepare delicious little snacks for us at the events, incorporating tea into their dishes.

The first snack is Shrimp Umani, a main component of Osechi Ryori, the traditional Japanese New Year feast. It sets the tone for the afternoon - everyone loves it!

Shrimp are cooked, with heads still on, in a strongly seasoned broth, and here they’re accompanied by a matcha raifort sauce for dipping.

So many of you have requested this recipe, and we owe many thanks to Redheads Japa Café Chef/Owner Tomo Kurosawa for sharing his recipe with us!

Shrimp Umani

1. Cut short shrimp antennae and tails.

Matcha Raifort Sauce

Serves 2-4

2. In a medium pot, add salt and boiling water to shrimp and cook 2-3 minute, then drain.

1 Tbs + 1 tsp (20 mL) milk 1 tsp (5 mL) rice vinegar ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp wasabi ½ tsp honey 3-4 Tbs (50 mL) whipping cream ½ tsp matcha tea To taste white pepper

8 shrimp 21-25/lb or bigger, with heads and tails on, washed well 1 cup (240 mL) dashi (Japanese soup stock) 1/3 cup (80 mL) sake 3 Tbs (45 mL) light soy sauce 3 Tbs (45 mL) mirin (rice wine) 1 Tbs sugar To taste salt

3. Add, dashi, sake, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to a medium pan and cook on medium heat until boiling.

4. Add shrimp and remove from heat. Let shrimp cool completely in the pot and leave to soak in the sauce overnight.

8 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Whisk together all ingredients and serve with the prawns.

Book Review

by KAREN MILLER

The Prairie Table

By Karlynn Johnston, Appetite by Random House 2019 $32

This is nostalgia at its very best both visually with the design props used, the photography, and the very recognizable recipes.

This second cookbook from popular blogger Karlynn Johnston- the Kitchen Magpie, is a great celebration of prairie life.

Focusing on mostly tried and true recipes many will recognize as family favourites or from community social gatherings, it is a wonderful reflection on prairie history, including a chapter on Ukrainian dishes.

The recipes are a definite nod to “old is new again”. Crowd-pleasing and kid-friendly recipes perfect for neighbourhood picnics, school potlucks and family reunions, with real classics such as Grandma Ellen’s Cold Picnic Barbeque Fried Chicken on p.145, pinwheel sandwiches, and more current Brie Saskatoon Tartlets on p.86, are also easily adapted to cooking in smaller batches for family meals.

Johnston also includes some “cheater” recipes, incorporating timesaving prepackaged shortcuts.

And don’t forget the “dainties”, small bitesize desserts (so you can have more than one) fit for any tray, brought out for any social occasion or guests, expected or not.

As an added chapter this time round, Mr Kitchen Magpie (Karlynn’s husband Mike) has created an extensive home cocktail section, including great suggestions on stocking and setting up an inviting home bar with recipes for staples and his variations on mixed drinks. Try the Smoky Simple Syrup on p. 230 in your next summer drink.

This cookbook is a great reference book we can all use at times, knowing the recipes will work, can be prepared in big batches or ahead of time, and if necessary, be transported with ease. The cookbook succeeds at making nostalgia a hit. So whether you are spending the day in the kitchen making perogies or using a cheater recipe to make Hawaiian pizza bun sliders, enjoy the guilty pleasure of this comfort food!

Karen Miller is a former lawyer who got on the "know where your food comes from" bandwagon earlier than most and now forages her food from local growers.

Watch out Edmonton, we’re coming back!

Saturday September 7, 2019 is the date Entries are pouring in for our 4th Annual Edmonton Treasure Hunt!

And we know why - our first three Edmonton Culinaire Treasure Hunts were so popular that they all sold out. So we’ve planned new and exciting destinations to discover, with new treats to tempt you this year!

names, tweet the funniest photos… and lots, lots more!

Trivia questions about participating restaurants, markets, and stores reveal the answers for where to dash off to receive your treat, get your passport stamped, and maybe come away with a little culinary gift too!

It’s a very fun and rewarding day, so grab a partner and sign up as a team of two, or sign up solo. To reserve your spot, visit culinairemagazine.ca/treasure-hunt, follow us on Twitter @culinairemag for the latest details, and like us on Facebook to keep up with the news and for more information!

There are fabulous prizes for the people who visit the most locations, wear the best costumes, have the funniest team

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/CulinaireMagazine

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@culinairemag

Register today to be one of the lucky people to take part in this culinary adventure on Saturday September 7, 2019!

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culinairemag

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culinairemagazine.ca

: : I t ’ s go in g to b e a n o th er day to rem em ber for Edm onton! : :

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 9

Chefs' Tips

by ANNA BROOKS photography by DONG KIM

Tricks!

Japanese Cuisine When it comes to Japanese cuisine, food isn’t just food.

It’s a tradition, an art form, a way of life.

And with restaurants in Japan holding more Michelin stars than the other top 10 Michelin-rated cities combined (Tokyo has 230 stars, almost double the number in Paris, which holds the No. 2 spot), there are reasons why Japanese cuisine is so revered.

Japanese food has taken Alberta by storm, with restaurants, ramen shops, and sushi spots popping up all over the province.

So for our special summer issue, we learned all about Japan’s food culture from local chefs, and picked up some tips and tricks for making Japanese food at home!

Japanese food isn’t only sushi, teriyaki, and rolls At the Sukiyaki House in Calgary, head chef Koji Kobayashi gives customers a glimpse of authentic Japanese dining, a cuisine that goes far beyond dishes we’ve grown accustomed to in North America, like sushi and tempura.

“Back home, there are so many authentic ingredients we use, like yuzu, bonito (dried, smoked fish flakes), sake, soy, and mirin,” he says.

“Incorporating those into your everyday cooking can add a different dimension to your cooking.”

Used in almost all of Kobayashi’s dishes is dashi, a traditional Japanese broth. Made with a combination of dried seaweed, bonito flakes, dried anchovies, and shiitake mushrooms, dashi is easy to prepare and is what gives Japanese food such a rich, savoury flavour.

Come summer, Kobayashi says he likes to cook with white fish like sea bass or red snapper, which can be served grilled or sashimi-style with a miso vinaigrette and pickled seaweed.

Perfect to accompany grilled meat or fish, try making Kobayashi’s Yuzu Miso Carpaccio, and he’s also let us have his recipe for his most popular (and healthy) summer side dishes: Japanese spinach salad with sesame dressing!

Yuzu Miso Carpaccio Serves 4

3 fillets of your favourite fish (note: use a white fish, like sea bass, red snapper, or yellowtail) 125 g miso paste (soybean paste) 40 g sugar ½ cup + 1 tsp (130 mL) rice vinegar 6 tbs (90 mL) sesame oil 2 tsp (10 mL) of yuzu or lemon juice Microgreens to top

1. Mix miso paste, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and yuzu juice in a bowl.

2. Slice fish thinly and place on a flat dish.

3. Top with microgreens.

4. Pour sauce over fish. *Tip: for an extra touch, add garlic chips and a bit of olive oil.

Goma-ae

(Japanese spinach salad) Serves 4 2 Tbs sesame seeds 2 Tbs sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) mirin (Japanese rice wine) 2 tsp (10 mL) soy sauce 1 cup spinach *Tip: toast sesame seeds for extra nutty flavour!

1. Blend sesame seeds, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Boil spinach in a small pot.

3. Drain and press all the water out of the spinach.

4. Mix spinach and goma-ae sauce together.

Serve in a small bowl, and pair with your favourite Japanese dish.

In summer, Mutaguchi likes to keep things light and fresh, using citrus fruits like yuzu to add a nice sourness to dishes.

Flour and oil for frying 2 carrots, sliced thinly 2 green onions, sliced thinly

If you’re a bit intimidated by making Japanese food at home, don’t be. Here’s Mutaguchi’s recipe for a traditional home-cooked dish popular in Japan, marinated fried fish with veggies!

1. Combine mirin, sugar, soy sauce, water, lemon, and half a medium onion in a large pot.

Nanbanzuke

(fried fish in vinegar sauce) Serves 3-4

Tomoya Mutaguchi, owner and chef of Japanese tapas bar Izakaya Tomo in Edmonton, wanted to recreate his relished dining experiences in Japan at izakaya (thus the name), also known as sake houses.

2 mackerel fillets (or your choice of favourite fish) 1/3 cup + 4 tsp (100 mL) mirin (Japanese rice wine) 100 g sugar 2 cups (500 mL) soy sauce 3 L water ½ lemon ½ medium onion Salt

Izakaya are cozy informal pubs that are pretty much everywhere in Japan, and serve as a spot for the after-work crowd to wind down with some sake and small plates to share; Mutaguchi classifies izakaya as “a type of rest.”

Especially in Alberta, Mutaguchi says there aren’t many izakaya around, and he hoped to get people excited about other types of Japanese cuisine beyond popular dishes, like ramen and sushi.

“I want to let customers know Japanese food isn’t only sushi, teriyaki, and rolls,” he says. “Typical traditional foods are any kind of vegetable, meat or fish simmered in broth until there’s almost no liquid left.

Very simple to make, with a very nice taste.”

Broths and sauces are the crux of most dishes, and incorporate a variation of just a few simple ingredients – the sweet, tangy teriyaki sauce we all know and love is just sugar, salt, soy sauce, sweet sake, and mirin (rice wine).

12 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

2. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat.

3. Sprinkle fish with salt, and remove excess

moisture with a paper towel.

4. Cut fish fillets into bite-sized pieces.

Cover in flour and deep fry until crispy (if you don’t have a deep fryer, you can also pan fry fish in oil).

5. While still hot, add fish to the marinade

until fully coated. Add carrots and green onion, and marinate overnight.

6. Serve cold or at room temperature.

now open MOUNT ROYAL IN CALGARY

corner of 16 t h a v e . & 8 t h s t. S W 7 a m - 10 p m e v e r y d a y

Photos are for illustrative purposes only. A division of Save-On-Foods LP, a Jim Pattison business. Proudly Western Canadian Owned and Operated.

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 13

Whether you’re a master of Japanese cuisine or just starting out, Wong says even though most dishes are fairly simple to make, each has steps that must be followed in the right order – attention to detail is one of the reasons why Japanese food is so special.

At Bar Bincho in Calgary, chef Owen Wong is all about creating an authentic Japanese dining experience.

Half the menu is kushiyaki, skewers of grilled food for sharing, like bacon wrapped Japanese rice cakes, whole scallops in garlic butter, and shishito peppers.

Wong says a shared experience is the most important aspect of Japanese cooking, so dishes are kept simple with just a few base ingredients.

“This is more how you eat in Japan, not doing something fancy or adding too many elements in food,” he says. “We want to create an atmosphere where people order plates to share, and have fun and talk with each other. That is how they do it in Japan.

If you’re ready to try it for yourself, Wong shares his recipe for salmon ochazuke, a traditional Japanese dish of steamed rice, grilled salmon, and tea!

Salmon Ochazuke Serves 4

For Hojicha dashi (tea broth): 20 g kombu (edible kelp) 30 g dried bonito flakes 4 cups (1 L) water ½ tsp soy sauce 1 Tbs (15 mL) hojicha (Japanese green tea) 2 cups Japanese rice Dash of salt To top: Salmon flakes (*can be replaced with grilled salmon, or salmon sashimi)

Wasabi Green onion, chopped Sesame seeds Kizami nori (shredded seaweed)

1. Soak kombu in water for 2-3 hours. Bring to a boil on medium-heat. Remove kombu and turn off heat.

2. Add bonito flakes to pot, and leave for two minutes. Filter out bonito flakes, and you’re left with a Japanese broth called dashi.

3. Transfer 1 – 1¼ cups (250-300 mL) of dashi to another pot. Add salt and soy sauce, and bring to a boil.

4. Once it starts boiling, turn off heat right away and add hojicha leaves.

5. Prepare four bowls of steamed rice.

6. Add whichever style of salmon you’re

using, and pour the dashi tea broth overtop into each bowl.

7. Top with nori, green onions, sesame

seeds, and a little bit of wasabi.

Anna Brooks is an award-winning journalist and graduate student currently living and studying in New York City.

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Shirleys Greenhouse courtesy Meghan Unger Photography

Grey Arrow Farms

Eau-Claire Distillery

A Taste of Home: Exploring Local Food Week

by DANIEL BONTJE

There are so many reasons to eat local food, especially for Albertans. Local food has a lower carbon footprint, supports our economy, and is simply some of the best food you can get.

There is no better way to ensure that you are eating high quality beef than to walk on the grass, watch the cows roaming in the open air, and shake the hand of the rancher who takes care of them from the day they are born.

over 140 farms are already registered, and the programs continue to grow and expand.

Every single farm is free to visit and every one has an educational component, so make a day of it and get exploring! Here are just a few that we will be excited to visit:

Open Farm Days (August 17-18) is a province wide, two-day open house, a chance for farmers to invite in their rural and urban neighbours. Now in its 7th year,

Whether you are looking to walk through the 36,000 square foot greenhouse or the 15 acres of garden, Shirleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greenhouses (Carstairs) is the perfect way to see where

your produce comes from. There are so many crops grown here from peppers to potatoes, and everything in between, and when you are done touring the grounds you can stock up on the freshest veggies at the mini veggie market. Try and spot the barn cats and kittens!

When Clay and Ash Armstong wanted to know more about where their food came from, they did the only logical thing: started

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 15

Fallen Timber Meadery

Troubled Monk

you cure them correctly you can be eating pumpkin muffins well into April!

Supporting local farmers directly is an amazing way to discover your food in a whole new way, but there is more that we can do to support local - find the restaurants committed to local produce and protein, and support them!

raising their own beef, pork, chicken, and turkey! Now, Armstrong Acres (Hythe) supplies families with meat they can feel great about, from a family just like theirs.

Last month we wrote about Haskap berries, a unique Canadian berry that is delicious and crammed full of nutrients. Now, you have the opportunity to see where they come from by visiting Broken Tine Orchard (Elmridge).

The Alde family is still cultivating the same land their great grandparents did in 1926, with modern processes and four generations worth of passion. Don’t leave without trying their award winning fruit mead, and bring some berries home so you can try the recipes on our website from June’s Culinaire!

Red Mangalitsa pigs are known for their unique ginger hair and their juicy, flavourful meat with a high fat content to make it even more unctuous and mouthwatering. Want to help with the important job of scratching a piglets belly? Then get yourself over to Eh Farms (Strathmore) and discover why there is never a dull moment on a pig farm.

With the distinction of being the smallest livestock on our tour this year, the bees at Fallentimber Meadery (Water Valley) are hard at work! Seeing the process from hive to bottle and getting to sample the wide

variety of meads is the perfect way to enjoy the summer sun. Bring a picnic and enjoy the lawn games while you sip on one of the many varieties of mead, and grab a few bottles of their Meadjito to quench your thirst all summer long.

The beautiful Black Angus cows at Flaghill Ranch (Craigmyle) are grass fed to ensure they stay low stress and healthy, by avoiding the diseases that can be spread when cattle are in confined living conditions. These are happy cows treated well, and that is important for animal welfare as well as for excellent taste. If you have never thought about buying a quarter, half, or whole cow before, this is the place to find out more.

Serben Farms (Smoky Lane County) has a little bit of everything, raising hogs and hens, and partnering with other local producers to provide a variety of fresh and frozen products.

Sausages are made in their own on-farm shop, and the local cheese and vegetables make this an incredible place to fill your fridge.

This was the heart behind Alberta On The Plate (August 9-18), a new festival this year to show how you can support local in a whole new way. Not only is this a chance to highlight more than 50 restaurants with a clear passion for the best Alberta has to offer, but each of these locations is doing a fixed price menu for the entire week to show off our local producers, growers, distillers, and brewers.

Restaurants are encouraged to do “little big plates” for children, so bring your kids and they can try a child size portion without being relegated to chicken tenders and fries.

Try Forage on a Farm for another unique experience as part of the festival, where in Strathmore, Camrose, and Lethbridge you can take an educational or edible walk where you learn about foraging, find out which plants can be used to make a delicious tea, or try making your own lip balm, then return for a four course meal where every protein, veggie and garnish is from our province, and includes the foraging you did on the walk!

Kate de Windt grew her first vegetable garden 20 years ago, and now with her family she is happily growing thousands of pumpkins a year at Somerset Farms (Parkland County) for you to come and pick yourselves! Late August is the perfect time to pick pumpkins, and if

Eh Farms 16 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Broken Tine Orchard

Someret Farm

Here are a few great locations that are bringing rural and urban together over delicious local food:

Alberta On The Plate, make sure to come back often to experience something that is always locally inspired and always new.

In Medicine Hat, Rustic Kitchen and Bar (925 7 St SW, Medicine Hat) has always been about bringing the best and freshest ingredients from nearby producers, and partnering to show them off with incredible quality food, cooked with passion. Even the walls are covered with local art. This is the perfect opportunity to check out a hidden Medicine Hat gem.

In the heart of Edmonton and right off Whyte Ave, Three Boars (8424 109 Street NW) feels the pressure to get the cheapest ingredients from the biggest suppliers, but instead is proving that a commitment to top quality local food can work - and we agree! Once you have fallen in love with the small plates and delicious cocktails, you will understand why the extra effort is worth it.

Try the PB&J wings but don’t worry- the letters don’t stand for what you think!

At a historic location that has been a bus depot, a bike shop, a train store, and an antique dealer, Cilantro and Chive (5021 50th Street, Lacombe) has become a place for locals to gather over simple food with a twist, like the braised duck wings. Get a cocktail and see what local treats this special place is cooking up!

By starting the cooking process with fresh and seasonal ingredients, the chefs at Twisted Fork (4914 50th Avenue, Saint Paul) are constantly changing the menu to keep the best Albertan ingredients coming in the best possible way. The menu is always changing, so once you get hooked during

Rouge (1240 8th Avenue SE, Calgary) has taken local to a new level by not only using ingredients from their own garden, but also by taking foraged components indigenous to the area and transforming them with their extremely talented and experienced chefs drawing on everything they know to make the ingredients sing. Their fixed price festival menu is an opportunity to try sharing one of the city’s best. See you there!

Eager to try new things, Dan balances his love of cooking with his love of eating, and can be found scouring the city for new restaurants and recipes to share.

Rouge

Cilantro & Chive

We’re Back!

Cafe & Soup Co.

5255 Richmond Rd. SW - London Drugs West Plaza 403-454-5282

Easy Does It: Curried Crab Cakes with Mango Avocado Salsa Story and photography by RENÉE KOHLMAN

It’s summertime, and the entertaining is easy - or at least it should be.

There is something quite spectacular about sitting on the patio with your good pals, sipping something cold and refreshing, while a tray of appetizers is being passed around. You may have to swat away a few mosquitoes, but that’s a small price to pay for enjoying summer on the prairies.

My eyes always get rather large when I see a platter of crab cakes served at summer

parties. Given the price point of crab, I think to myself that these people must really like me, and then I feel all posh and special. This is the feeling you want your guests to have when they come to your house this summer.

You can, of course, go all out and buy fresh crab if the budget allows, but honestly, I used canned crab meat in this recipe and they turned out great. It’s the add-ins that

18 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

really make the crab cakes sparkle. Curry paste is the shining star, adding notes of ginger, garlic, rich spices and a bit of heat. I used mild Indian curry paste, but have made them with red curry paste, and even a couple of teaspoons of curry powder. You do curry your way.

Green onions, plucked from the garden and chopped, bright lime zest, lively garlic, creamy mayo, and an egg, round out the rest of the ingredients. Gently combine everything, form into little patties and bread them with buttered panko crumbs.

And here is the best part. These tasty seafood snacks can be prepped up to one day ahead.

When you’re ready, just turn on the oven and bake until they are golden and crispy. No frying and flipping allowed!

Crab cakes are excellent on their own - crispy on the outside, tender and mildly spicy on the inside - but they are made even better when paired with bright, fresh flavours. Enter the mango avocado salsa, which can be easily prepared before guests arrive. The salsa is sweet and spicy and just what every crab cake needs.

If you find cilantro appalling, then substitute fresh basil and/or mint. If you’d rather use fresh peaches instead of mango, I give you a highfive. If you want to serve the salsa on top of grilled fish or chicken, then I give you a standing ovation.

No frying and flipping!

1. In a large bowl, mix the mayo, egg, green onions, garlic, lime zest, curry paste, and salt together. Stir in the crab. Mix until all incorporated.

2. Use an ice cream scoop and form the mixture into cakes (my scoop size was about 1/3 cup (80 mL). Place the cakes on a platter.

3. In a medium shallow dish, stir the panko with melted butter. Dredge each crab cake into the crumbs (do both sides) and set aside on a platter. Do this for all the crab cakes. Cover lightly with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to one day.

4. Preheat oven to 400º F and bake crab cakes for 20 minutes, until golden and crispy. No need to flip. Serve with mango avocado salsa.

It’s so good, you’ll want this salsa in your life, some way, somehow. Dollop some on top of the crab cakes and you have a great little appetizer, which your guest will devour in seconds. And yes, they’ll feel all posh and special because you served them crab.

Salsa: 1 ripe mango, diced 1 ripe avocado, diced half a sweet red pepper, diced ¼ cup diced red onion Small handful cilantro, finely chopped

If it’s just you and your significant other eating the crab cakes, they are quite wonderful when served alongside a nice green salad for a perfectly delicious light supper. A poached egg, nestled on top of the crab cake, with a little Hollandaise drizzled on top is also an excellent brunch option. Oh the possibilities!

Dressing: 3 Tbs (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbs (30 mL) fresh lime juice 1 Tbs (15 mL) pure maple syrup 1 Tbs diced jalapeno pepper ½ tsp salt

Curried Crab Cakes with Mango Avocado Salsa Makes 8-10 crab cakes

Crab cakes: 1/3 cup (80 mL) mayonnaise 1 large egg 2 Tbs (30 mL) finely chopped green onions or chives 1 clove garlic, minced Zest of 1 lime 1 Tbs (15 mL) mild or hot curry paste (I used Indian) ½ tsp salt 1 lb (500 g) crabmeat (drained well if using canned) ¾ cup (180 mL) panko bread crumbs 3 Tbs (45 mL) melted butter

In a medium bowl, combine all the salsa ingredients. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and gently combine the two together. Adjust the seasonings. Serve with the crab cakes.

1

FRENCH ROSÉ IN ALBERTA

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

Renée Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her debut cookbook All the Sweet Things was published last year.

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@Pacific_Prairie

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pacificcanada

Keeping cool this summer – with gelato!

by DIANA NG

Whether you’re looking for respite from the summer heat or just want a reason to smile and celebrate, nothing beats a frozen treat when the mercury hits the high 20s.

And with the resurgence of dedicated ice cream shops, finding a frozen dessert on your next stroll around the neighbourhood couldn’t be easier. Fiasco Gelato, Village Ice Cream, Made by Marcus, DelloR, and La Carraia are just a few of the most popular specialized shops that Albertans head to when the craving for frozen dessert hits, but what’s the difference between their offerings?

“They thought I was selling Jell-O,” says Falvo, about the general perception of gelato when he first arrived at the scene. What better way to educate the public than to let them experience the product through a gelato shop with all the colours of the rainbow laid out across the counter?

Dino Falvo of Amato Gelato, has witnessed the boost of gelato since he brought the treat to Calgary back in 2001, supplying to Italian specialty markets like Lina’s and Scarpones.

Today, Amato sources ingredients like mangoes from India and matcha from Japan to make all the flavours from scratch, manufacturing more than 400 varieties, and customers can find find 72 scooping flavours on any given day. There’s more than 200 varieties in the store all together, including non-dairy or dairy-alternative selection.

His family has been making gelato for more than 90 years, originally on the farm in his hometown of Amato in Italy before his uncle moved to Canada and eventually went into the gelato business in Vancouver in the early 1970s and expanded to Calgary.

Don’t go looking for rum and raisin or tiger tail ice cream at a gelateria, though. While both ice cream and gelato contain dairy as a primary ingredient, sugar and flavourings are both mixed with air - gelato may or may not contain eggs, depending on the flavour being

20 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

made - there are differences that yield very different textures.

The litmus test for a well-made gelato is vanilla bean

Where ice cream has typically greater than 10 percent milk fat and more than 50 percent air from the churning, gelato is made with whole milk (with 3.25 percent milk fat) and has less than 25 percent air, making it comparatively lighter in texture and more concentrated in flavour.

So, considering the intentional difference from traditional ice cream, what is the model gelato? There are three things that Falvo

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looks for as a gelato connoisseur and expert: flavour, creaminess and the longevity of the flavour that remains on your palate.

Those are the two simplest flavours to make with the least amount of ingredients, but the easiest to destroy.”

“If it’s not very flavourful in the beginning, the mouth feel is a little bit off, it’s not very creamy and the flavour washes away within seconds of you eating it - very, very poorly manufactured product,” says Falvo.

From obscurity to popularity, gelato can now be found on Italian restaurant menus and farmers’ markets regularly. The Italian Centre Shop locations in Calgary and Edmonton source gelato from Fantasia Caffe and Catering based right out of Edmonton, where they have been making gelato for more than 20 years.

For purists, the litmus test for a well-made gelato, according to Falvo, is the vanilla bean gelato (and lemon sorbetto from the same maker). “It’s not masking it with other flavour combinations,” says Falvo.

“Straight up, traditional strawberry, vanilla, pistachio… you don’t need to mix these things. It’s easy to mask flavours with other flavours, but at the end of the day, if you can’t make a vanilla, you can’t make a lemon?

Your product is not going to be that great.

Also adhering to the philosophy that simplicity is best, Edmonton's Pinocchio Ice Cream starts with dairy from local producers and incorporates other local ingredients where possible.

Newer to the scene is Berlingo, sister shop (and right next door) to Yann Haute Patisserie in Calgary’s Mission

22 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

neighbourhood. There, you can expect the same level of intricacy from its iced desserts as its cakes, macarons and chocolates. All the flavours for its gelato and sorbets are made in-house from scratch.

Similar to Berlingo, Fan Fan Patisserie in Edmonton also serves house-made gelato alongside pastries. You can order to enjoy by the cup or grab a pint to go.

Want to round out your lunch with a dessert?

After you pick up a sandwich from Peppino’s, grab a gelato as well. Peppino’s makes about 15 to 20 gelato flavours from its facility in Bridgeland, and supplies to its Kensington location as well as Co-op supermarkets.

Diana is a co-founder of EatNorth.com, freelance food writer, and digital media strategist who will eat your food when you’re not looking.

:: July, Au gu st, and Se ptember Culinaire Vine & Dine Series :: We’re happy to announce our July, August, and September Vine & Dine evenings.

Check out culinairemagazine.ca/events, contact linda@culinairemagazine.ca, 403-870-9802 for more details, to reserve your places, and to be included in our address book so you hear about events before everyone else!

Italian Summer Dinner Winebar Kensington

Special Patio Party Dinner Sirocco Golf Club

Tuesdays August 13, 20, and 27 It’s our 3rd season at Foreign Concept, and almost every evening sells out here, so reserve your places at one of these three superb 6-course pairing dinners! $78.75 ++

Friday July 12 The best views around, and the perfect setting for a delicious casual dinner party with a sparkling reception and 5 pairing courses. $82.50 ++

Celebrating Mandela Day Safari Grill

Thursday July 18 A special evening to celebrate doing good - as well as enjoying 6 pairing courses of Safari Grill’s delicious summer dishes! $78.75 ++

Vine & Dine, Las Canarias

Wednesdays July 3, July 17, and July 31 Always excellent, we have 3 nights to choose from for this authentic Spanish 6-course pairing dinner. Olé! $78.75 ++

Vine & Dine, Yakima

Saturday August 10 Chef is creating a special Italian Summer menu for us, and we’re pairing with small boutique producers for this special one-off Saturday evening! $82.50 ++

Vine & Dine, Foreign Concept

Special Patio Party Dinner Sirocco Golf Club

Friday August 16 Our July evening is booking fast, and we want to make the most of summer, so we’re offering one more delicious casual dinner party with sparkling reception and 5 pairing courses. $82.50 ++

Tsantali Winemaker Dinner Koutouki South, Edmonton

Friday September 6 Our first Edmonton Vine & Dine! Andreas Georgousis of award-winning Tsantali, in northern Greece, is with us for this one-off special 6-course pairing dinner. $82.50 ++

FROM OUR CELLAR TO YOURS

Thursday September 5, Friday 13, and Monday 16 We’re excited for our local producer, Canada-focused, 6-course pairing dinners at Yakima.

We’re enjoying Amarone with this superb menu – and free parking at the airport too! $78.75 ++

All About Duck Winebar Kensington

Wednesday September 11 For one night only we’re featuring Winebar Kensington’s chef speciality, a one-off multi-course pairing dinner featuring duck dishes! $82.50 ++

Our 4th Annual Edmonton Treasure Hunt

Saturday September 7 A day to remember! Register on our website for this fun, delicious, and very rewarding full day of treats.

And there are only 5 spots open now for our 12-day, all-inclusive wine and culinary tour of Portugal, May 2020!

Join the Hester Creek Wine Club Enjoy exceptional wines, exclusive events, membership loyalty rewards and much more! www.HesterCreek.com/BenchClub

Discover exceptional Okanagan wines

94 POINTS Beppi Crosariol, Globe & Mail

90 POINTS Rick VanSickle,

WinesInNiagra.com

92 POINTS Tim Pawsey,

Quench Magazine & HiredBelly.com

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 23

Spice it up

– Lobster Rolls

by MALLORY FRAYN

Growing up in Alberta, I certainly didn’t spend my summers chowing down on lobster rolls in the backyard, but it was always a treat getting to vacation to the east and enjoy one (or three) while relaxing on a beach in the sun.

While it may be difficult to replicate that exact experience, you can purvey some lobster from the coast to work on perfecting your own lobster rolls at home.

These pointers can help get you started!

Change up the bun

Traditionally lobster rolls are served up in a hot dog bun of sorts, except that the sides are cut off leaving more of the bread exposed to subsequently butter and toast until perfectly golden. Obviously, this arrangement leaves little to complain about, but that doesn’t mean you can’t serve your lobster roll on a different carbohydrate of your choosing.

Toasted English muffins, focaccia, ciabatta buns, and others are all fair game, as long as they’re not too chewy or too strong in

flavour such that it would overpower the delicacy of the lobster.

Alternately, you could ditch the bread altogether and choose a different vessel like Boston lettuce or even endive (both of which make for a lighter, summer option).

To mayo or not to mayo?

The camp is divided as to whether or not lobster rolls are best served with the meat enrobed in melted butter or mayonnaise.

Whatever side of this argument you stand on, it’s hard to deny the existence of a multitude of other options fit for dressing your lobster roll.

Working with either butter or mayo as bases, these can easily be amped up

24 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

with flavourings like garlic, herbs (think fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, dill, basil, etc.), spices, and other condiments too. Take a Japanese spin with Kewpie mayonnaise, white miso, and wasabi, or go Mediterranean with mayo, olives, capers, and basil.

You can even stray away from a butter or mayo base and elect to dress your lobster with a myriad of other sauces. Summer is ripe for pesto making with fresh herbs and greens at your disposal; try watercress or arugula blended with olive oil, blanched almonds, and a bit of citrus.

Or make a simple lemon vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard to help emulsify the works and encourage it to evenly coat the lobster meat. Your options

International winning award are virtually unlimited; just try and stick to Shulba flavours that pair well with the sweet, subtle artist Lorraine nature of lobster and you’re all set. specializing in custom commissions bring colour into your world.

Watercress Pesto for your home.

love your home!

100g watercress (about 3 cups, arugula or spinach are fine alternatives if you can’t Check find it) out her ¼ portfolio! cup almonds, blanched 1 lemon, juice and zest About ¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil, adding more if needed to thin To Taste salt and pepper

Blend all of the ingredients using a hand @BlueBugStudiosLShulbaArtistDesigner 780-919-9627 blender or food processor and season to@lorraine_shulba_artist for boiling lobsters for up to 10-12 minutes, taste, adding more olive oil to thin based on which is fine if you’d like to guarantee that the consistency you are aiming for. you’re eating rubber, but not so fine if you’re aiming for tender, succulent lobster meat.

Use as-is to dress the lobster for your lobster roll or mix it one-to-one with Instead, for a 1 pound - 1½ pound lobster, mayonnaise for a creamier option. The pesto you only need to let it go for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches can be made up to a day in advance.

135º F. Even easier, you can roast your Addressing the lobster itself lobster at 350º F until it reaches the same The most integral aspect of a lobster roll is temperature. unsurprisingly, the lobster itself. Procuring it fresh and cooking it as soon thereafter is key Once cooked and cooled, you can break to preserving the integrity of the product down your lobster with the help of a sharp (especially when living in a land-locked chef’s knife. Twist off the tails and cut province like Alberta). them down the middle to pop out the meat.

When cooking it, there are a few things to keep in mind. Your number one priority is The claws just need a good whack to avoid over-cooking it. Many recipes call with the blade to infiltrate the exterior

International award winning artist Lorraine Shulba specializing in custom commissions for your home. @BlueBugStudiosLShulbaArtistDesigner @lorraine_shulba_artist 25

www.LSHULBA.com

and extract the meat.

As an aside, you may want to perform this operation outside, if possible, to avoid the splattering of lobster bits and juices around your kitchen. And wear an apron!

Finally, it’s up to you to decide how you’d like to present the lobster in the finished roll. While some prefer large chunks of meat, others prefer it more shredded and apt to pick up extra sauce.

Somewhere in the middle is a nice compromise, blending pieces of tail meat with finer strands of claw meat.

Mallory is a Calgary freelance writer and grad student now living, learning and eating in Montreal. Check out her blog becauseilikechocolate.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @cuzilikechoclat

is... nt for the soul. artnourishme Check out her portfolio!

www.BlueBugStudios.com

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Foothills Creamery – Combining traditional methods

with new innovation to make it butter Foothills Creamery is celebrating their 50th birthday!

Founded in Calgary in 1969, this creamery has been working with retailers and restaurants to provide Canadians with butter, ice cream, and frozen treats made with traditional methods and ingredients from local farmers.

The company credits its success to the family feel amongst their employees, their traditional methods, and the unwavering focus on providing a safe and exceptional experience for its customers.

Despite the industry’s move towards more automated technology, Foothills Creamery proudly continue to use a conventional barrel churn process to make their butter, and take pride in owning three of the last churns in the world. When their last barrel churn needed to be replaced, they searched far and wide before finally locating a rare conventional barrel churn for sale in Germany.

The traditional barrel churn process

is at the heart of their operations.

Foothills Creamery sources Alberta cream, which undergoes a pasteurization process before being churned by experienced “butter makers”. Many of their butter makers have years of experience on the churn which comes in handy when monitoring the butter and knowing when it may need a few extra minutes of churning to be perfect. Two such butter makers are Khang with 32 years’ experience and Gary with 15 years’ experience.

Once the butter has been separated from the buttermilk, salt or seasoning is added, and the butter is mixed for a smooth texture before moving on to be packaged and shipped.

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Most of the buttermilk separated out during the churn process is used to make Foothills’ popular ice cream which, at 12% butter fat, is high compared with 10% butter fat in most other packaged ice cream. The results are a smoother and richer ice cream, without ice crystals.

If you’ve had ice cream, milkshakes, or soft serve at retailers or restaurants in Western Canada, chances are you have enjoyed a Foothills Creamery product. The malt soft serve at Calgary’s Saddledome enjoyed by hockey fans is made using Foothills’ soft serve.

Although basic flavours like vanilla and bubble gum are most popular with their scoop shop clientele, Foothills also produces prairie flavours for customers such as Saskatoon Pie and Haskap Prairie Berry, which is made with berries from Broken Tine Orchard, a local farm in Alberta.

After 50 years of success, Foothills Creamery’s vision is to be Canada’s favourite creamery coast to coast. The entrepreneurial spirit instilled by their founder Don Bayrack has been instrumental in helping the organization move through challenges for half a century. Although Don continues to be involved in the business as part of their board of directors, the future of the organization falls to the leadership

of its current President, Cathy Sanders.

A loyal employee, Cathy has worked at Foothills Creamery for 21 years, working her way up from the lab to now leading the organization, she has persevered in a male-dominated industry.

Cathy says Foothills will continue to build upon the entrepreneurial spirit, small batch process, and familial atmosphere, but they will also be looking to innovate their product line. One area of focus is to increase product offerings to meet the needs of growing dietary concerns.

Foothills Creamery already offers lactose and dairy free options, and with their recent acquisition of Dragon’s Den alum Screamin Brothers, they now offer customers even more options to suit dietary needs. Screamin Brothers produce a coconut milk frozen treat free from dairy, gluten, and most common allergens, in delicious flavours such as Mint Chocolate and Key Lime.

Foothills Creamery products can be found at retailers including Calgary Coop, Freson Bros., Safeway, Community Natural Foods, and Sunterra Market. You can also enjoy their ice cream at scoop shops across Western Canada, and feel good about supporting a locally owned, growing business.

Gull Valley Greenhouses:

Making year-round tomatoes a reality

by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH photographs courtesy GULL VALLEY GREENHOUSES

When most of us think of Alberta’s agricultural bounty, we may think of bright yellow canola, herds of cattle wandering along rolling green hills, or fields of wheat gently waving in the breeze.

Tomatoes though? They’re not usually the first thing that comes to mind.

Yet, so many of us understand the value of eating locally grown food — it’s better for the environment, supports local economies, and makes for a fresher and tastier eating experience — and most of us here in Alberta enjoy tomatoes, as well as cucumbers, lettuce and other fresh veg.

Clearly, a large-scale commercial tomato crop isn’t going to survive Alberta’s climate if left to its own devices, which is why greenhouse farming is so important.

Gull Valley Greenhouses is located in the central part of Alberta, just south of Gull Lake (roughly right between Calgary and Edmonton for you city slickers) and is owned and operated by the Tiemstra family.

Phil Tiemstra grew up on his family’s chicken farm, but in the mid-‘80s he started trying out greenhouse vegetables, beginning with cucumbers, and later building his business with beefsteak tomatoes.

Today, he has 180,000 square feet of greenhouses over four acres, which is small compared to larger commercial greenhouse farms.

“It’s quite small, microscopic even,” Tiemstra says. “Maybe not for Alberta, but in other parts of North America you’ll see 20 to 100 acres.”

Gull Valley may not be massive, but they have had a big impact among Albertans who love fresh food. In the early 2000s, as demand for a wider diversity of products grew, Tiemstra started to expand his product line beyond beefsteak tomatoes.

He now grows 12 different kinds of tomatoes, including San Marzano, orange and yellow tomatoes on the vine, and a range of plum, grape and cherry tomatoes.

In addition, Tiemstra has also added bell peppers, Ramiro long peppers, jalapenos, lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, bok choi, herbs, and eggplant, to Gull Valley’s repertoire.

28 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

“The growing process is actually pretty easygoing with things like the lettuce and the basil and the kale,” he says. “Those things can grow in places where tomatoes can’t, like up against a wall. They’re helping us to better utilize all of our space."

While the local vegetable market can be tough, the culture of farmers’ markets has surged in Alberta in the last decade, giving farms like Gull Valley a viable market, since farmers’ market shoppers are generally more willing to pay a premium for local produce. Farmers market shoppers also have the benefit of buying produce that was picked ripe off the vine, whereas wholesaler tomatoes are picked relatively green to ensure a longer shelf life.

“We’re at a point where farmers’ markets are making more than our wholesale business,” Tiemstra says. “The farmers’ market shoppers appreciate it when growers don’t use pesticides and insecticides.”

Greenhouse growing is a technical endeavour, and while Gull Valley’s produce isn’t organic, it does use biological control methods to keep its plants healthy.

Ladybugs and predatory parasites are introduced to the greenhouses to control aphids; Tiemstra brings mullen plants into the greenhouses to provide a habitat for dyciphus bugs, which also prey on aphids and white flies; and sticky tape is installed

to trap white flies. The greenhouses are also home to colonies of bumblebees that take on pollination duties.

As for the actual workings of the greenhouses themselves, Gull Valley uses what Tiemstra calls “industry standard” Dutch greenhouse technology. This includes an energy-saving active ventilation system, recycled water systems and carbon dioxide capture.

The greenhouses also use a hydroponic system to grow all the vegetables, which contributes to the operation’s efficiency too. Over the last three years, Gull Valley has been growing year round, which can be challenging given Alberta’s cold winters.

“Most places that grow greenhouse produce don’t see -25º C to -30º C for four or five weeks in a row,” Tiemstra says. “The greenhouse where we grow during the winter is all lit up by LED lights, when its dark outside it appears very pink. You can’t grow in the winter without them.”

effort certainly puts Gull Valley in a good position for many years to come.

Gull Valley produce is available at the Calgary Farmers’ Market and several shops in Calgary including BITE Groceteria, some Sunterra locations, and Sunnyside Natural Market. You can find it in the Edmonton are at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, City Market Downtown, Callingwood Farmers’ Market and several other markets around town.

Gull Valley also supplies vegetables to SPUD for delivery in both Calgary and Edmonton, and supplies many restaurants around the province including River Café, Shokunin, Corso 32, Rge Rd and many others. For more information, visit gullvalley.ca.

Gull Valley is prepared to keep growing well into the future. Tiemstra’s son lives on the farm and now runs its day-to-day operations. His son-in-law works doing sales for the company, and his youngest daughter sells at the St. Albert farmers’ market. With so many farm families struggling to keep the next generation involved, the collective Cookbook author and regular contributor to CBC Radio, Elizabeth is a Calgarybased freelance writer, who has been writing about music and food, and just about everything else for her entire adult life.

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 29

Getting Saucy

by LINDA GARSON

Do you buy your BBQ sauces and condiments?

Ever tried making your own?

The holy trinity of mustard, ketchup, and BBQ sauce are easy to make at home, and so satisfying to serve with your BBQ. Try these three simple recipes, and impress your guests this summer!

Jane Bond’s Root Beer BBQ Sauce Makes 1½ Litres

If you BBQ anywhere near as much as Jane Bond, this won’t last long. Feel welcome to double the recipe!

Many thanks to Jane Bond and Spud.ca for generously sharing their recipes, and to my late 2 cans root beer stepmother, Elaine, whose mustard recipe is a ¼ cup (60 mL) molasses treasured family heirloom!

1 cup (250 mL) orange juice 2½ Tbs ground ginger Spud.ca’s Gourmet Ketchup 4 cups (1 L) thick BBQ sauce Makes 1½ Litres (or grab a bottle of Jane Bond Original BBQ sauce!)

2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil ¼ cup (60 mL) honey 1 stalk celery 3 Tbs cornstarch mixed with ¾ cup 1 large red onion (170 mL) water (slurry!)

1 bulb fennel 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped Add first four ingredients to a pot and 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped boil on maximum heat until the mixture 1 bunch basil, leaves and stalks chopped has reduced by half. Once reduced, turn 2 tsp ground black pepper heat to just over medium, add the BBQ 1 tsp sea salt sauce, honey, and slowly pour in the 1½ cup (375 mL) water slurry while whisking it into the sauce to 3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 1 Kg) avoid clumping. Allow the sauce to come ¾ cup (180 mL) red wine vinegar to a simmer and thicken. Simmer for 5 ½ cup brown sugar minutes. Cool, then bottle.

1. In a large saucepan, add olive oil and vegetables, basil stalks, pepper and salt, on low heat for 10 minutes until everything is tender.

Add the water and tomatoes. Once boiling, turn the heat to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half.

2. Add the basil leaves then blend in a food processor. Press through a sieve until smooth and transfer to a pan.

3. Add the red wine vinegar and sugar. Simmer until the sauce thickens, season.

4. Store in the fridge for up to six months.

30 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Elaine’s Hot and Sweet Mustard Makes 3 cups

1 cup dry mustard 1 cup (250 mL) apple cider vinegar 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs Salt Mix together mustard and vinegar and leave in fridge overnight. Next day add sugar.

Beat 3 large eggs and add to mix with ¼ tsp salt. Cook in double boiler for 15 minutes, stirring until thick. Cool and put into jars.

Store in fridge for up to a month.

PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH STEAK

Load Up Your Packs: Let’s Take A Hike!

Story and photography by NATALIE FINDLAY

We’ve packed up our skis, snowshoes, and winter coats. Dusted off our hiking boots, gathered our tents, and camping gear, and now we’re ready for our trek in the back country.

32 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Gone are the days that we only have to rely on store bought granola bars, and dried out meals in a bag for sustenance on our hikes.

These days, delicious, nourishing foods for your weekend in the woods is the norm.

The best way to a successful trip is with a plan. The length of your trip defines how much you need, car camping v hiking to your campsite dictates the weight of your ingredients. With all the advancements in packaging available, it is easy to practice no impact hiking and camping.

Snacks are important not only for nourishment but they give you the opportunity to stop and take in the beauty of your surroundings.

Putting together your own trail mix instead of buying prepackaged saves on salt, sugar and having to pick through what you don’t like. A mix of your favourite nuts and dried fruit as well chunks of rich dark chocolate will give you the energy to keep going.

Trail Mix Options: Cashews, almonds, pistachios, macadamias, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried mango, coconut shavings, dried cranberries, dark chocolate pieces.

The mix of the ingredients keeps each handful slightly different, so you don’t feel like you’re eating the same thing over and over again.

Spicy Chick Peas: A great flavour and texture addition to your lunch 1 can (298 g) chickpeas, drained and washed 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil 1 tsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp sea salt

¼ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 3 sprigs rosemary ½ Tbs (8 mL) honey Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking tray.

In a medium bowl add all ingredients and stir to coat chickpeas. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once. Let cool and package.

Illustration by Red Pine Design

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Banana Split for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dessert: Don’t you love multi-tasking?

You can wrap this up in a tortilla and enjoy as a quick nutritious breakfast option, and make another to pack for lunch as a sandwich.

Serves 1 1 banana 1½ Tbs peanut butter 2 tsp cocoa 2 Tbs shaved coconut ¼ cup (60g) granola Put all ingredients in a foil packet and heat over a flame. Enjoy as a healthier, and just as yummy, moderation on s’mores.

Spice Blends Packing containers of your favourite spice blends makes cooking a breeze. These are easy to add to your pot of rice, pasta, or quinoa, while very light.

Try: Greek - salt, pepper, oregano, parsley Mexican - salt, chili powder, cayenne, cumin Chinese - soy, garlic, ginger, scallion Back Country Jambalaya Makes 2 hearty servings 1 shelf-stable sausage 1 medium onion, small dice 4 cloves garlic, rough chop 2 carrots, small dice

1 celery stick, small dice 1 bell pepper, small dice ¾ cup (180g) peas ¾ cup (180g) quinoa Water, as quinoa packet directions 1 stock cube Oil Salt

1. Pre-chop first six ingredients and package up for travel.

2. Place onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and pepper in one container. Put peas in one container and quinoa in another. Keep bouillon cube and spices separate.

3. In a medium pot over medium heat add

a little oil, sausage and vegetables, sauté 10 minutes. Add peas and sauté a few minutes.

4. Add quinoa, water, and stock cube, stir and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer until quinoa is cooked.

Apple Crumble Serves 1 1 apple, cored and sliced 1½ Tbs (23g) coconut sugar ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp sea salt ¼ cup (60g) raisins Granola for garnish Place first five ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Cook until warm, and top with granola.

34 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Hot Chocolate Serves 2 ½ cup (120 g) milk powder ½ cup (120g) cocoa powder ½ tsp chili powder (if desired) 2 tsp cinnamon 2 Tbs sweetener of choice 3 cups (750 mL) water Mini marshmallows or alcohol, to finish

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and package up for travel.

2. In a medium pot over medium heat add

water and dry ingredients and stir.

3. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat, stirring on and off. Let simmer as hot chocolate starts to thicken. You can let simmer on very low heat throughout the evening and add garnishes to serve.

Gather all sleeping gear, extra layers for warmth, first aid supplies, plenty of water, and delicious, nourishing foods for your weekend in the woods. Be safe and have fun hiking and camping this summer!

Of course, everything tastes better in the woods! I wonder if that’s what bears think when they see us?

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.

Half Hitch Brewing Company

Brewery Patios: Let The Sunshine In

by DAVID NUTALL

Patio Season…. two magical words in Alberta’s all-tooshort summer. So much so that grabbing the few scant seats available becomes of paramount importance on a sunny day.

But the good news is you can now add some new locations for your outdoor dining and drinking pleasure; the brewery patio. With the rate that breweries are popping up all over Alberta, they seem to be opening faster than new pubs and restaurants.

Now, all breweries are not created equal, and neither are their patios - many don’t have one at all. Some breweries are designed more for production, and therefore are often located in old warehouses or industrial areas, where the building’s design doesn’t allow for a

patio to extend from their tasting room.

Others may be in more public friendly neighbourhoods, but they might not have the necessary outdoor space.

Patios come in three varieties. Most commonly, they will be right outside at ground level. The second type is the rooftop patio. The third, and least common, is the inner courtyard. You will find all three amongst the 100 plus breweries in Alberta, which make for some great spots to enjoy their beer. Below is a list created by an unscientific matrix

consisting of a combination of decent size, exposure to sunlight, and the visual appeal of their surroundings. In the interests of full disclosure, I have not been to every brewery in Alberta, so there will be some who are left out.

Also, some breweries have retrofitted patios to their building since they first opened, and others are planning to do so at time of writing, so those may have been missed.

Consider this list far from a complete guide, which means you should check out as many breweries as you can to see if they have one.

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 35

In no particular order, here are few worth visiting: Half Hitch Brewing Company, Cochrane Custom built breweries can design a building with a patio built in. This brewpub did just that, with a large south facing deck only a few metres from the Bow River.

Last Best Brewing and Distilling, Calgary – This gem is an inner courtyard hidden between two buildings in Calgary’s Beltline. It has a good size, receives a surprising amount of sunlight, and possesses a fireplace.

Siding 14 Brewing Company, Ponoka – The brewery was built to resemble an old railway station and has a partially covered large wooden deck on the south side plus a lawn patio too.

Blind Enthusiasm, Edmonton – This brewery created quite a nice multi-purpose locale just south of Whyte Avenue, and the widened sidewalk includes a west facing deck that is capable of being partially enclosed.

Siding 14 Brewing Company

Last Best Brewing and Distilling

Wild Rose Brewpub

36 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Grizzly Paw Brewpub, Canmore – The original location of Grizzly Paw on 8th Street in downtown Canmore is probably Alberta’s first brewery patio and still one of its best. Well sized, right on the sidewalk for great people watching, with mountain views in all directions that are hard to beat.

Wild Rose Brewpub, Calgary – When Wild Rose Brewery moved to Currie Barracks, they used the copious open land to create their large west facing terrace. While their main brewery was moved to east Calgary, this brewpub is a favourite of Calgarians from all parts of the city.

Multiple Locations – Brewsters. Yes, they are a chain, and yes, they don’t have brewing systems in all ten locations. However, they are considered brewpubs and many have great patios. Of note are the rooftop patio at McKenzie Town (Calgary) and their Oliver Square (Edmonton) location, which in addition to its patio, also has one at their sister pub Beer Revolution across the parking lot.

Special Mention- Tool Shed Brewing Company, Calgary. While their tiny parking lot patio is best described as quaint, the effort they put in trying to obtain the permit from the city deserves recognition. To quote Otter from Animal House “… we could fight 'em with conventional weapons. That could take years and cost millions of lives. No, in this case, I think we have to go all out.” And they did, setting the precedent for other Calgary breweries to turn their parking lots into patios.

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.

Brewsters Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co./Cold Garden Beverage Co., Calgary – Ok, so technically these are two separate breweries. However, by abutting each other, their two spaces together form one great location. While you can’t cross pollinate their patios with the other brewery’s beer, you can hop back and forth, capacity permitting.

Dining in Your Happy Place

Situation Brewing, Edmonton – Located just off Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, this south facing sidewalk enclosure is a retreat in a city largely lacking in brewery patios.

Mill Street BrewPub, Calgary – Because it was built into an old house, they have more area than your average Beltline business.

Here they have two large outdoor spaces: the front facing raised deck and the more secluded rear patio.

Citizen Brewing Company, Calgary – The best retrofitted patio in Calgary.

Within the open space beside their brewery, Citizen has created an oasis in their neighbourhood, with room for 170 souls who can watch hops growing on the east fence.

Stay . Spa . Hike . Bike . Dine .

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Check our website for accommodation packages and menus. islandlakelodge.com 1.888.422.8754 Follow: @islandlakelodge

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 37

Canning Season

by TOM FIRTH and LINDA GARSON

Let’s be honest, canned wine carries around the same reputation that bagged wine did.

Sure you always could put a wine in a can, but why on earth would you do that with GOOD wine?

Leaving aside the fact that a bagged wine is one of the best ways to enjoy wine (with a low carbon footprint, it is also cost effective, highly and easily recyclable, and wine does stay fresh longer), a canned wine makes it easy to enjoy a smaller, single serving that will always taste as it is supposed to, but also enjoy wine whenever or wherever a glass might be less than ideal – think at the beach or poolside or even in the back country.

One of the most overlooked possibilities in having canned wines on hand is having a good quality, convenient quantity of wine for recipes.

culture matures and the cocktail scene explodes, consumers want even more quality-driven options whatever they are enjoying.

The most important thing is having good juice in the package. With that in mind, quality-driven wineries have been justifiably slow in packaging some of their precious liquid in a metal can, but as coffeehouse

So, put the corkscrew down, and crack a vinous cold one this summer….

Barokes Bin 121 Cabernet Shiraz, Merlot South Eastern Australia

Cascadian Outfitters Rosé Columbia Valley Washington State

A bit of a “classic” Australian red blend, with bright, berry fruits and a palate that has enough acid and tannins to make it food friendly as well as enjoyable on its own.

CSPC +790375 About $7

Blended around syrah, this is a bright and well-crafted rosé. Abundant summer fruits, vibrant spices, and quite dry, it’s a treat to enjoy on a warm summer day. Match up with grilled seafood or something salty. Warning, each 355 mL can is around two full servings of wine. It will go quick!

CSPC +815625 About $10-11

Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 Nova Scotia

Joe To Go Pinot Noir Oregon, USA

One of Nova Scotia’s most well loved wines, Nova 7 is now available in a lightweight can. It’s an off-dry bubbly, aromatic, and made from muscat along with Nova Scotia varietals of l’Acadie, ortega and geisenheim. Nova 7 is the palest salmon colour with a good acidity, and flavours of green apples, peaches, and a little lime. Chill it well, and serve outside.

CSPC +819337 About $8

It says, “really good wine” on the front label of this can, and Wines

By Joe usually are. This pinot noir is bright cherry up front, with mushroomy, earthy flavours in the background, like you want pinot noir to be. Treat yourself, and enjoy it with truffle or mushroom risotto, duck or charcuterie, preferably eaten outside.

Available as pinot grigio and rosé too!

CSPC +816139 $11

38 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Barokes Bin 241 Chardonnay Semillon South Eastern Australia

Cascadian Outfitters Red Blend, Columbia Valley Washington State

Clean and polished fruits with a mild nuttiness, but the semillon really dials this up with a bit more herb and waxiness on the palate. Easy going, very drinkable, and extremely convenient.

CSPC +790374 About $7

A robust blend made from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah. It’s a bit of a fruit bomb with generous fruits, but still enough tannin and zing to keep it serious. Would serve well against barbecued fare or even something from the smoker.

CSPC +815623 About $10-11

Cascadian Outfitters Chardonnay, Columbia Valley Washington State So refreshing to see a canned wine with a full-blown appellation on the… label. Quality here is of the utmost importance and it shows on the palate. Rich, creamy chardonnay with good fruits and decent acids, make for something well suited for a variety of dishes – or campsite dining.

CSPC +815624 About $10-11

Benjamin Bridge Pet Nat Nova Scotia We’re seeing more pétillant naturel (Pet Nat), as natural wine becomes more popular. With no added sulphites, yeast, or sugar, it’s unfiltered, so it’s cloudy when you pour it from its pretty, flowery can.

Spicy ginger leads with zingy grapefruit flavour following fast. Serve it very cold for a mouth-watering, thirstquenching, summer tipple.

CSPC +819338 About $9

Where the drinks are cold, the food is hot, and the music is live

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Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 39

Summer Spirits

by TOM FIRTH and LINDA GARSON

Summer can be a tricky

by SHERYL NORMANDEAU time for spirit drinkers

- does one flock to the blended “umbrella” drinks, the classic gin and tonics, or perhaps gravitate to the classics?

Shots of tequila by the fire?

Or perhaps, the days are finally here where one has the option to enjoy premium tequila relaxing with friends, a classic G&T on a hot day, or perhaps something a little different?

No matter how you’d want to spend your summer, you might want to consider some of these fine bottles…

El Tequileño Platino Blanco, Mexico Sourced from Jalisco agave, the Platino exhibits that “classic” tequila sweaty nose with mild minty, menthol characters, cracked black pepper, and a touch of fennel. Spicy and quite citric on the palate, it packs some heat, but super clean and fresh with a slightly silky texture. Perfect for cocktails, but damn good neat.

CSPC +812589 About $70-74

Siempre Añejo Tequila, Mexico It’s so wonderful that tequila has this sea change away from the miserable examples of old and moved towards lush, smooth, and authentic, premium examples. With 24 months in French oak casks, and a blend of highland and lowland agaves, Siempre’s añejo is layered with honey, cocoa, spice, and much more with a beautiful finish. Stunning…

CSPC +812815 $90-95

El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva, Mexico Aged for four months in barrel and blended with a small amount of añejo tequila stock, the reposado demonstrates abundant tree fruit characters like pear and apple, with saline notes and a mild herbaceousness. Full and fiery on the palate with a long, kicking finish, it makes for a top shelf sipping tequila too.

CSPC +811617 About $80-84

Bodegas Alvear Gran Reserva Brandy, Spain Aged in a solera for a whopping 25 years, Alvear’s brandy is quite remarkable.

Showcasing subtle, sweet notes on the nose with woody notes and mild raisin character, the palate is nutty, with leather and spice tones - quite smooth, leading into a lean and fiery finish. It’s compelling, and it’s easy to share.

CSPC +805159 $60-65

Confluence Distilling Vinland Aquavit Calgary, Alberta Made with red wheat from a family farm near Innisfail, I suspect Confluence Distilling have another hit on their hands with this velvety aquavit – where the ingredients have either been handpicked by them or sourced from Albertan family farmers. Fennel and garlic are here too adding to the complexity, and the label is by local tattoo artist Jessica Doyle!

CSPC +818584, $50

Sheringham Distillery Kazuki Gin Vancouver Island, BC What would you expect if the ingredients on your gin bottle read: Japanese cherry blossom, locally grown green tea and flowers from Westholme Tea Farm in Cowichan Valley?

Well the good news is Kazuki Gin is everything you want it to be - floral, sweet, smooth and almost creamy, pretty, delicate, feminine – it’s a sipping gin, and delightful.

CSPC +816747 43% $50

40 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

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Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 41

Summer Sipping: Rosé Style

by MARCIA J. HAMM

Rosé is a drink to enjoy all year round, gaining popularity at many celebrations and for a variety of food pairings.

However, its height of popularity is in the summer months - to be drunk on the patio, surrounded by friends, enjoying the long, lazy days of summer with endless daylight.

Made from every grape imaginable, and from every country around the world, it’s easy to find one to suit every palate and taste.

Rosé is made from red grapes, with the various shades of pink coming from brief to long periods of contact with the skins. There are actually four ways to make rosé, and you can find examples of any of them in our Alberta market.

Saignee – means "to bleed". Juice is in contact with the skin for short or longer periods of time; whatever shade of pink the winemaker is looking for. Once the desired colour has been reached, a portion of juice is bled off and continues fermentation as a white wine. The leftover skins are added to the next batch of red wine, giving it more structure and tannin.

Direct Press – Grapes are crushed and pressed as if making a white wine. Care is taken to extract a delicate colour but not tannins of a red wine.

There’s a lot of Italian rosati in our Alberta market! Did you know that Italy makes some of the best pink in the world? Maybe it’s not the first choice for rosé but let’s take a trip around the country for some that you can readily get your hands on!

Pietradolce 2018 Rosé, Sicily, Italy From the island of Sicily, this is a rosé made with the trendy hot nerello mascalese, a grape growing on the slopes of Mount Etna. Flavours of wild red berries abound, along with minerality and that saline tang that comes from being grown on an island! Ask for the rosé with the ‘scribbles’ on the label!

CSPC +782174 $28-31 Gorgo Bardolino 2018 Chiaretto Veneto, Italy Enjoy lazy endless summer days by the lake? Bardolino on the shore of Lake Garda in Veneto is known for Chiaretto,

42 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

Drawing Off – Red grapes are processed for red wine making, but after fermentation has begun, the juice is drawn off when the desired colour has been reached.

Fermentation will continue at cool temperatures to maintain the fresh fruit aromas. Grape skins are then discarded.

Blending – only allowed in Champagne where red wine is added to white wine to create rosé! Some fruity, inexpensive new world wines are made this way.

made with the same grapes as Valpolicella – corvina, rondinella and molinara. Who knew these grapes could make something so pretty! Fresh strawberry, raspberry, watermelon and zesty acidity make this your next patio or lakeside rosé!

CSPC +813611 $20-22 Tiberio 2017 Cerasuolo Abruzzo, Italy Cerasuolo means cherry, it spends more time on skins to get a fuchsia colour, but still considered a rosé, even though everyone from the region of Abruzzo might slap your hand if you say so! This 100% montepulciano screams to be drunk with dishes like barbecued ribs or pork tenderloin. A perfect BBQ wine, something all Albertans love to do!

CSPC +781514 $28-33

Ricasoli 2018 Albia Rosé, Tuscany, Italy I don’t know about you, but I’d trust any wine coming from the oldest family winery in Italy! The Ricasoli family from the Chianti region of Tuscany has crafted this beautiful blend of sangiovese and merlot in stunning packaging, with complex floral and wild strawberry notes to tempt your palate!

CSPC +230912 $19-21 Pasetti 2018 Rosato, Abruzzo, Italy Abruzzo is a multi-faceted region and out of the Parco Nazionale, the Pasetti family, instead of trying to compete to make Cerasuolo, this 100% montepulciano rosato knocks it out of the park (get it?) with a darker pink hue, but gorgeous aromas and flavours of ripe red cherries, berries and wild roses!

I dare you not to take another sip!

CSPC +800053 $25-28

a fresh italian experience

At the next visit to your favourite wine store, if you want to try something different, ask for an Italian rosé! Think pink! Not just this summer but all year round!

allorarestaurant.com @Allorayyc

Konnichiwa!

By TOM FIRTH and LINDA GARSON

Japan might not always come to mind for beverage enthusiasts. Its flagship is definitely sake, and July 1st is the start of the new sake

by SHERYL NORMANDEAU brewery year.

But sake is often misunderstood by the North American market (when does it get served? Is it served hot or cold?), and we'll freely admit, we prefer sake ever so slightly chilled and in a coffee mug.

Which, while not quite… the proper way to enjoy it, should be a gentle reminder that the most important way to enjoy something is to get out there and enjoy it.

In addition to some wonderful sakes, we have some whiskies, a vodka and gin, and some Ume (plum brandies) which are a blast of fresh air (and acidity) for a tired palate this summer.

White Oak Akashi Blended Whisky, Japan

While whisky isn’t perhaps the most “correct” term, as it’s made with malt whisky and a molasses based spirit, it is quite interesting and definitely tasty. Spicy aromas with lemon and toffee, and perhaps a bit of molasses coming through, the palate is quite light and spicy with great depth. Neat, on the deck? Perfect.

CSPC +798882 $54-60

White Oak Akashi Single Malt Whisky, Japan

Highly enjoyable with great complexity and interesting characters. On the nose, more than a little berry fruit, salt and smoke, with sponge toffee and coffee bean. Quite earthy and a bit of heat (46% ABV), with leather, spice, and caramel on the finish. Very good.

CSPC +800282 $120-140

Suntory Haku Vodka, Japan

Who says there is nothing new under the sun? This certainly is something a little different, made from Japanese white rice and bamboo charcoal filtered, Haku has some high-toned vodka characters, with some of the delicate and almost floral nature of the rice. Very smooth, and perfect with soda and lemon.

CSPC +809942 $45-50

Suntory Roku Gin, Japan

Japanese gin? Makes perfect sense, using a blend of Japanese botanicals, like yuzu peel, sencha, sansho pepper, and some classics, this is wildly unique for our market. A little spicy on the nose with slightly more tropical, subdued aromas leading to a mildly oily, fiery palate. Perfect in simple cocktails.

CSPC +809941 $53-55

Courtesy Big Rock Brewery

Takasago Ume Sake Plum Wine, Japan

Shiratama Brandy Umeshu, Japan

Gekkeikan Black & Gold Premium Sake, United States

Yamahai “Cowboy” Junmai Ginjo Genshu Sake, Japan

Plum wines are typically made by soaking or steeping Japanese plums in a white alcohol base, and adding some sugar. The result?

A tart and tangy, and yes, plum-flavoured liqueur that is remarkably delicious without seeming overly sweet or…"concocted". Would be an excellent digestif, and cocktail friendly too.

CSPC +768497 $38-40

A plum wine blended with a seven year old Japanese brandy, this may be a little further off the beaten path than the Takasago. Clean plum aromas with a bit of that brandy character on the spirit coming across like very old Madeira. On the palate, it is a gem. The brandy is very subtle allowing high-toned plum to lead the way.

CSPC +798970 $26 - $28

Gekkeikan is perhaps the best-known sake brand in Alberta, and with a bottling like the Black and Gold, it’s a deserved reputation.

The Black & Gold is a blend of differently milled sakes yielding lifted aromatics of white rice, vanilla, and floral characters with a long, graceful finish. Yum! CSPC +791645 $22-$24

You’d think this was a clever marketing ploy to reach the Alberta market, but you’d be completely wrong. Wow, this is a full and chewy sake!

Flavours of vanilla ice cream, nuts, black fruit, and a spicy kick on the finish. Yes, this would pair with traditional dishes, but it’s specifically created to pair with beef, and delivers on its promise.

CSPC +795946 $32-$34

YK3 Yu Junmai Sake British Columbia

YK3 Yu Junmai Nigori British Columbia

A boutique sake brewery in Richmond BC, YK3 (both the owners and the sake brewer have the initials YK!) consider their sake like fine wine. Yu Junmai proves the point and tasted blind you’d believe it was wine. Elegant and fresh, with green apple fruit, it’s very flavourful, and bright and earthy at the same time. Serve in a stemmed wine glass.

CSPC +765982, 375 mL $15-17

A very different style of sake, Yu Junmai Nigori is only loosely filtered, so it’s cloudy with a creamy, milky texture. Full and rich, with a very pretty nose, you’ll be surprised to discover an almost anise flavour, reminding you of pastis with a drop of water. Nigori complements creamy dishes really well, and is a great contrast to high acid dishes.

CSPC +766383, 375 mL $15-17

255 Barclay Parade SW Calgary, AB @FlowerandWolfCalgary

Making The Case: Summer Friendly Wines

by TOM FIRTH and LINDA GARSON It’s pretty fundamental to the nature of Albertans that we want a nice summer.

Is it too much to ask after our long winters and brutally short springs that we like a hot (but not too hot) summer with blue skies and the only smoke in the air is coming from our barbecues?

that are incredibly food friendly (and well-priced), and a sparkling wine from one of the finest sparkling wine houses in England.

This month’s Making the Case is all about summer friendly wines from Europe.

An assortment of spicy reds that aren’t too heavy, rosés, plus expressive whites

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.

So kick back, fire up the grill, and relax this summer!

Clos de L’Oratoire des Papes 205 Chateauneuf du Pape, France Chateauneuf might be seen as more of a cool weather companion, but it's definitely good year round. A little brassy and fairly tannic, with dense aromatic berry fruits of cherry and raspberry, and loads of spice and herbaciousness on the nose and palate, this would shine with good steaks or some nice skewers…

CSPC +619197 $40-45

Domaine du Salvard 2017 Cheverny Rouge, Loire Valley, France Looking for something red, but a little different to bring out this summer? Try this, pinot noir with 25 percent gamay and about 5 percent malbec from the Loire Valley. Floral and earthy with ripe, peppered strawberries, spice, and a bit of heat on the palate. A damn fine sip, and would be excellent with burgers, smokies, or the like.

CSPC +754786 $20-24

Prieler 2015 Johanneshöhe Blaufränkisch Burgenland, Austria

Tom is a freelance wine writer, wine consultant, and wine judge. He is the Managing Editor for Culinaire Magazine, and is the Competition Director for the Alberta Beverage Awards. Follow him on twitter @cowtownwine.

46 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 46

Another stunner, this time in blaufränkisch - an all but unheard of grape to most wine enthusiasts. Imagine cherries, wrapped in lavender and liquorice with wild, earthy spice characters. Tannins are very well balanced, making a unique and quaffable bottle for sharing this summer.

CSPC + 792606 $29

Gusborne 2013 Blanc de Blancs United Kingdom

Domaine Champalou 2016 le Portail Vouvray, Loire Valley, France

Domaine du Salvard 2018 Cheverny Blanc Loire Valley, France

We are bound to see more sparkling wines from the UK in our market in the years to come and one thing in their favour is that the quality is exceptional, about even to the wines of champagne. With the Gusborne blanc de blancs, look for a mild creaminess with screaming salinity and mineral tones.

Would rock some oysters for sure.

CSPC +793220 $85

This was a stunner at recent tasting I was at, and highly enjoyable from first sip to last drop. The “classic” home of chenin blanc, Vouvray is all about matchsticks and lemons with yellow apple fruit, and a clean, honey-like tone. A pleasure to drink now, vouvray can also handle a few years in the cellar. Try pairing with grilled chicken or even fried chicken.

CSPC +767850 $45-48

A beautiful blend of 85 percent sauvignon blanc with 15 percent chardonnay, the aromas are slightly leafy and grassy with spice and melon dominating. Salinity and crispness define the palate but that bit of chardonnay softens it up and adds a little fatness. Really sings out for fresh water fish, or poultry. But I wouldn’t turn down a glass by itself.

CSPC +518274 $20-24

Bodegas Vegamar 2015 Crianza Valencia, Spain

Bodegas Vegamar 2013 Reserva Valencia, Spain

Prieler 2016 Seeberg Pinot Blanc Burgenland, Austria

In case you were wondering, the red wines of Spain make excellent summer wines. This crianza, which is a blend of tempranillo, syrah, and merlot is juicy and clean with great tension to the acids and tannin balance. Not too complex, but delicious, and a tremendous value. Pair with grilled meats, or even a beyond meat burger….

CSPC +801588 About $22-23

Much more serious than the crianza, the reserve is cabernet dominated with syrah and merlot yielding a slightly tarry and cherry-jelly laden palate with abundant spice and a heavier tannin structure.

Would age well if desired, but would handle anything you might cook for a few hours in the smoker. Fantastic juice here.

CSPC +801589 About $27-29

Pinot blanc is an easy grape to overlookquite frankly, there aren’t many in our market, and pinot blanc is often overshadowed by the popularity of pinot gris. This one from Prieler is mind blowing.

Bartlett pears, yellow apples, a hint of nectarine, with honey, lemon, and mild waxy notes. Drinks like a dream solo, but should pair well with with poultry or pork.

CSPC +792604 $32

Domaine de Pellehaut 2017 Harmonie Rosé, Côtes de Gascogne, France

Domaine de Pellehaut 2017 Harmonie Blanc, Côtes Gascogne, France

Château de Berne Romance 2018 Provence, France

Pale, copper/pink in the glass, this rosé is made from a wide blend of red grapes evoking everything one needs for summer pinks. Slightly herbaceous with rhubarb, strawberries, and wild cherry on the nose and palate. Quite dry, this is easy going, quaffable rosé.

Drink up!

CSPC +737096 About $14-16

A vin de pays near Armagnac, these wines represent phenomenal value. A diverse blend of white grapes, the flavour profile is bright, easy going, and slightly dominated by sauvignon blanc characters, so think melon, grapefruit, and fresh limes. Serve lightly chilled whenever you need a value-driven white, on the deck or for outdoor events.

CSPC +737102 $14-16

Brand new in stores this month, from one of the most popular wine destinations in Provence (the château has a Michelin star restaurant!), Romance is a blend of grenache, cinsault, syrah, and merlot, and is the palest salmon colour. Very refreshing, it opens with creamy ripe peaches leading to delicate strawberries. Perfect for patios, summer, and conversation.

CSPC +814584 $16

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 47

Etcetera...

It’s an all-liquid line up this month!

Bella Amari

Paloma Paradise Mix

Jordan’s General Store Gourmet Dipping Sauces

Coming from the fine folks at Molson, Bella Amari is an Italian-style cooler.

Yes they have some sweetness, but offset by a mild tartness from the Blood Orange or Limone flavours and bubble spritz. With more alcohol than a session beer, you might want to garnish with fruit, serve over ice, or work into a cocktail. Hear that? Summer is calling…

6.5% ABV CSPC + 815833 (orange), +815835 (lemon) $10.

New from Mexico is this Paloma cocktail in a can. More popular in Mexico than margaritas, Palomas are made by mixing tequila, grapefruit juice, sugar, and lime, but Paradise have down all the work for us and blended tequila with grapefruit soda, so all you do is dig out your sombrero, rim your glass with salt if you like, and add ice.

It’s refreshing and summery, salud!

CSPC +804573 Around $3.

To think of these local sauces for “dipping” is to miss out on some tasty options. In 5 flavours, Maple Campfire is the current favourite as a barbecue sauce, yes - a dipping sauce, and even in a few recipes.

The piquant flavour brings a spicy kick when you need a little more heat, and Mrs. J’s is awesome with smokies too. $8 online and across Alberta.

SoCIAL LITE M.O. Fruitsecco Sparkling Basil Coming from the folks at BC tree fruits, M.O. Fruitsecco is hitting our shelves in three flavours. With no added sugar, the cider bases are accented with a very small list of ingredients - such as four apples, one sprig of lavender, and soda water. Quite dry and refreshing, we loved the Sparkling Basil, and enjoyed the Sparkling Rosé and Sparkling Dry too. CSPC +812231 $10-12.

Partake Brewing Non-Alcoholic IPA In a quest for a better, non-alcoholic beer, Partake set the bar high, with one that tastes good without all that pesky alcohol. The IPA has all the right aromatics, and the palate has bright flavours, a refreshing hoppiness and a clean, slightly bitter finish. So much better than a sweet soda if alcohol isn’t for you. Also as a Pale Ale (CSPC +900672) CSPC +900634 4-pack $8-$9.

48 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

SoCIAL LITE has been in our market for a few years and has been doing well with low calorie, low carb, and low alcohol refreshers. With a bevvy of new flavours on the shelves, we tried Field Strawberry, Blood Orange, and Spiked Peach Iced Tea. Our favourite was the Spiked Peach, which made a hot day so much better.

CSPC + 812904 $10-$12

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I didn't understand. I'm not a political person, and I never will be.”

MacLean closed Downtownfood and opened Shokunin, but from it he was selected for Cook It Raw and garnered international attention, ultimately leading to an invite from Netflix to compete in ‘The Final Table’.

Much has been written about the hugely successful TV contest. Shokunin now has fans all over the world, and MacLean is planning new ventures. “I know we're doing something right,” he says. “And I think that locally, if we cared more about the food and less about the personality behind it, we would do a better service.”

Open That Bottle

by LINDA GARSON

“I love Asian food, period. It's the food I grew up eating with my neighbours. People think of terroir as the taste of place, but terroir is heavily influenced by the people who settled there,” says Darren MacLean, chef/owner of Shokunin.

Born in Innisfail, MacLean’s family moved to an ethnically diverse area of Calgary when he was 12, and his love of Asian food stems from the time spent in his friends’ homes.

On graduating, he worked for his mentor, Aaron Linley, whom he’s still really close to, before returning to Calgary and opening his own restaurant, Downtownfood.

He’s worked in kitchens ever since, and was often promoted, “But I was never really ready for those positions, so it never lasted long; I didn't know how to handle being in charge because I was young,” he says.

“I was 26 years old and very arrogant nine years ago, and I thought I was going to change Calgary's dining scene, but nobody has that much influence,” says MacLean. “As a chef, you have to have a tremendous amount of self-belief to put yourself out there in front of people. That's why sometimes chefs don't get along with other people; you win or lose based on what people think of you.”

“I worked at a golf course and became the head chef at 22, and developed a table d'hôte menu that John (Gilchrist) tried and quite liked. And I didn't even know who he was and he didn't know who I was.”

MacLean first saw whole salmon filleted, and classic French techniques at Murietta‘s, and decided to go to Stratford Chef School.

He was ambitious, raising pigs and planting a rooftop garden, but was surprised by the negativity around trying to be different.

“I always really wanted people to just eat better food and eat cleaner food,” he explains. “And so

50 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019

So what bottle is MacLean saving for a special occasion?

“It’s my favourite sake - Kuheiji Junmai Daiginjo. It's beautiful; it tastes like a riesling,” he says. Kuheiji is a cult brewery from Aichi Prefecture, and pioneered the use of vintage rice and aging sake to develop complexity.

“It's actually a gift from Mitsuru (Hara – now MacLean’s sous chef), and it’s really special. He gave it to me when I opened Shokunin,” the chef continues.

“Mitsuru is a perfect example of a genius who closes his restaurant and then becomes a sous chef at a three Michelin star in two months, then runs their Tokyo operation for a year. It's ridiculous that type of brilliance isn't always acknowledged, and he will be the chef of the new restaurant.”

“It’s a place to showcase others, and that's what I want to do. I've always been interested in collaboration, so it's really cool that I haven't opened the bottle because I've been looking for the right occasion, and we're going to open it on the opening night.”

“It's a magnum and I'm going to share it with everybody. I've never been more positive or more happy, or more excited about Calgary, the food scene and my role to play in it, and Canadian cuisine, that I am now.”

! s e s ul

Y T R A P

P

WITH

/3 cup (75 mL) /4 cup (60 mL) 2 tsp (10 mL) 2 2 /3 cup (150 mL) 1 /2 cup (125 mL) 2 tsp (10 mL) 1 /2 tsp (2 mL) 2 1 /8 tsp (0.5 mL) 2 Tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar 1

DIRECTIONS chickpeas, drained & rinsed (yields 2 cups/500 mL cooked) canola oil fresh lemon juice grated lemon zest egg yolks all-purpose flour granulated sugar, divided baking powder salt egg whites cream of tartar freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (OPTIONAL) 2 packages (8 oz/250 g) 1 /2 cup (125 mL) 1 /2 cup (125 mL) 1 /4 cup (60 mL) 1 /4 tsp (1 mL)

h c h i c k pe

MAKES 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS 1

ake

as !

e

BAKE TIME 18-20 min

ly

ma d

PREP TIME 15 min

1 can (19 oz/540 mL)

s imple cupc wit

LEMONY CHICKPEA CUPCAKE PULSE Chickpeas

A refreshing

light cream cheese butter, softened icing sugar seedless raspberry jam fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare muffin tins with large muffin cup liners.

2. In a food processor, purée chickpeas with oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add egg yolks and blend well until mixture is smooth.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar, baking powder and salt. Add puréed chickpea mixture and mix well.

4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.

Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar in a slow, thin stream, beating until whites form stiff glossy peaks.

5. Fold beaten egg whites into chickpea mixture. Divide batter among paper-lined muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from muffin tins and onto wire racks to cool completely.

6. Drizzle 1/2 tsp (2 mL) lemon juice over each cupcake, then sprinkle with icing sugar if desired or omit icing sugar and top with raspberry cream cheese frosting.

7. To make cream cheese frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Add icing sugar, jam and lemon juice and mix on low until combined. Scrape down sides, then beat on high speed for about 1 minute until smooth and fluffy. Makes about 3 cups (750 mL) frosting.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING (1 cupcake, no icing) 163 Calories, 7 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 32 mg Cholesterol, 21 g Carbohydrate, 2 g Fibre, 10 g Sugar, 4 g Protein, 220 mg Sodium, 138 mg Potassium, 46 mcg Folate, 1 mg Iron

Alberta Pulses - good for food and for you!

For more great pulse recipes with beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas, visit albertapulse.com

Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019 51

CRAFT

M E E T S INNOVATION

1000 STORIES BOURBON BARREL AGED ZINFANDEL 1000STORIESWINES.COM 52 Alberta's freshest food & beverage magazine - July - August 2019