Culinaire 5:4 (September 2016)

ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 5 NO.4 :: SEPTEMBER 2016

GINS WORTH GETTING TO KNOW

1516:

500 YEARS OF PURE BEER SPICING UP BRUSCHETTA

CELEBRATING

HARVEST: COOK YOUR VEGETABLES

LIKE A PRO

Worldly White Wines | Find Your Best Take-Out | Negroni Please!

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15 VOLUME 5 / ISSUE #4 SEPTEMBER 2016

Features 15

Find Your Best: Take Out Too busy to prepare a sit down lunch? Our light-hearted quiz will help point you in the direction of Calgary and Edmonton take out spots to suit your style

by Twyla Campbell, Dan Clapson, Linda Garson and Diana Ng

30 Alberta Food Tours Originally Calgary Food Tours, Karen Anderson has been sharing Alberta’s food stories bite by bite for over ten years, while slowly growing her business

by Elizabeth Chorney-Booth

50 Rediscovering Gin After losing ground to vodka and tequila in the early 2000s, gin has seen a renaissance in the last few years with growing interest from craft distilleries

by Linda Garson

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Yamming it Up 3 ways to get sweet with sweet potatoes

by Natalie Findlay

54

Departments

21

Talking ‘Bout Brown Bag Lunches School-time lunch insights

by Dan Clapson

34 Prost to the Reinheitsgebot 500 years of Pure Beer

by David Nuttall

Making the Case Portugal’s world of difference

by Tom Firth

56 The Negroni The universally loved drink of bartenders

by Brice Peressini

58 Open That Bottle PJ L’Heureux, founder and president of Craft Beer Market

by Linda Garson

6

Salutes and Shout Outs

10

Off The Menu – One18 Empire’s Beet Salad with Pistachio Vinaigrette

11

Book Review

12

Chefs’ Tips – and Tricks!

24 Soup Kitchen 26 Spice It Up: Bruschetta 32 Step-By-Step:

Zucchini Relish

46 Around the World … in 6 white wines

by Jaclyn Adomeit

On the Cover: Many thanks to Kaitlyn Goetz, a fourth-year student studying Visual Communication and Design at the Alberta College of Art and Design, for her beautifully crafted illustration specially created for our harvest issue front cover.

Letter From The Editor I was lucky to visit new-to-me places; a week touring the vineyards and eateries of Nova Scotia was sheer delight, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning new-to-me grapes with fascinating and evocative names, such as L’Acadie, Leon Millot and Lucie Kuhlmann. I’m hoping we’ll see more of these wines in our province soon, if enough can be produced to spare some for us.

Hello September! I hope you're kinder to us than your predecessors were.

Now we're back to school and back at our desks, the days of wine and roses are over for a while (well, maybe the roses are gone, but please – not the wine!).

I hope your summer has been a break from routine to recharge your batteries for the cooler months ahead.

A trip to eastern Ontario was eye opening for me too – a picturesque journey through the charming old villages south of Ottawa. I hope I’m not the only person who didn't know that Thousand Island dressing was created in Ontario – in an area called Thousand Islands!

Shortly after my return, we were eyebrow deep in our fourth Alberta Beverage Awards, at the very accommodating Hotel Blackfoot – and our best showing yet! We were

delighted with the growth in entries – even in a difficult year! Many thanks to the hundreds of importers and producers, judges and volunteers, for your support – watch out for the results issue next month!

Did you take in any festivals this summer? We were so happy to be a little part of the new Taste of Calgary with our demo stage presentations. It was certainly a very popular event and a huge success; we look forward to playing a bigger role in 2017.

And now our 1st Annual Edmonton Treasure Hunt is here, and we’ve been blown away by the enthusiastic response – completely selling out, and with a full stable of destinations to discover. I look forward to seeing you in Edmonton on September 10th.

Cheers, Linda Garson, Editor-in-Chief

ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES Editor-in-Chief/Publisher: Linda Garson linda@culinairemagazine.ca Commercial Director: Keiron Gallagher 403-975-7177 sales@culinairemagazine.ca

Edmonton Sales Director: Lisa Wolansky 587-338-8780 lisa@culinairemagazine.ca Advertising Consultant: Tim Mitchell 403-604-7478 tim@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Food Editor: Dan Clapson dan@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Drinks Editor: Tom Firth tom@culinairemagazine.ca

Our Contributors < Mallory Frayn

Mallory is a food writer and Ph.D. student living and learning in Montreal. She loves to combine her two passions, food and psychology, to help people develop healthier relationships with food, evidenced by her website becauseilikechocolate.com.

When she isn’t busy with research or writing, Mallory is likely jogging, or eating (or both!) her way around Montreal. Follow Mallory on Twitter @cuzilikechoclat

Digital Media Editor: Anna Brooks web@culinairemagazine.ca Contributing Photographer: Ingrid Kuenzel Design: Emily Vance Contributors: Twyla Campbell Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Natalie Findlay Mallory Frayn Dong Kim Renee Kohlman Robyn Maclean Karen Miller Diana Ng David Nuttall Brice Peressini

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

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

< Karen Miller

Karen is a lawyer by trade, giving her a knack for picking apart a cookbook for Culinaire reviews. She claims to have been on the “know where your food comes from” bandwagon sooner than most.

Always willing to impart knowledge to absolutely anybody who asks, Karen is practical but creative, having taught many styles of cooking classes.

She was also part of the Calgary Dishing girls (producing two cookbooks).

< Diana Ng

Diana is a co-founder of EatNorth.com, freelance food writer and digital media nerd who is always looking for the best foods in Calgary and all of Canada. She’s written for FoodNetwork.ca and CanadianLiving.com, and Fodor’s travel guide, among other websites and publications. You’ll never find reduced-fat foods in her cabinets or fridge. Follow @FoodSalon and @EatNorthCa on Twitter.

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.

Salutes...

Soup Sisters Call For Chefs

Help ‘create a stir’ against family violence, and take part in the biggest hands-on soup-making event ever! On November 8, 25 local chefs and 25 corporate teams will make 1,200 servings at Soup Sisters’ 5th annual Big Stir, to be delivered the next day to every emergency shelter in Calgary. Volunteer your team at info@soupsisters.org

Congrats again to CedarCreek!

… whose 2014 Platinum Block 3 Riesling was named Best Canadian White Wine over £15 at the prestigious Decanter

World Wine Awards in England. Rated 95 Points, the win follows on the heels of last year’s award of Best Canadian Red Wine over £15 for their 2012 Platinum Block 2 Pinot Noir.

Love With Food

Love in a box

Love With Food is now available for delivery to Canada, bringing all-natural and hard-to-find snacks straight to our doorsteps. A portion of the proceeds is donated to Canadian food banks - to date they have donated more than one million meals! Visit lovewithfood.com to order the Deluxe Box with 16-20

surprise snacks, or the Gluten-Free Box of 10-12 surprise celiac-safe, and mostly dairy-free, snacks.

and Shout Outs...

So many quality restaurants have opened this summer! Here are some highlights…

Fish Shack (Calgary)

After 27 years, Osteria De Medici has closed its doors, but chefs Giovanni Libnik and Michele Delasare have given life to a new concept, Osteria Chef’s Table, in two of the dining rooms, with reserved parking right outside. It’s old school but modern, offering good, classic Italian food, in an elegant and romantic space.

Enjoy delicious pastas like Gnocchi Piemontese, ribeye with truffle sauce – or try the popular six-course tasting menu, $75. Open lunch and dinner.

Look for the bright yellow door on 4 Street at 10 Ave SW, and you’ll find Rodney’s new fish and chip shack. The small menu has everything you want – choose one or two pieces of crispy, moist and flaky Ocean Wise halibut or haddock (or add more!), hand cut wedges or skinny fries with good housemade dill slaw, or the scallop roll, Caesar or house salad, or classic New England or Manhattan chowder. Call ahead to order and pick up in a rush, or grab a window seat (sign your name on the frame!) or at the bar. If you’re lucky, the only high top table will be free and you can chat with the live lobsters!

Wise and Wright (Calgary)

OEB (Calgary)

Osteria Chef’s Table (Calgary)

Bringing corporate downtown a culinary approach to healthy food (and it’s good!), this minimalist, bright space has entrances from The Core and 8 Ave SW, and you can eat in or take out very generous portions of dishes such as broccoli, kale, quinoa and feta salad; foraged mushroom stone oven flatbread; coconut chicken bowl; and built-up toasts – and all at great value prices – the most expensive dish on the menu is $13. Be sure to grab a Hot Chai Latte or Beau-Tea-Ful tea with your meal!

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Have you been missing OEB while they’re refurbishing at Edmonton Trail?

Good news! You can get your fix at the new 5 Avenue Place location. It’s a very different look – more spacious, and you can sit in one of two giant waffles or the much-coveted four-seater egg! The focus is the same, local produce and the best eggs. New additions to the menu include Water Fowl Eggs Benny – smoked Peking duck breast, porcini mushrooms, and truffle; The Codfather – black cod, scrambled egg, avocado

and Quebec curds, though faves Soul In A Bowl (two poached eggs, herb potatoes, Saint Cyrille cheese curds, and lardons) and French Toast Trifle, are still on offer, along with crepes, waffles, burgers… If you’re in a hurry, there’s a take-away window – call in advance!

Hayden Block

Hayden Block (Calgary)

Hayden Block Smoke & Whisky, in the old Yardhouse space in Kensington, is serving up Texas BBQ applewood smoked meats (cherry wood for poultry) by weight. Faves are AAA hormone-free brisket, smoked 13-14 hours; 24-hour brined, smoked and flash fried wings; and turkey breast. Add house-made beans and very creamy corn, broccoli salad, and white bread (because you have to!). Insider info: ask for honey butter with the spicy cornbread, and mix espresso sauce and spicy vinegar together! It’s casual and communal here, ... continued on Page 8

Culinary Classes with Wine & Cocktail Pairings Catering | Team Building | Events 780.566.2106 getcookingedmonton.com

with three 16-20 seat tables inside and a 40-seat, front patio picnic table. To drink? Hayden Block has 150+ whiskies, 18 oz local beers, and wine on tap, along with excellent approachable whiskey cocktails. At 10pm it’s meat o’clock, when all meats are half price – you might not get what you want, but it’s a great deal!

expect to see Ernest Hemmingway in the corner. Borne out of rum evenings at Bourbon Room, this stylish cocktail lounge boasts an ever-changing menu of cocktails and snacks – and some of the best empanadas filled with a mixture of curds, mozzarella, and cream cheese, to be had locally.

Una Takeaway (Calgary)

Try jerk crab or chicken, curry goat with rice and beans, and wash it down with one of Alex Newman’s creative cocktails. Ricardo’s also have a Tot Club where members enjoy a special bi-weekly rum ration like sailors in the Royal Navy back in the day! Welcome touches include purse hooks under the bar, and we'll let you discover for yourself the flamingos and bananas!

Long-awaited UNA Takeaway is now open next to UNA Pizza + Wine. With a menu mostly the same as dining in, plus salads, sandwiches, and a roast chicken dinner, the take-out also sells Una’s tomato sauce, kale Caesar dressing, home-made harissa, patatas bravas sauce, take-home lasagna, jams, Café Rosso single origin coffee (with a little Frenchie on the bags!), and by request – pizza kits to bake at home.

You’ll also find gluten-free pastries and bread made by Leigh-Anne Seto (formerly pastry chef at Chateaux Lake Louise), as well as charcuterie

by Empire Provisions. Order online as far ahead as you like for a speedy pick-up, or have it delivered to your location in the SW and outlying areas.

Frenchie

Frenchie (Calgary)

So you’re looking for a space to sip organic or biodynamic wine, and nibble on some (of the best!) charcuterie, paté and cheese, and tiny baguettes made in house. A small 22-seat, romantic wine bar with muted lighting and small flickering red lamps, white brick walls, and eclectic music that changes with the weather – the perfect place for a private party for 30 people max? Then Frenchie, behind Una Takeaway, is for you. Currently Wednesday-Sunday 6pm-1pm.

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The Guild Restaurant Courtesy Cindy La

The Guild Restaurant (Calgary)

Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini’s passion project, The Guild, has opened at Hudson’s Bay. Started five years ago, with six months menu development, acclaimed chef, Ryan O’Flynn’s meat-centric menu pays homage to Alberta with local ingredients, and emphasis on live-fire cooking using birch, pine and apple wood. It’s an impressive space with first class service, studded leather chairs, and seating for 174 inside, and possibly the largest downtown patio seating 188 people.

Bar bites, such as deep fried Mac ‘n Cheese, are available 4-5pm, and a social hour from 2-5pm has special drink features, along with soups and salads, open-face sandwiches, chicken poutine, and smoked Beretta Farm brisket pizza. Non-meaty dishes include smoky devilled eggs and beefsteak tomatoes stuffed with basil ricotta.

You can have half a pig’s head, or try braised bison Jacob’s Ladder short rib, glazed with wild tree glaze, maple, birch and molasses. Eat your heart out Fred Flintstone! Don’t miss gin & tonic Haida Gwaii salmon with Irish soda bread, and west coast octopus with chorizo.

Ricardo’s Hideaway (Calgary)

Autumn may be close, but you can extend the summer feeling at Ricardo’s Hideaway, in the old Mercury Lounge space on 5 Street SW. There are 12 seats at the bar, 20 inside, and a large patio with fireplace, teal and turquoise walls, and bright blue woodwork. You almost

Ricardo’s Hideaway

Royale Brasserie

Royale Brasserie (Calgary)

17 Avenue SW has a very plush new addition – Teatro Group’s new restaurant in the refurbished Corbeaux space.

Classy features include a solid zinc bar and vintage airplane propeller fans.

Executive Chef, Dominique Moussu’s signature menu includes a fresh seafood station, and an elegant, classic take on French cuisine with dishes like Pate de Foie Volaille, Terrine de Lapin, Cote de Boeuf Pour Deux, and Cote de Porc Normande. Brunch offers a choice of eggs bennies, daily quiche and croque

monsieur, to name a few. Check out the eclectic French-inspired wine program, French digestifs, and a variety of cocktails and French beer on tap.

Earls. 67

Earls. 67 (Calgary)

There’s more 8 Ave SW goodness to be found at Earls’ 67th restaurant – reimagined and revitalized, with attention to every detail from lighting to glassware.

Try the different areas to suit your mood: Bankers Bar is the dark side, where serious cocktails are created using one of six different types of the clearest ice (try the fave 67 Swizzle!), or the bright Beer Bar with 12 wines and 16 beers on tap. The airy, Canteen has a variety of seating, with a free skewer or dip when you sit at a communal table or if there’s a wait, and a bar where you can gaze at skewers cooking on the Japanese Robata grill. And two patios – the new 34 seat glass-enclosed atrium, and the seasonal outdoor beer patio.

The menu is the same in all areas, sporting familiar favourite salads, bowls and forno choices, and new healthy shareable dishes (don’t miss the pressed sushi!), and you can help yourself to free flavoured still or sparkling water.

If you fancy a little wine at lunch, you can choose 3oz, 6oz, 9oz or a carafe, or for beer, 8oz, 12oz, 20oz or a growler. Phil & Seb coffee is on offer all day. Bites after 9pm are at special prices, and bubbles with gourmet dogs are becoming quite the thing!

Off The Menu

One18 Empire’s Beet Salad with Pistachio Vinaigrette

by LINDA GARSON

We're happy a reader asked us for this recipe because we love the beautiful roasted beet salad from One18 Empire too.

Many thanks to Chef Eliott Senechal for sharing the recipe with us!

Pistachio Vinaigrette

1 cup pistachios 1 cup (240 mL) bourbon aged vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 cup packed spinach 2 egg yolks 3 cups (720 mL) canola oil ½ tsp Dijon mustard ¼ cup chopped shallots ¼ cup chopped tarragon 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp ground pepper 2 Tbs (30 mL) honey

In a blender combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to add a touch of water if the consistency is too thick to blend properly.

Roasted Beet Salad

3 medium size red beets 3 medium size yellow beets 3 medium size stripped beets 6 cloves of garlic 9 sprigs of thyme ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil 1 log goat cheese 1 cup micro greens ¼ cup crushed pistachios 10

1. Cut goat cheese into 2 cm

lengths. Wrap in plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 24 hours.

mitts). Beets are generally easier to peel while still hot, so place in a cloth so you don’t burn your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 375º F.

6. Using a paring knife, carefully

3. Place each colour beet onto separate sheets of aluminum foil and add a touch of canola oil over each beet. Place two garlic cloves and 3 sprigs of thyme onto each sheet on top of the beets.

4. Wrap beets with aluminum foil,

making sure to close tightly. Place each bunch of wrapped beets on a baking sheet and roast for 45–60 minutes.

5. Once the beets are fully cooked,

remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes. Open the aluminum foil being careful of the hot steam (I recommend using oven

peel the skin off the beet and allow to cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once cool, cut into different shapes such as wedges, cubes or slices.

7. Spread pistachio vinaigrette over

bottom of plate and top with beets.

Add a generous sprinkle of crushed pistachio as well as local organic micro greens. Remove the goat cheese from the freezer and use a zester to grate the cheese over beets.

If there’s a dish in a local restaurant that you’d love to know how to make, let us know at culinairemagazine.ca/contact-us, and we’ll do our very best to track it down for you!

Book Review

by KAREN MILLER

Out of the Orchard

and sweet bourbon (p.16) – it will make you think outside of the box.

We should all look forward to the idea of serving her apple pie biscuits as a Sunday night dessert. I know I am! She is so liberated in the kitchen, and shows how the recipes work for any part of the day – I especially love the apple and pear granola breakfast crisp on page 26.

Julie Van Rosendaal Touchwood Editions 2016, $29.95 A daily blogger (dinnerbyjulie.com), CBC Radio Calgary’s food columnist, writer and editor, as well as a prolific author of bestselling cookbooks, you can clearly tell that Julie Van Rosendaal cooks all the time! She graciously shares the many ideas and tips she has amassed in every aspect of cooking and baking over her career, and this new book is no different.

Throughout Out of the Orchard, Van Rosendaal showcases all the amazing fruits that can be found in the Okanagan.

The book is not just a baked apple pie or tart-focused book, but rather one that puts the fruit to full use in innumerable sweet and savoury recipes.

Whether you get to sample the succulent fruit of the Okanagan or stick to local harvests this season, this cookbook is a comforting way to share the bounty of the season with family and friends.

Whether it is just the idea of putting fresh apples into a Chana Masala (p. 88) or cinnamon buns – perfect on their own, but made even better with tart apples

Karen Miller is a lawyer by trade, giving her a knack for picking apart a cookbook. She has taught many styles of cooking classes and was part of the Calgary Dishing girls.

Chefs' Tips Tricks!

Working with Harvest Vegetables

by ROBYN MACLEAN photography by INGRID KUENZEL AND DONG KIM

‘Tis the season of bountiful Chef/Proprietor Paul Stoffel Q Haute Cuisine (Calgary) harvest from our many amazing Alberta producers. “Vegetables are incredibly versatile in terms of preparation, presentation, After spending months and taste, leaving a lot of room dedicated to soil and seeds, texture to play and create,” says Chef Stoffel. farmers near and far have “You’ll often find me charring my provided us hungry locals red peppers. Charring or roasting with a gorgeous array of reduces the sharpness and intensifies colourful, healthy and, most the natural sugars, leaving you with a whole new smoky, tender and importantly, flavourful juicy ingredient,” he explains. “My vegetables. technique is to roast over an open Most of us already know there a few golden guidelines to cooking vegetables, such as uniform slicing and cooking the soft together and the hard together, but in order to make vegetables the star of the show rather than the back-up singer, we’ve asked a few of our favourite chefs to share some of their go-to vegetable recipes and tips.

flame, turning frequently to ensure even charring. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char it under the broiler.

When the pepper is completely charred, I place it into a bowl and saran wrap tightly, or in a Tupperware container with a tight fitting lid. I then let it steam and cool for 10 minutes, allowing the skin to easily

Chef Paul Stoffel

peel away from the flesh. From there I gently scrape the skin off with my knife, then wipe the remaining off with a cloth. Be careful not to run under water as it will wash away the oils of the pepper, destroying the flavour you worked so hard to attain.”

Vegetable Pavé 12

Vegetable Pavé

Chamomile Quick Pickle Liquid

1 eggplant 2 carrots 2 zucchini 3 small roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed 1 medium sweet potato 1 tsp chopped thyme 4 Tbs (60 mL) garlic oil 1 cup grated Parmesan

It pairs well with beets, radishes, shiitake mushrooms, cucumbers, fennel, carrots and cooked potatoes.

Serves 4

Serves 6

Chef Doreen Prei

Charring or roasting reduces the sharpness and intensifies the natural sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. 2. Slice vegetables thinly on a mandolin.

3. Toss into a mixing bowl with garlic oil and season with salt, pepper and thyme.

4. Layer in a buttered casserole

dish lined with parchment paper on the bottom. Start with the sweet potatoes, followed by zucchini, carrot, and then eggplant. Save the red pepper for the top.

5. In between each layer sprinkle some shredded Parmesan, repeat these steps until all the vegetables have been used up, top with red pepper.

Doreen Prei

Private Chef (Edmonton) “Ask me how I like my summer vegetables prepared, and I often say ‘pickled’,” says Chef Prei. “Nothing quite compares to the sharp tang and fresh crunch of a good quick pickle!”

“The beauty of a good quick pickle is its simplicity,” she continues. “It’s as easy as boiling water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices together, then covering your produce with that liquid and waiting a few hours.”

Pickling helps extend summer's bounty well into the fall. The difference between a quick pickle and a canned pickle is that the quick pickle process can be equated to marinating. Canned pickles, on the other hand, use a waterbath canning process and stronger brine to extend their shelf life.

6. Cover with parchment paper and

The beauty of a good quick pickle is its simplicity

Optional: remove foil and place another casserole dish on top of the pave and weight down with a moderately heavy weight, then place in fridge to completely cool.

Once cooled, run a knife round the edge of the Pavé and turn out on to a chopping board, cut desired portion size and reheat on a baking tray lined with parchment.

“The best part about pickling is how versatile and adaptable it can be using whatever you have on hand,” Chef Prei explains. “Feel free to play around with a variety of vinegars, heat, fresh herbs and spices. I love adding my pickled goodies to a loaded charcuterie board to complement my cured meat and fish, but they’re also great on their own for a satisfyingly briny snack!”

foil and bake for one hour or until tender when pierced with a skewer.

2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped, use the skin and all trimmings 2 bags smith tea meadow (chamomile) 1 stalk lemongrass, crushed 1 fennel chopped 20 g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 5 Tbs (75 mL) Ponzu 2 limes, juiced 3 kaffir limes, sliced ½ cup + 2 Tbs (150 mL) champagne vinegar 2 cups (500 mL) water 1 tsp coriander seeds 3 star anise 40 g sugar 2 Thai red chilies

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes.

2. Strain through a sieve while still very hot to cover vegetables to be pickled.

3. Let sit in the liquid anywhere from 1-6 hours.

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Chef Daniel Pizarro Avec Bistro (Calgary)

“I find vegetables to be much more versatile than proteins,” says Chef Pizarro.

“Without vegetables, our plates would look lifeless. They’d lack colour, texture, and contrast. I like to play around mixing raw and cooked vegetables, adding new dimensions and bringing freshness to a dish, which provides incredible balance when working with rich foods.”

Pizarro encourages home cooks to play with the corn sauce and charred corn sections of this bright and bold recipe in a variety of applications. “Cold salads as a garnish, to warm sides such as a succotash, or with fish like here, or even as a savoury corn soup garnished with the charred corn.”

Chef Daniel Pizarro

Poached Sablefish With Charred Corn Serves 2

Corn sauce: 1 corn cob 1 cup (240 mL) whole milk ½ onion diced 2 crushed garlic cloves 1 Tbs butter To taste salt and pepper

In a small pot on low to medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in butter until translucent. Cut corn off the cob and add to the onion mixture. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add milk, simmer 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper and reserve.

Charred corn: 2 cobs corn 1 Tbs butter, cold

1 Tbs (15 mL) grapeseed oil or canola ½ lemon, juiced To taste salt and pepper

Cut kernels off the corn cob. In a shallow frying pan on high heat, add the kernels when the pan starts to slightly smoke.

Once they start to char and blacken, add the oil and salt. Be cautious as the corn will start to pop and jump. Add the lemon, butter and pepper, stirring quickly off the heat. Reserve at room temperature.

Glaze: add honey, lemon juice and thyme in a pot and bring to a simmer, reserve.

Gremolata: in a bowl, mix the parsley and diced lemon peel together.

2- 140 g pieces sablefish (black cod), skinned 1 cup (240 mL) olive oil 1 cup (240 mL) vegetable oil 1 Tbs kosher salt Pea shoots or sunflower shoots, optional garnish Pumpkinseed oil, garnish,

Glaze and gremolata:

1. Pat fish dry and rub with kosher salt.

2 Tbs (30 mL) honey 1 lemon juiced 1 sprig thyme ½ cup finely chopped parsley Peel from one lemon, diced fine

2. In a small pot add the oil on medium

Let penetrate at room temperature.

heat. Heat to 100º C and turn to low.

Carefully place the fish in the pot (this should not deep fry), you should have some bubbles in the oil, but not rapid.

3. After 5 minutes remove from heat

and let sit 2 minutes before removing fish from oil. Place on paper towel to absorb remaining oil.

4. To plate, place a bed of charred corn

in the centre of a shallow bowl. Dip the topside of the fish into the glaze and then into the gremolata. Place fish on the corn and finish by pouring the hot corn sauce around the dish. Garnish with pumpkinseed oil and shoots.

Robyn is a public relations professional and occasional writer, with a passion for food and beverages. Despite city hopping from her home in Calgary to Anchorage, AK, you can still find her on Twitter @robynalana 14

Find Your Best: Take Out

by TWYLA CAMPBELL, DAN CLAPSON, LINDA GARSON and DIANA NG photography by INGRID KUENZEL and DONG KIM

Sometimes our work schedule doesn’t allow for a proper, sit-down lunch with our co-workers. When time is tight and devouring lunch while you’re on the go is a better option, take this quiz to find out which fast and furiously delicious take out meal is for you.

1. I’m picking up food to bring back to the office for my coworkers too, so… a) I need somewhere with a lot of variety. Picky eaters, you know… b) If I can just grab some larger dishes for sharing, that’s perfect. c) I need something more chefdriven. They’re all “foodies”!

2. When I am getting food to go, I like a meal that requires ___ napkins... a) None. There’s no time for messes! b) 3-5 If my fingers aren’t a little dirty, I didn’t do lunch right. c) 1-2. Better safe than sorry.

3. Vegetarian and vegan options are important when I’m picking a place to eat… a) Yes, definitely. I’m not a veghead, but I’m not a pure carnivore. b) No. Not at all. All the meat!

c) It doesn’t matter. I gravitate towards what sounds good.

4. The drink selection where I’m getting my lunch is a) Pretty varied. I might want a coffee, I might want a soda. b) Minimal. Give me a water and I’m happy. c) Interesting. Not just the usual suspects.

5. Which style of take out lunch sounds the most appealing to you: sandwich, salad or platter? a) Sandwich! b) Platter! c) Anything!

6. Dessert at lunch is… a) A necessity no matter where I’m eating.

b) Not required, but welcomed. c) Something I never crave. Not much of a sweet tooth.

7. I’m always big on flavour with my food, but one thing I don’t want in my lunch is… a) Deep-fried food. I can’t fall asleep at work! b) Things that get stuck in your teeth like kale. c) Too much garlic. No one likes dragon breath!

8. The amount of time I’m willing to wait for my take out lunch is... a) 5-10 minutes max. b) 15 minutes is reasonable. c) Anything under 30 minutes works. I eat fast and can play Pokemon GO while I wait anyway.

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Calgary Take-Outs Little Henry (mostly ‘A’s)

While its big brother, Ten Foot Henry, has been popular since it opened in February, ‘Little’ offers up a more casual dine-and-dash experience.

More of a coffee shop sans-tables, you’ll be greeted the aroma of fresh baked cinnamon buns and savoury “morning buns” with ham, provolone and salsa verde. Naturally, there’s coffee to pair with the A.M. bites, and all the roasts are courtesy Kensington coffee institution, The Roasterie.

Tuk Tuk Thai (mostly ‘B’s)

Open for just over a year, this tasty take-out boasts a mini version of Thai Sa-on, its older sibling’s, menu. There’s a lot to impress here – noticeably the prettiest take-out boxes of lotus leaves with little green hearts and ‘Tuk Tuk Thai Love’ across the petals.

You can eat in, but the high-top tables fill up fast, although you can sip a Thai iced coffee or pink lemonade from the once functional-now cooler tuk tuk while you wait for your order.

The bright space is light and airy, and complemented by the midday sun.

Sit down at the counter for a housecured gravlax sandwich topped with dill, mustard cream, capers and pickled onions, and a small bowl of Henry’s signature borscht that’s garnished with tangy sour cream. Most of Ten Foot Henry’s desserts are available overthe-counter here, so if your sweet tooth is tingling for a slice of coconut cake or dark chocolate avocado torte, then get one (or two) to-go and enjoy back at the office.

1209 1 Street SW, Calgary 403-475-5537 And then there’s the value. With nine main dishes such as pad thai with chicken, prawns, or veggies; drunken basa with stir-fried eggplant, onion and peppers in a sweet smoky chili paste and basil; and green curry with chicken or tofu, much of which is gluten-free, all at $10 each; appies of ginger prawns, chicken satay and tukky sticks (pork and taro root rolls) for $4 each, you can zip in and grab lunch for the office, or dinner for a family of four without raiding your piggy bank.

636 17 Avenue SW, Calgary 403-455-0999

Cluck ‘n’ Cleaver (mostly ‘C’s)

Since Cluck n Cleaver opened earlier this year, sisters Nicole and Francine Gomes have been satiating crispy fried chicken cravings with their focused menu of Southern fried chicken, classic rotisserie chicken, fries, biscuits, coleslaw and salads, serving anywhere from 60 to 100 birds a day.

Cluck n Cleaver chickens stand out with their combination of food equipment technology (so the chickens aren’t greasy), the quality of ingredients and a special blend of 16

secret spices. Cluck n Cleaver uses only fresh (never frozen), locally and cage-free raised Alberta birds with no growth hormones.

Everything is made in house with natural ingredients so they all live up to Cluck n Cleaver’s motto: better fast food. Of course, how you enjoy the meal is up to you, but here’s a pro tip from Nicole: have the roast chicken with some hot sauce and save some meat for next-day sandwiches and even casserole.

1511 14 Street SW, Calgary 403-266-2067

Edmonton Take-Outs Italian Bakery

cheeses as well as dried pastas, and Italian, German and Polish products.

You wouldn’t expect to find freshbaked cannoli and biscotti readily available in Chinatown amidst noodles houses and novelty stores, but that’s what the Italian Bakery has been serving up since 1962. Antonio and Aurora Frattin immigrated to Canada in 1956 from Italy, and with $25 in their pocket, rented a small shop where they baked Italian goods and sweets. Two years later, they purchased the space on 97 Street and their products expanded from fresh baked goods to cured meats and

Fresh coffee means you can sit and stay a while, and a display case full of tempting sweets means you’ll never leave hungry or empty-handed.

Antonio Frattin has relinquished much of the physical tasks of the bakery to his children and their spouses, but nothing keeps him away at Christmas time when there’s panettone to be made.

(mostly ‘A’s)

Super BBQ Delight (mostly ‘B’s)

The front half of this Chinese takeout shop is filled with miscellaneous buckets, bags and boxes. Look further and you’ll notice a dozen glazed and glistening ducks hanging on hooks. Crispy pig heads sit next to metal trays of hot, juicy sausages and hunks of barbecued pork tenderloin.

The other side is where you can order one of 26 Vietnamese sub sandwiches – bánh mì.

10644 – 97 Street, Edmonton 780-424-4830

Feeling adventurous? Ask for a nem chua, a small square of fermented, ground pork topped with a jalapeño slice and a sliver of garlic; it’s the perfect snack to accompany a cold beer.

Prices here are some of the best in town.

You can walk away with a hefty lunch box of rice and two kinds of meat for $7 or a loaded bánh mì for $5. Looking for the whole hog? For just over $200, you can get one of those as well.

10620 – 97 Street, Edmonton 780-425-3838

Farrow

with dill dip, sprouts, red onion, cucumber slices and barbecue chips.

In 2014, the highly acclaimed Three Boars Eatery gave birth to a baby named Farrow. Since its infancy, some of the finest sandwiches (with the wackiest names) have been crafted out of the tiny space a few steps away from the ‘Boars’ front door. Take the ‘Huevy Lewis & The News’: a toasted cheese bagel loaded with guacamole, refried beans, fried egg, pico de gallo, Frank’s Hot Sauce, tortilla chips, and greens; or the ‘QUIT YER YAMMERIN’!’, a yamblack bean-brown rice patty topped

There’s always something outrageous being cooked up, including ridiculously tasty sweet treats like the blackberry lavender scone with Earl Grey glaze, or the Mars Bar chocolate chip cookie. Hard to believe all this comes out of a shop barely bigger than a bathtub, but for good times and good food from staff that puts the fun in funky, Farrow is definitely the pick of the litter.

(mostly ‘C’s)

8422 – 109 Street NW, Edmonton 780-757-4160 17

Yamming It Up:

3 Ways To Get Sweet With Sweet Potatoes story and photography by NATALIE FINDLAY

Although the sweet potato has become a permanent fixture in the world of salty, crispy french fries, this potato has a lot more potential than just simply being matchstick-ed.

These starchy vegetables, also known as kumara or yams, are a distant relative to the household potato. Typically orange-hued, these gems hold a generous supply of beta-carotene, vitamin B5, B6 and manganese.

Fries? Check. Health benefits? Check.

So, where else can we go with this sweet spud? Let’s move this tuber from the savoury side of the kitchen and see how beautifully it manages to get our sweet buds tingling.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes Makes 15 cupcakes

3½ cups (350g) sweet potatoes, peeled and grated 1½ cups (185 g) flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp sea salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 orange, zested 2 eggs 2/3 cup (140 g) sugar 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar ½ cup (120 mL) canola oil 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh orange juice 1/3 cup (80 mL) buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Line cupcake pan with liners.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.

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Add the orange zest into the flour mixture and set aside.

really add a flavour punch to these cupcakes.

3. In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs just until

Caramel Sauce Place ½ cup (125 g) sugar and ¼ cup (60 mL) water in a small pot over high heat. Leave until the sugar starts to brown then give it a swirl as the sugar darkens. Watch closely – sugar will brown quickly and can burn in seconds. You want a rich brown colour. Remove from heat.

blended. Add sugars to eggs and beat until light and frothy, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the vanilla extract, orange juice and oil, and beat another 2 minutes.

5. Add flour in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk in 2 parts. Fold in the grated sweet potato.

6. Scoop batter into cupcake pan

and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until centre springs back and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.

Note: Add this simple caramel sauce to your favourite buttercream icing to

Carefully add 2 Tbs (30 mL) cream to the pot. The sugar will bubble and rise. Whisk continuously and add ¼-½ cup (60-120 mL) of cream (depending on how deep a caramel flavour you like). Let cool.

Add to your favourite icing and decorate cupcakes.

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THERE’S A WAY TO DRINK LOCAL WINE HERE IN ALBERTA { EVEN IF THOSE WINES ARE FROM EUROPE }

Enotri was founded on the philosophy that roots matter—in life, as well as in wine.

This collection of wines represents a community of winemakers and vine growers who are dedicated to their land and their heritage.

They are people who know who they are, having been born with the instinctive knowledge of their roots to the land, and who remain true to themselves and to their wines.

They are presentday Enotri—the people from Enotria, the land of the vines.

All of the wines in the Enotri portfolio are

made by these people: individuals who actually live on the vineyard itself, not strangers in sterile labs hundreds of

family legacies. They aren’t interested in producing a formulaic wine devoid of its heritage-they produce

Enotri wines reflect the pure spirit of their terroir: not only the soil and the seasons, but also the history and ethos of the growers who are able to showcase a wine’s dynamic potential. The collection spans vineyards founded by the Romans as they marched across Europe 2000 years ago: through Italy, Germany and France, down into Spain and kilometres away. They wines sustainably, Portugal in the Iberian tend the vines with the organically or Peninsula. Enotri’s passion and integrity biodynamically, without founder discovered of knowing they are any unnecessary the wines by walking stewards of enduring additives or chemicals. these lands with

their winemakers, listening to their stories and tasting their passion and integrity in their wines.

You need not remember the specific labels or names in the Enotri portfolio: instead, look for the Enotri seal on the bottle, or ask your wine shop for their Enotri wines. That mark is reassurance that the bottle in your hands hails from a place of deep knowledge and truth. They are wines with roots that matter, local in the purest essence of that word—no matter where in the world you’re enjoying them.

Coconut Sweet Potato Ice Cream Makes 1 Litre

1 can (400 mL) coconut milk 1¼ cup (300 mL) cream 1 small sweet potato, peeled, cubed ¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup 35 g fresh ginger, peeled, small cubes 20 g fresh turmeric, peeled, small cubes 6 egg yolks Pinch sea salt

1. Add all ingredients (except for eggs)

to a medium pot over medium-low heat and gently simmer until the sweet potato is cooked, approximately 1 hour.

2. Remove turmeric and ginger pieces.

4. Slowly add 1/3 of the sweet potato mixture to the eggs while constantly whisking.

a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Let cool.

3. Whisk egg yolks in a medium

5. Return egg mixture to the pot and

6. Refrigerate until cold, and process in

Puree the remaining ingredients with a hand blender. Return to a low heat. bowl. Wrap a towel around the base of the bowl.

increase the heat to medium, constantly stirring until the liquid coats the back of

your ice cream maker (follow your maker’s instructions).

White Chocolate Sweet Potato Pudding Serves 6

55g sweet potato, peeled and cubed ¼ cup (60 mL) rum 3 anise seeds 1/3 cup (65 g) dark brown sugar pinch sea salt 1½ cup (375 mL) whole milk ½ cup (120 mL) cream 4 egg yolks 1 Tbs cornstarch ¼ cup (60mL) whole milk

1½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate Whipped cream to garnish

1. Add first 7 ingredients to a small pot

3. Add egg yolks to a medium bowl and whisk to break up yolks. Add cornstarch and sugar to the eggs whisking constantly until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.

and cook over medium-low heat until potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes - 1 hour. 4. Add the milk (¼ cup) to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Wrap a towel around the base of the bowl.

2. Remove anise seeds. Puree mixture and return to medium-high heat.

5. Slowly pour 1/3 of the sweet potato mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into the pot and continue to cook over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes, whisking continuously until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat.

6. Add the white chocolate and whisk until melted and combined. Strain and spoon into serving dishes.

7. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

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.

20

Talking 'Bout Brown Bag Lunches

by DAN CLAPSON Photography by INGRID KUENZEL

It’s not easy balancing a full-time job and making meals for all the little ones in your life. Now school is back in full swing and the family schedule is more jam-packed than it was over the summer, we asked two very busy culinary professionals for their school-time meal insights that will hopefully help make your life a little easier.

Norma Jean Salimaki

Events Manager, The Block Kitchen and Bar As a mother of four, it goes without saying that Norma Jean Salimaki has her work/life balancing act down to a ‘t’. While running The

Block, a busy restaurant and bar on 4th Street NW, she still takes time to make sure her kids are engaged and eager to eat a meal, whether in the morning before they head off to school or when the lunch bell rings and they’re opening up their school lunch.

Norma Jean Salimaki 21

The fruit that makes for a great, year-round snack?

I always include a banana. It’s easy for my kids to eat while racing out to play at lunchtime!

Include your kids in the grocery shopping experience: I take the kids grocery shopping with me; they love searching the internet for new recipe ideas. A favourite is trying different kinds of mustards on fresh bakery buns with various meats.

Finnish Mustard is their go-to now!

Menu planning saves you time in the long run: I have to menu plan and try to theme each week: ham week, chicken week, etc. Once we choose the flavour, the boys assist with an idea for each of the four days. I buy fruit, vegetables and cheese for quick snacks. Friday is always a half day so they are home early to fend for themselves!

The Salimaki Family Meatball Recipe “This comes from page 38 of The Salimaki Family Cookbook,” says Salimaki.

“The kids love to come home for lunch, that’s when they can enjoy spaghetti and meatballs or a meatball sub smothered in mozzarella. If the boys want to stay at school for lunch hour, they enjoy it the same and don’t mind eating it cold!”

22

Find the “favourite” fruits: I did a big apple tasting one weekend.

I bought one of every apple variety and then we rated them in crunch, juiciness and overall taste. Now I know the top three apples to buy and I never find them in the bottom of their kit bags anymore. Ha, ha!

Keep your kids engaged in the process: Sometimes we let our daughters make their own lunches, and it’s funny to see what’s important to them. It’s not the lunch – it’s the snacks. So, if you want to make sure your kids eat their lunch – let them pack their own.

Chef Thomas Neukom If you want to make sure your kids eat their lunch – let them pack their own

Best compliment you’ve heard from a little one?

One little guy was over for lunch and kept walking by the island and peeking at the cookbook. He asked, “Did lunch come from there?” I answered, “Yes it did,” and then he asked if if I could “take a picture of the page that tasted so yummy and send the picture in a text to his mommy so she could make it for him again.” How cute is that?

Meatballs Serves 4-5

150 g ground beef 150 g ground pork 1 egg 3 Tbs (45 mL) heavy cream 3 Tbs panko breadcrumbs 3 Tbs Parmesan, grated 3 Tbs flat leaf parsley and basil, chopped Pinch chili flakes To taste salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together but do not over-mix. Form into balls. Heat oven to 450º F and bake meatballs on a baking sheet for 10 minutes to get some colour.

The Lake House

Long-time chef for Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts, Thomas Neukom spends a good chunk of his week cooking with beautiful Alberta-grown ingredients at The Lake House in Lake Bonavista. With two growing children at home, it’s apparent that the chef wants to make sure his young ones grow up enjoying food and caring about the ingredients they’re eating just as much as he does.

One thing you should always find in kids’ lunch bags?

We always make sure there are fresh fruits and vegetables in our kids’ lunches and try to incorporate what’s in season.

Marinara

1 large can (900 g) whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 1 tsp garlic, minced Pinch chili flakes 1 tsp dried oregano 1/3 cup (80 mL) white wine 3 Tbs (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil Handful fresh basil and flat leaf parsley

In a heavy bottomed saucepot on medium heat, sauté yellow onion, garlic, chilli flakes and dried oregano in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes until translucent but not brown. Deglaze with white wine and add the tomatoes with juice. Simmer on low heat for an hour, transfer to a blender and puree with the fresh herbs.

Place meatballs in a baking dish and cover with marinara sauce. Bake for 45 minutes at 350º F.

Chef Thomas Neukom

Prep the lunches the night before if you can: We try to make them the night before and have everything ready in the morning. This seems the easiest way to deal with it. Sometimes, in the morning, my coffee is more on my mind than school lunches!

Engage kids in the process of making lunch: Have them involved in the preparation, and let them pack some goodies from the store that they picked themselves and may never have had before.

If they really don’t like finishing their bagged lunches, make up for it at the dinner table: Sometimes, you’ll put a lot of effort into their lunches and they don’t eat half of it. If you ask why, the answer is “I wasn’t hungry” – not much you can do about that. Kids are funny that way. “Compensate” at dinner with a homemade meal using fresh produce and products. Make sure that they get a good breakfast before they leave the house and have a healthy dinner.

Soup Kitchen story and photography by DAN CLAPSON

Did your summer seem to pass by in the blink of an eye? Mine too!

Though it is technically “back to school” season and the sun bows out a little earlier than it used to a few months ago, let’s not kid ourselves, September is not much different than the previous three months and will be chock full of warm weather, golden rays and the odd cloudy, rainy day.

One major bonus to this introduction to fall is that there are so many vegetables, ripe and ready for the cooking. Here are two soups that make the most of our local harvest vegetables, some of which you likely have in your own backyard.

Spicy Dill Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Salsa Verde Serves 5-6 Total prep and cook time 50 minutes

Soup: 1 cup (240 mL) white wine 1½ cups (360 mL) water 6 cups (1½ L) vegetable broth 3 garlic cloves 1 Tbs (15 mL) red wine vinegar 1 Tbs (15 mL) honey 6 sprigs fresh dill 8 medium carrots, very thinly sliced, mix of lengthwise and width-wise cuts To taste salt and pepper Fresh dill, for garnish

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a pot and

bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.

2. Reduce to medium heat and let

simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

3. Pour soup through a fine mesh strainer into a large heat-safe bowl to remove garlic and dill. Return to pot, season to taste and add the sliced carrots.

4. Let cook until carrots are al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle out dill and carrot soup into bowls, top with spoonfuls of salsa verde, fresh dill and enjoy!

24

Carrot top salsa verde: 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely diced 3 anchovy fillets ½ cup chopped carrot greens 2 Tbs capers 2 Tbs finely chopped fresh basil 2 Tbs finely chopped fresh mint 2 Tbs finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tps (10 mL) honey 2 tsp (10 mL) apple cider vinegar 4 Tbs (60 mL) olive oil ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp ground black pepper

1. Place first 9 ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times to combine.

2. Transfer to bowl, stir in oil, salt and pepper; set aside until ready to serve soup.

Note: this sauce is a great complement to grilled meats, zucchini and roast potatoes.

Backyard Garden Vegetable Soup Serves 6-8 Total prep and cook time 45 minutes 2 Tbs (30 mL) canola oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 red potatoes, diced 2 Tbs (30 mL) tomato paste ½ cup (120 mL) red wine 8 cups (2L) chicken stock 2 cups (500 mL) water 2 medium tomatoes, diced 2 medium carrots, 5 mm sliced 1 medium kohlrabi, peeled and diced 1 medium zucchini, halved and 1 cm sliced ½ tsp fresh oregano ½ tsp fresh thyme 1 bunch swiss chard, roughly chopped salt and pepper, to taste 5 cups cooked fusili pasta (I used the ‘corti col buco’ variety which you can find at any Italian grocer, but any shorter pasta will work)

1. Heat canola oil in a large pot on

medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add potatoes, incorporate tomato paste and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the next 9 ingredients and

once mixture comes to a boil, reduce to

medium heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Uncover, add Swiss chard and pasta, and let cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Dan Clapson is a freelance food writer and columnist in Calgary. Follow him on twitter @dansgoodside

Ways to Spice Up

Bruschetta

by MALLORY FRAYN

Bruschetta, in its simplest form, is merely grilled bread, drizzled with olive oil, rubbed with fresh garlic, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Its minimalism makes it the perfect starting point to add your favourite flavours and textures to the mix. Anything goes as long as you can fit it into your mouth in three bites or less!

26

1. Add cheese to the party There are plenty of ways that cheese can be utilized to better bruschetta.

For one thing, spreading a creamy cheese like chevre or ricotta directly onto the bread, prior to adding the other toppings can help to prevent the base from getting soggy. Try this trick when your bruschetta mix is especially moist and it will ensure that you don’t lose out on the crunch factor.

Alternately, cheese can be used as a garnish. Whether you’re crumbling some funky blue over the top, or shaving an aged mimolette to finish, cheese can add wonderful umami to your bruschetta vegetables. And if you love cheese as much as I do, you could just melt it and cook it into a crisp to carry all of the other

ingredients into your mouth. While your cheese crisps are still warm, try molding them in a mini muffin tin to create the perfect, contained vessel.

Who needs bread when you’ve got cheese cups instead?

We Deliver!

...For Foodies & Beverage Lovers ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 5 NO.2 :: JUNE 2016

6

ALBERTA DINERS TO TRY

WHAT'S YOUR STYLE?

C O O L COCKTAILS

FOR SUMMER

Oregon Craft Brews | Spice Up Your Trifle | Fruit And Beer!

ALBERTA / FOOD & DRINK / RECIPES :: VOLUME 5 NO.3 :: JULY/AUGUST 2016

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3. Bread isn’t your only canvas Bruschetta typically starts with a simple crostini, made from stale baguette or another non-descript bread product.

Oftentimes the base is an afterthought, but even the best tasting bruschetta mix can’t mask a mouthful of stale, tasteless sawdust. If you’re going to stick with bread, buy the good stuff. Slice it and toast it until it’s crisp around the edges but still retains some of its chew in the centre. Much better, right?

But who says you can’t skip the bread altogether? As long as your base will hold up to the weight and moisture content of whatever you are putting on it, you’re good to go.

Try things like: –– Homemade thick-cut potato or sweet potato chips –– Crispy wonton skins –– Tortilla chips –– Baked phyllo cups –– Cucumber slices

2. Use vegetables that you have to cook first Classic bruschetta is made from raw tomatoes. It’s fast, it’s fresh, and it’s tasty, but come fall, try using heartier vegetables. It might necessitate turning the oven on to cook them first, but it’s not such a chore after the heat of summer is gone.

Beets, squash, and mushrooms can all be roasted and marinated before serving (warm or chilled) on top of your bruschetta base.

4. Make it fruity Whether you want to keep it savoury, or go in a totally sweet direction (dessert bruschetta anyone?), the choice is yours.

Some sweet and salty flavour combos worth trying out include: –– Watermelon, feta, olives, and mint –– Apples, sage, cheddar, and crispy bacon –– Peaches or nectarines, goat cheese, and basil –– Grapes, endive, blue cheese, and walnuts –– Pears, cranberries, brie, and pecans And who says dessert bruschetta is off limits? It might not be something you see every day but that doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious.

28

Just think of your favourite desserts and try making them into a bite-sized version: –– Strawberry shortcake bruschetta on a mini biscuit with a dollop of whipped cream –– Apple pie bruschetta on a round of cinnamon sugar pie dough –– Or even black forest bruschetta; a coin of toasted chocolate sponge cake topped with glossy candied cherries.

You heard it here first, dessert bruschetta.

Radish and Beet Bruschetta Makes about 20-25 bruschetta

3 medium to large beets 2 cloves garlic, skin on 2 Tbs fresh tarragon, minced 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard 1 Tbs (15 mL) red wine vinegar 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil 5-7 large radishes, thinly sliced 1 cup (240 g) ricotta cheese (homemade or store bought) Âź cup blue cheese, crumbled 1 baguette, sliced on the bias into 1 cm pieces olive oil, as needed To taste salt and pepper

1. Heat your oven to 350Âş F. 2. Wrap the beets in tin foil, skin on,

along with the garlic, and roast for about an hour. Let them cool slightly before peeling and cutting into a small dice.

3. Whisk together the roasted garlic,

tarragon, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the roasted, diced beets and stir to combine. Check again for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Set aside. The beets can be made ahead of time to let them marinate before serving.

REDISCOVERING THE TRUE ART OF FOOD

4. Blend together the ricotta and blue cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Drizzle the sliced baguette with olive

oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

6. To serve, smear about 1 Tbs of

the ricotta blue cheese mix on a piece of baguette. Top with a spoonful of beets. Shingle 3-5 slices of radish on top to garnish. Repeat with the remaining baguette.

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

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8 MISSION AVE. ST. ALBERT, AB 780-569-1779

Alberta Food Tours:

Sharing Alberta’s Stories Bite By Bite

by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH photography by INGRID KUENZEL

By now, most of us know that one of the biggest keys to understanding any culture is getting to know its food.

The farms, restaurants, and markets of any given city shed light on people’s priorities, values, and way of life — food provides flavour in both the literal and figurative sense. No one understands this more clearly than Karen Anderson, the force behind Alberta Food Tours, which has been giving visitors to our province a taste of what we’re all about for a decade.

“There’s a savvy kind of person who takes a food tour whenever they land in a new place,” Anderson says. “Because they know with us they’re going to learn about art, history, culture, and get lots of food recommendations.”

Anderson herself fell in love with the concept of food tours when she and her husband were briefly living in Boston in the early ‘90s. Anderson was doing some studies related to her first career in nursing, and she signed up for a tour 30

of the city’s Italian district so that she could meet some people and get a handle on where to eat in town. While it was another 15 years before she would start to turn food tours into a business of her own, the power of that tour stuck with her.

“We need to tell an Alberta story”

Anderson was born to a family of fishermen and gardeners in New Brunswick, so food and food production has always been near and dear to her heart. By 2006 she felt like she’d done all she could with nursing and had translated her love of food into writing and broadcast media gigs. She had also started offering personalized

farmers’ market tours as auction items at her son’s school fundraisers, and realized that the friendly, compassionate demeanor and generous sense of humour that made her a great nurse, also made her an excellent food guide. She took out a free ad in a local magazine, and advertised her very first Calgary food tour. While she had to pad early tours with friends and family, paying customers eventually started signing up.

That first year Anderson did 10 tours for 131 guests. Last year, she did 100 tours for over 1,000 guests. It’s a substantial, but not outrageously rapid, degree of growth: her business plan has been to grow slow and carefully, thoughtfully attending to relationships along the way.

“My whole business approach is about baby steps,” Anderson says. “I’m a

mompreneur — I grew my business while raising my child. So many people in business are in a hurry, but if you can stick it out and do things more slowly, people see your commitment, your relationships are authentic. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done it slowly.”

Which is why, a decade after starting her business, Anderson has transformed Calgary Food Tours into Alberta Food Tours. Anderson launched Canmore tours at the end of June, with Edmonton set to get rolling in September.

Guests are made up of about half locals wanting to learn more about their own cities and half out-of-towners As with everything she does, Anderson only expanded when she was able to find partners who are as dedicated to the food community as she is. She brought on her longtime friend Callandra Caulfield (who is also the force behind Canmore Uncorked) to lead the Canmore tours, and also act as Alberta Food Tours Operations Manager. In Edmonton, Anderson is relying on solid foodies like Edmonton Journal writer Liane Faulder and chef Cindy Lazarenko to help her represent the brand.

Of course, things continue on in Calgary stronger than ever — with

six different tours currently on the go (ranging from a restaurant tour of Inglewood to an art and food tour in the Designer District), Anderson still leads some herself and also employs local food luminaries like Chef Judy Wood and filmmaker Naddine Madell-Morgan to lead groups. Anderson says that her guests are made up of about half locals wanting to learn more about their own cities and half out-of-towners — thanks in part to some solid relationships she’s formed with local tourism bureaus.

With the expansion, Anderson is keen to continue to tell stories of food.

While she has worked hard to build Alberta as a viable business and takes her professional relationships with the tourism boards, food vendors, and the food tour industry at large, very seriously (Anderson is certified with Food Tour Pros, a professional development organization for food tour operators), she’s ultimately driven by her connections to community and her instincts as a writer to continue to share the story of what fuels and nourishes Albertans.

“We need to tell an Alberta story,” she says. "Every time I travel, I’m reminded that the dedication of our growers and our chefs is world class. We have some really unique things here.”

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a Calgary-based freelance writer, and co-founder/co-editor of RollingSpoon.com and Wapawekka.com. She enjoys exploring the connection between music and food through interviews with musicians and chefs.

 

/SPIERWINEFARM @SPIERWINEFARM

CSPC 778469 | INFO@WHITEHALL.CA

Step By Step: Zucchini Relish story and photography by RENEE KOHLMAN

Yes, it’s that time of year again. The dreaded I-have-somuch-zucchini-I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-it season.

If you find yourself in this boat, and have eaten your fill of zucchini chocolate cake, than I’d suggest a good relish.

you made, all lined up on the counter or on the shelf waiting to be opened later this year.

spills while filling the jars (it’s important to keep those rims clean), and I highly recommend a jar lifter with good grips.

Preserving everything is a hot trend right now, and deservedly so. There is a terrific sense of accomplishment once you see those pretty jars of tasty stuff

Now, you do need certain supplies, like a canner or a large pot lined with kitchen towel, jars, of course, and lids to match.

A funnel is super-helpful in preventing

The processing times are also important to follow, as are the amounts of sugar, salt, vinegar etc, so don’t try to switch up the recipe on your own right away.

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Speaking of recipes, I got this one from the canning queen herself, Amy Bronee, author of the best-selling cookbook, The Canning Kitchen. I can’t recommend it enough if you want to explore more of the canning world.

The relish is a versatile one. It’s great on barbecued sausages, slathered on cheeseburgers, or stirred into a meatloaf mixture. It’s also a great match for

mayo when making dipping sauce for fish. Once you have this relish in your pantry, I’m sure you’ll find many uses for it besides hot dogs and smokies.

I should probably mention that canned goods make for great presents too. If you’re one of those people who plan ahead for Christmas when it is only September, this is a perfect project for you!

Zucchini Sweet Relish

Use a clean, damp cloth to remove any food spills from the jar rims.

1.3 Kg zucchini, green or yellow 2½ cups finely diced yellow onion 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper ¾ cup finely diced green bell pepper ¼ cup pickling salt 2½ cups granulated sugar 2½ cups white vinegar 1 Tbs celery seeds 1 Tbs yellow mustard seeds

5. Follow the manufacturer’s

Makes four 500 mL jars

instructions on the packaging for preparing lids for processing. Screw on the lids just until fingertip tight, which is just past the point of resistance.

Carefully lower the jars in your canner, which contains boiling water.

running water. Trim off the tips and discard. Coarsely shred the zucchini on a box grater.

Note: It’s a good idea to fill your canner with water and set it over high heat at least 20 minutes before you need it.

You want enough water so that the jars will be covered with at least 2 cms of water when they are submerged.

2. In a large bowl, combine the

6. Once the water returns to a boil,

1. Rinse the zucchini under cool

vegetables and the salt. Let stand 1 hour to allow the salt to draw excess moisture from the vegetables. Drain and rinse the vegetables in a fine mesh sieve.

Firmly squeeze out the excess liquid.

Transfer the vegetables to a large, heavy bottomed pot.

3. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, celery

seeds and mustard seeds. Bring to a bubble over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.

4. Ladle into clean (and hot) 500mL (2-cup jars), leaving about 1 cm headspace. (I use a wide-mouth funnel to help prevent spills.) Poke a non-metallic utensil inside each jar a few times to remove air bubbles, topping up the relish if necessary.

process the jars for 15 minutes. The canner is covered, to reduce evaporation.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the jars stand for another 5 minutes in the hot water.

7. Carefully remove the jars from the

canner, using a jar lifter or tongs with silicone tips. Place on the counter, leaving a little bit of space between the jars so they can cool down properly, 12-24 hours.

8. Once the jars are fully cooled, press

the middle of each lid to check for a vacuum seal. If the centre of the lid is suctioned down, your jar has safely sealed. If it doesn’t seal, store that jar in the fridge and consume it first.

Renee is a food writer and pastry chef living in beautiful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her columns appear in The Saskatoon StarPhoenix and her desserts can be enjoyed at Riverside Country Club. Also, check out her blog sweetsugarbean.com

Prost To The Reinheitsgebot

by DAVID NUTTALL

If the year 2016 will be remembered for anything by beer lovers, it will be best known as the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot, commonly known in English as “The German Beer Purity Act.” Yes, it has only been five centuries since one of the world’s first and most famous “food safety” regulations was enacted. Since then, much myth and lore has arisen, but one thing is certain; its importance to German brewing and its influence on modern craft breweries cannot be understated.

myrtle, juniper, heather, and whatever else grew in the garden. In addition, the “new” spices from the Far East and West, plus honey, sugar, syrups and other additives, were being added. Beers of this time were almost exclusively ales, and were smoky, murky, and dark brown most of the time.

Back in the 16th century, European brewing was in a state of flux. Monastic brewing was on the decline for several reasons, but commercial brewing was on the rise. As the Age of Discovery was just beginning, the Americas were virtually unknown to Europeans, so all the world’s great breweries were in central Europe and the British Isles.

Germany itself was a disparate collection of principalities, each with its own set of laws and brewing customs. Bavaria, home of the Reinheitsgebot, was a shapeshifting state until after World War II. Despite this brewing and political freefor-all, several decrees were passed which declared only barley malt, hops and water could be used to make beer, notably in 1487 in Munich and 1493 in Landshut.

The hop plant had made its formal appearance in the 8th century, but many other plants in addition to grains were being used in beer including laurel, ivy, 34

In 1516, Dukes Wilhelm IV and Ludwig X introduced the “Purity Pledge” at the Assembly of Estates of the

Bavarian Realm in Ingolstadt. While the idea of preventing unwanted harmful products being added to beer was part of the code, these acts were not made exclusively for the protection of the public; the Bavarian royal family had a monopoly on the growing and distribution of barley, and did not want competition from other cereals or grains.

It was also employed as a means of tax enforcement, limiting brewers to use only taxed ingredients. While wheat was originally excluded, it was added later. Yeast was not yet understood or isolated (and would remain that way until the mid-19th century). While the Reinheitsgebot originally applied only to Bavaria, it slowly spread north through most of the rest of Germany, and became part of German law in 1871 when Bavaria joined Germany.

Although the Bavarian royal family lost all its power over brewing as a result of World War I, by then German lagers and the Reinheitsgebot had shaped the beer world. While it still exists today, it has lost most of the teeth it had centuries earlier.

It now contains so many revisions and exceptions that it is more of a marketing tool than a food safety law. Though many German breweries and pubs still proudly declare their allegiance to the purity act -whatever it may mean today.

However, it is in contemporary North America where its (nonbinding) influence has had the greatest impact. The mega breweries born in the mid-1800s in the United States (and even earlier in Canada) had morphed from their original German or British roots into producers of beers which had very little resemblance to their European antecedents. With the generous use of adjuncts, such as corn and rice, practically defining the North American lager style, the Reinheitsgebot had become a distant memory.

It's partially in response to this that the modern craft beer movement was born in the 1980s. These new breweries began introducing beer styles that had not been brewed in this hemisphere for centuries. Their use of only malt, hops, yeast and water became a badge of honour. While many of these breweries now make so many different beers that the Reinheitsgebot has become superfluous, many still doggedly adhere to the code.

So raise a glass to the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot and all it hath wrought. While youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at it, this month you can also salute that other great German beer drinking tradition and celebrate the 206th anniversary of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, commonly known as Oktoberfest. In Calgary, you can don your lederhosen or dirndl and enjoy it with thousands of others on September 23-24, and a week later in Edmonton.

Prost!

Holsten Maibock

Using three different malts, this 7 percent ABV beer bears no resemblance to the Radeberger above.

Maltier, and seemingly heavier, it does however, show the diversity Germans are capable of producing with the same four base ingredients.

CSPC 432856, $3.29 500 mL can.

Brauerei Fahr Away Hefeweizen

Brauerei Fahr Away Hefeweizen (Turner Valley)

A slice of Germany right in our own back yard. This refreshing wheat ale has the requisite clove and banana nose and flavour of its German counterparts.

The brewery should be opening soon.

Available only on tap currently.

Radeberger Pilsner

As classic a German pilsner as you can find. Bright, crisp, clean, with just enough noble hops to make it interesting.

CSPC 715376, $3.29 500 mL can.

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RAISING A GLASS TO FAMILY There is a sense of home, a familiar comfort, and a warmth in the air here at the southernmost tip of the sun-soaked Okanagan Valley.

This is a special place, inspiring in its tranquil beauty, with a vibrant food and wine scene hidden just below the vineyards' leafy canopy.

And it is where, when you walk past the vines and into the varied tasting rooms of Oliver-Osoyoos wine country, from the large and cavernous to the small and rustic, the person inviting you to swirl and sip some of the country' s best wine may be the son or daughter of a Canadian wine legend.

Family and community are the proverbial posts and trellises that hold this region up.

SunRock Vineyard â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jackson-Triggs

As a family gathers, it often welcomes new friends, and this is your invitation to uncork the sun in Oliver-Osoyoos.

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DISCOVER THE ELEGANCE OF OUR SMALL LOTS SERIES

92 pts Small Lot Malbec 2014 91 pts Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 92 pts Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2014 87 pts Small Lot Viognier 2014 90 pts Small Lot Chardonnay 2015

Don’t be surprised by the warm, often hot days and cool evenings in this desert region-even in autumn! These conditions are perfect for growing those luscious grapes destined for your nextfavourite bottle of B.C. wine, and provide an escape for the senses as the bountiful harvest presents a kaleidoscope of colours at roadside farm stands and on restaurant tables.

The warm weather extends to a warm welcome at the more than three dozen wineries in the valley. After a day of touring and taking in local history, prepare to rest your head at a resort, villa, or even a campground, and soon, you'll feel part of the family too.

. . –— WHERE TO SIP AND SAMPLE —– . .

The choices can seem overwhelming with so many wineries to explore, but go where your senses lead you. No matter where you end up, you are sure to hear colourful stories of how mom and dad decided a vineyard might be a good "retirement" project.

W W W. C C J E N T S C H C E L L A R S . C O M FREE SHIPPING

At each stop, ask for a recommendation on where to go next, or where to pick up local breads, cheeses and

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Tinhorn Creek

charcuterie to create your own picnic. Better yet, take it easy with lunch or dinner at a winery.

A visit to Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek is a great choice, on the stunning patio overlooking the valley and the winery's own outdoor amphitheatre where a Canadian concert series takes place every summer, with the finale in September.

Family-inspired, themed communal dinners take place at Miradoro, along with guest chef appearances featuring tag team dinners with resident award-winning chef Jeff Van Geest and a special guest. "Hops, grapes and grub", a dinner with beer and wine is a highlight of the fall wine festival, as is a vineyard walk leading to the only access to Mount Kobau.

Autumn is a great time to visit the South Okanagan wineries, when tasting rooms are less crowded and you can take a bit more time. Add several signature events to your calendar, such as Oliver's Festival of the Grape in September, or Winter in Wine Country in November. The latter celebrates rosĂŠ, as a nod to the versatility of pink wine.

RosĂŠ Revolution, as it's known, has been hosted by Hester Creek Estate Winery for several years. This one-stop culinary, true-wine destination could be

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Culmina Family Estate Winery

garlic-infused bites, and maybe even pick up a few fresh veggies. And garlic, of course.

Culmina Family Estate Winery is founded in just that – family.

Mom Elaine has managed vineyards. Father Don is a pioneer in Canadian wine. As daughter Sara says, her parents had "more in the tank" after retirement, and a passion for the wine industry, but realized they couldn't do another project without family.

your home-away-from-home at the Mediterranean-style villa suites near the top of the property, mere steps to the tasting room, and Terrafina Restaurant. Meaning "from the earth", Terrafina features an inspired Italian menu.

But an experience not to be missed: cooking classes in the

kitchen, led by resident chef Roger Gillespie or a guest chef. Truly, the best parties happen in the kitchen, and in no time you will be making new friends and feeling as if one big, happy family is gathering for a great meal. This is a rare experience of interacting with an acclaimed chef in an intimate setting. Multi-course menus skillfully pair locally-sourced, seasonallyinspired flavours; watch as the chef prepares each course before your eyes and shares his or her kitchen secrets.

2014 2014 2014 2015 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015

Dry Rock Unoaked Chardonnay Gold Ehrenfelser Gold-Best of Category Old Vines Auxerrois Gold-Best of Category Private Reserve Dry Riesling Gold Gewürztraminer-Schönburger Gold-Best of Category Best White Wine Private Reserve Pinot Noir Gold-Best of Category Cabernet Franc Icewine Gold Riesling Icewine Gold Desert Sun Silver Dry Rock Cabernet-Merlot Silver Dry Rock Merlot Silver Optimum Pinot Noir Silver Dry Rock Sauvignon Blanc Bronze Classic Riesling Bronze Private Reserve Pinot Gris Bronze Optimum Pinot Gris Bronze

Winery of Distinction Award 16 Entries: 8 Golds, 4 Silvers, 4 Bronzes

E B R AT I N

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2015 2015 2015 2015 2015

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Northwest Wine Summit Wine Competition

Ye a r s

Sales Representation:

Southern Alberta: Linda Borchers 403-650-0557 Michelle Burns 403-850-5838 Northern Alberta: Anita Jarmolicz 780-945-1434 Derek Jackson 780-907-2025

876 Rd 8, Oliver, B.C. Phone 250-498-3537 Toll free: 1-800-784-6304 www.gehringerwines.ca

And you must be kind to those close to you after attending the annual Garlic Festival at Hester Creek in October. A farmto-table event, as most are in this abundant agricultural region, explore food and wine pairings,

A true estate, Culmina opened in 2013 with the family focused on this one project, the "peak", or culmination of their collective experience. "It is challenging and rewarding, but we have a top notch team," says Sara.

Together, as a family, they wanted to do something special.

Culmina is proud of its consistent 90-plus point wines, and this year will release a numbered series – wines that are outstanding and unique, including the first in the series, a "Grand Cru" style Riesling that will be "number one". The frequency of the series may vary, but joining the Culmina wine club will help ensure you get your hands on these very limited releases Culmina offers a seated portfolio tasting of its wines; bookings are recommended so you don't miss out, especially on weekends. Visitors are seated at a beautiful and historic antique Doukhobor table to learn about Culmina's appreciation for artistry, science, and excellence.

This is the result of a lifetime of experience in the wine industry for Don, Elaine, and Sara.

Having worked in the industry for a combined 40 years, Don and Elaine began in 2006

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with a simple goal: to make the highest quality wines possible from their own family estate.

Stoneboat Vineyards

Across the valley, be sure to visit Church & State Wines, the 2015 number one small winery in Canada. These wines speak for themselves, and to tempt you to visit, bottles can be found in select Alberta stores.

But certainly after a taste you'll want to see where the wines come from: a stunning property between Oliver and Osoyoos.

Church & State has received numerous accolades and is known for showcasing the terrior of the South Okanagan. With the introduction of its label ”Lost Inhibitions” comes a red and white wine that will leave some Church & State Wines

serious impressions – despite some tongue-in-cheek labels. Rest assured, the wine is just as good as the label, as both blends have won major awards.

Founded in 2004, Church & State was created with the goal of raising the bar of B.C. wines, starting a revolution of quality and a rebellion against the norms. Church & State has been recognized as producing Canada’s best red wine six times since 2009, a proud achievement for owner Kim Pullen. The story of "C&S" is now being steered by his son John, in charge of marketing.

Once again, family reigns.

From pink to pinot: Stoneboat Vineyards is styling itself as a pinot house – pinot noir, pinot blanc, pinotage – Lanny and Julie Martiniuk left city life behind in 1979 when they purchased a 15acre orchard and commenced turning it into a viable vineyard.

Three grown sons (Chris, Jay and Tim) and 35 additional acres gave Lanny and Julie the resources to finally open their own winery in the summer of 2007.

Obviously, family also runs through Stoneboat, as evidenced by its Maggie May vineyard; this spot is named for co-proprietor Julie Martiniuk's mother, Margaret May, as she first farmed it

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with her husband Harold after purchasing the land in 1949 through the Veteran's Land Act. Five Martiniuks still work the land, drive the tractors, and oversee the winery's operations. Watch for a new "stone" inspired package, released earlier in 2016, these red and white blends reflect the actual stones in the vineyard, giving many of Stoneboat's wines a unique reflection of the property.

One of the "older kids on the block", with more than 25 years of welcoming imbibers, Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery is rooted in tradition. Walter Gehringer and his brother Gordon both learned the craft of winemaking in Germany. Their winery is now the "King of Platinum", winning nearly 50 platinum awards over the years, a reflection of a high level of consistency from vintage to vintage, with more than 20 different wines produced, including

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

Why visit? All of their wines are open for tasting. varietals such as Ehrenfelser.

Walter and Gordon are included in a very select group of qualified winemakers that are B.C. born yet have learned their craft in Europe.

They compete amongst the world’s best year after year, and their hard work, and dedication to perfection has not gone unnoticed.

Why visit? All of their wines are open for tasting. And Gehringer has been making icewines since 1991, one of the first icewine producers in the Okanagan. And the view is stellar.

Just about next door, focused on Rhone blends, Road 13 Vineyards – celebrating 13 years – seeks wines that reflect character, says Joe, son of proprietors Mick and Pam Luckhurst. A new red blend is coming this fall, which might just get featured at the winery's harvest dinner as part of the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.

And again, it's a family affair. As Joe says, his parents "got sucked in by the romance" of owning a winery, and as intense, ambitious folks, got their hands dirty...it is, in fact "about the dirt" at Road 13. Joe was involved in the family business via Vancouver, but has now been in the Okanagan for four years.

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Road 13 Vineyards

And the parents? "They're planning to retire...eventually." Joe describes them as extremely gracious in providing advice as needed, as everyone has the same goal: to have the winery work for the family, and to remain focused on this goal.

"We know what we want to be."

Chris illustrates all of this in his branding and the names of his wines: 'The Chase', and 'The Dance' (a rosé) and 'The Quest' are all themes coming from the pursuit of, and desire for "The one woman I have loved for so many years. And one day I am going to catch her...”

Road 13's wine making philosophy is to grow great fruit in the vineyard, maintain this fruit character through careful steps in the wine making, and finally, to perfect the texture of the mouthfeel of the wine.

Growing up in the Okanagan as a fruit farmer for most of his life, Chris made the switch from cherries to grapes in 2002 and grew 63 acres for 11 years before making the decision to open his own winery. In 2012, he took the leap and turned his fruit-packing warehouse into a cellar and tasting room.

Chris and Betty Jentsch gave their name to their winery, C.C. Jentsch Cellars. You may assume that the C. C. is Chris’ initials, but, they stand for his middle name, Carl, and his wife’s middle name, Coelho, which means rabbit in Portuguese.

Canada's most awarded winery, Jackson-Triggs, touches the edge of the mountains in the valley, with an estate vineyard covering 410 acres of some of the most rugged beauty found Chris' branding describes his life, or in the province. Driving up to more accurately, the most important the recently renovated tasting part of it – his love and devotion for room, the vines welcome you from the bottom of the driveway his wife. For 30 years, Chris right into the parking area. believed that both he and Betty, born in 1963, were the same The vineyards get plenty of sunlight Chinese Zodiac sign – the Rabbit. thanks to the southwesterly One day, a Korean restaurateur exposure they enjoy along the explained to him that the Chinese striking mountain slopes stretching New Year starts in February, and above Osoyoos Lake. High heat suddenly he realized that he had during the day is balanced by been a Tiger all along.

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the vines welcome you from the driveway right into the recently renovated tasting room. the nighttime cooling effect of the lake, providing optimum conditions for vine growth and grape ripening. Aside from the prestigious SunRock Vineyard, two of its best vineyards are Bull Pine and Bear Cub. The Bull Pine Estate Vineyard is 240 acres and planted with grapes that create Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the white varieties: Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. The Bear Cub site, covering 186 acres, grows the same award-winning varietals as Bull Pine as well as Shiraz grapes.

Visitors to the Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate’s Tasting Gallery, or intimate groups of up to 20, get

a rare glimpse into the complete wine tasting experience including unique varietals and limited edition wines only found at the winery. On a warm fall day, enjoy the patio.

. . – PLAN YOUR GETAWAY – . .

Rich in history intertwined with First Nations peoples, the Oliver Osoyoos region invites you to cultivate a moment. The desert landscape inspired early settlers, and their legacy lives on in the vast orchards and vineyards that define this picturesque area of small town sophistication, family farms, and mountain vistas.

Save the dates for signature food and wine events such as Pig Out in May, an outdoor gathering with spring wine releases and pig and poultry-themed dishes from local chefs; register early for the lottery to get a spot in North America's fastest selling foot race, the Half-Corked Marathon in May, and join costumed runners as they "race" from winery to winery; each November. Celebrate Winter in Wine Country and a Rosé Revolution, as wineries gather together for fun and festive events at their cellar doors, and the signature "pink" celebration.

Rural charm paired with sophisticated amenities, resort accommodation and culinary experiences make Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country a contender for Canada’s best wine region. Come uncork the sun and taste for yourself.

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CELEBRATING OUR 13TH ANNIVERSARY

7 TIMES TOP TEN WINERY OF CANADA 3 TIMES NUMBER 3 WINERY IN CANADA 6 PLATINUM MEDALS

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ALL ABOUT THE DIRT

Around The World In 6 White Wines

by JACLYN ADOMEIT

Each person has their favourite wine aisle at their liquor store: some head for France, some search for Italy, and some move to the ever-faithful USA for their vino. Others stick to the Canadian aisle, where we can find single producers that craft everything from a riesling to a malbec.

Plenty of wine regions produce a multitude of wines, but many only have one or two specialties. That is because each region has unique soil, climate, culture, topography, and many other factors that contribute to the character of each bottle of wine sitting on the store’s shelf.

By trying the specialty of a region (or on a larger scale, the production specialty of a country) you will often get a distinctive wine, indicative of the culture and tastes of that place.

Below are a list of some notable wine regions of the world, and the white wine varietals they do best.

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Each region has unique soil, climate, culture, topography, and many other factors that contribute to the character

USA – California Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the number one grown varietal, by weight, in America, and it proliferates in Napa Valley. The valley’s diurnal variance in temperatures (hot days, cool nights) and the volcanic soils bring a depth to the varietal that earns Napa chardonnay well-deserved prestige.

Some chardonnays are crisp and un-oaked and some take advantage of toasted American oak barrels. Both styles can be delightful.

Joel Gott 2015 Chardonnay, California An unoaked, Chablis-style chardonnay: white flowers and pear on the nose with crisp apple and minerality on the palate.

Clean and dry. A friend to cream sauce and roast chicken.

CSPC +118661 $23

Italy – Campania Greco

Nestled on the Mediterranean coast, Campania is a place where brightly coloured buildings, glued to cliffsides, seem to defy gravity. It's the land where pizza is rumoured to have originated and, most importantly, home to several unique varietals of wine.

By trying the specialty of a region, you will often get a distinctive wine, indicative of the culture and tastes Fiano and greco are the dominant white varietals, and are found almost nowhere else in the world. Like many Italian wines, they are particularly food-friendly.

Feudi Di San Gregorio 2013 Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy Stone fruit flavours blend with aromas of cut-grass, and the palate is crisp with minerality. Pair it with its favourite cousin, margherita pizza.

CSPC +708590 $24

Hungary Tokaji

Hungary doesn’t often have a big presence in your local wine store, but it has traditions in winemaking that go back to the time of the Romans. It is best known for sweet Tokaji Aszú, a wine crafted from hárslevelü and furmint. The wines are produced using grapes that have been affected by noble rot, the same naturally occurring process that produces sweet French Sauternes.

Tokaji wines can have varying amounts of noble rot grapes used in production, which is proportional to the overall sweetness of the wine. The best examples of Tokaji are balanced, potent, and intricate.

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St. Stephens Crown 2007 Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Hungary The “wine of kings, king of wines” – this rich, dark golden wine brings aromas of apricots and honey which become luscious orange marmalade in your mouth. Good acidity keeps the wine fresh, not sticky or cloying (Linda Garson).

CSPC +279315 500 mL $30

Australia – McLaren Vale Marsanne and Viognier

The vineyards down-under first garnered attention for growing prime examples of the Rhône Valley’s red varietal, syrah.

Of course, the Aussies have their own well-known name for it – shiraz.

Australia’s McLaren Vale also grows fine examples of the Rhône Valley’s white varietals, marsanne and viognier.

They are both complex, warm-climate varietals that offer surprising flavour and depth.

D’Arenberg 2014 Hermit Crab McLaren Vale, Australia A heady aroma of violet candies, orange blossoms, sage, and lime, it’s a mix bag of flavours and aromas, but very pleasant. Plenty of stone fruit on the palate. You can almost feel the sand between your toes.

CSPC +708507 $20

Argentina Torrontés

Argentina’s wine history began long before the proliferation of malbec into American markets. Vines were cultivated by the Spanish colonists of the 16th century. Torrontés is a native

Argentine vine, and a cousin of sweet muscat varietals; it is also the most widely planted white in Argentina.

Its diverse fruit aromas and subtle sweetness make it a wonderful wine for enjoying in the sunshine.

Callia Alta 2015 Torrontés Tulum Valley, Argentina This off-dry white wine blooms with elderflower, grape, and lemongrass on the nose and follows up with orange rind on the palate. Pair with bright sunshine and gardens in full bloom.

CSPC +740649 $16

Canada – Prince Edward County Chardonnay

Prince Edward County is a wine region in Ontario that is gaining prestige for its stunning pinot noirs and chardonnays.

The region’s climate and limestone soils have been compared to portions of Burgundy, and the area produces some wines that compete with the French region for subtlety and depth of flavour.

Norman Hardie County 2013 Chardonnay Prince Edward County, Canada A hint of chalk mingled with full malolactic flavours, this chardonnay sings in the glass. Citrus fruits and balanced acid on the palate beg for food.

It’s beautiful on its own, but with the right poultry dish, it’s musical.

CSPC +740108 $40

Jaclyn’s first passion was winemaking. She’s worked in vineyards, cellars, and restaurants. Currently, she is a writer who daylights as an environmental engineer.

She has travelled to tasting rooms from Vietnam to Portugal, and believes that a good life, like a good wine, is not complete without balance.

Rediscovering Gin

by LINDA GARSON

After losing ground to vodka and tequila in the early 2000s, gin is enjoying a recent renaissance, fuelled in part by the growing interest in craft distillers, and local products. A favourite of young distilleries, it can be produced quickly while they wait the required three-year minimum for their whiskies to age, and it’s a versatile spirit that mixes easily, bringing out the best in other ingredients.

With over 150 different gin brands currently available in Alberta, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission reports an 11.6 percent increase in gin sales from January to July 2015 over the previous year, and it’s still growing – Albertans sipped and supped somewhere between 50 and 60 thousand cases of gin in that six month period.

It’s no surprise that restaurants and bars are choosing to focus on this aromatic white spirit, and getting creative with it – here are four that are proud of their gins:

The Derrick Gin Mill & Kitchen, Calgary

Offering over 70 different gins currently, The Derrick expects to have over 100 different brands before the year is over. Choose from 10 original cocktails, 10 remodelled classics, and a 3 oz G&T menu that includes all 70 Gins and eight different options for tonics – all in all, with different vermouths, you can make nearly 4,000 different martinis at the Derrick!

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Owner Nathan Newman chose to focus on gin for love. You’ll find it in the menu too – featured dessert, “Gin and Tonic”, is a de-constructed key lime pie, and the toasted marshmallow is infused with Bombay Sapphire.

Whitehall, Calgary

45 gins from around the world star at Whitehall and they’re hoping to have 60 by the end of September. 12 gin cocktails are on offer, some cleverly using brown gin to replace brown liquor.

Chef Neil McCue says that gin has come a long way since he had his first taste 25 years ago, and now he sneaks a little gin into his dishes, such as venison tartar. Deer graze in the forest and feed on spruce and juniper, so he says it makes total sense to reunite them in a dish. He also souses his mackerel with a gin cure, and serves herrings with pickled cucumber, gin crème fraiche and rye bread.

Ampersand27, Edmonton

With a passion for gin, Ampersand27 are sitting at 32 different gins, and

hope to be close to 50 by the end of the year. Their cocktail menu features numerous creations, and they’ve just started a gin menu.

GM, Chris Krock, also cooks with gin, mostly with wild game meat.

He feels that the juniper pairs well with the earth tones of wild meat, so Ampersand27 cook with it in the Bison Butchers' Pride, and use fresh juniper berries in the demi for it too.

North 53, Edmonton

Starting with 17 kinds of gin, North 53 are currently planning to add more to their back bar. They feature a “spin the wheel” program that allows people to choose a spirit and a flavour profile – so their potential number of gin based cocktails is almost infinite!

GM, Alex Trann-McEwen, believes that the rise in popularity of cocktails and cocktail culture allows people to experience other gin options besides the standard highball gin and tonic, it opens up your palate, and allows you to taste the complexity of the spirit.

We’re delighted to see the renaissance of gin as a main-player again in the spirits market; the blend of botanicals makes such an enormous difference to the texture, sweetness, and taste. Here are 12 gins definitely worth trying!

Big Rig Wildrose Gin

New kids on the block, Big Rig, of Nisku, are the only craft distillery in greater Edmonton, and came out of the gate showing strong. You can’t miss the striking bottle – a replica of Leduc #1 drilling rig, with its black wax “dripping oil” seal. Starring Rocky Mountain juniper and foothills wild rosehips, the gin opens with a pretty and floral orange peel nose, but is rounded with big, bold flavours on the palate. One for martinis but also great with tonic.

CSPC +778369 750 mL $57

Eau Claire Distillery Parlour Gin

Gilpin’s is a limited edition gin for gin purists. English through and through, it’s made from water from the Lake District that has spent years falling as rain (and it rains a lot in the Lake District!) filtering through limestone and willowpeat. Complex aromas of juniper and citrus follow with underlying notes of something deeper and earthier – sage and borage as it turns out, used for the first time in a London Dry Gin. Distilled five-times, this is a perfect martini gin – ultra-smooth, and elegant.

CSPC +776250 700 mL $59

Gin Mare

Originally only a gift for family and friends, Gin Mare is made just outside Barcelona. It’s unusual, and pushes gin boundaries, but very much a

Mediterranean spirit with savoury flavours of Spanish Arbequina olives, thyme from Turkey, rosemary from Greece, and Italian basil, all macerated for 24-48 hours (the orange peel macerates for a year!) and blended after individual distillations. Perfect for cocktails, the cap is a 50 mL measure with a thumbscrew, so you can practise flair bartending too!

CSPC +247841 700 mL $43

Ironworks Gin

Ironworks is a micro-distillery in Lunenburg, on Nova Scotia’s south shore, producing small batches of this classic London Dry Gin. In addition to traditional gin botanicals, they’re using local juniper wherever possible, foraged rose hips from the bushes in front of the Adams & Knickle fisheries, as well as less

©2016 Palm Bay International Boca Raton, Fl.

Follow the “cowboy trail” to Turner Valley’s old movie theatre to find Eau Claire Distillery. Their second release, London-dry style Parlour Gin, is made from barley – the same as single malt whisky. Using mostly traditional gin botanicals, you’ll be greeted by scents of sweet citrus and forest, but watch for Saskatoon berries and mint in this silky smooth-textured spirit. Ideal for cocktails, but happily sipped on its own.

CSPC +768932 750 mL $50

Gilpin’s Extra Dry Gin

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common Balsam Fir buds. It’s a delicate and feminine gin with a lightly perfumed nose, and it’s soft – no hard edges here.

Great for a martini, particularly with green olives to add earthiness.

CSPC +779394 750 mL $46

Martin Miller London Dry Gin

Martin Miller gins are made in England with the best ingredients they can find from all over the word, such as Florentine iris, French angelica, Chinese cassia bark, and pure water from Iceland. The botanicals are steeped overnight in spirit and hot water, distilled, and then blended with a separate distillation of Seville orange, lemon and lime peels to produce a subtle gin with a soft finish and no burn.

Focus hard, and you might pick up the clean flavour of cucumber. Go British and enjoy a G & T. CSPC +737685 750 mL $44

Park Distillery Alpine Dry Gin

After a three-year process from concept to product, Park is producing Banff’s first legal spirits. Alpine Dry Gin is only just released, and the newest gin of our picks. Here in the mountains, they hand-mill, hand-mash, and handdistil grain from high-altitude family farms in the foothills, and then blend it with glacial water. Alpine has a strong and slightly sweet juniper nose with a citrus lift, and scents of the forest, which follow through to the palate. A fresh tasting gin, it’s ideal for cocktails.

CSPC +781550 750 mL $50 52

Okanagan Spirits Gin

Okanagan Spirits is Western Canada’s oldest craft distillery, producing a terroir-specific gin at their family distillery in Vernon. Their goal is to be 100 percent “field-to-flask”, using only BC grain and botanicals from within 50K of the distillery – many of which come from the Master Distiller’s garden. Okanagan gin is highly aromatic, first with spruce, orange and rose petals, following with coriander, orris, violets, and rhubarb, in supporting roles. Sip neat on ice or with a touch of tonic.

CSPC +181859 750 mL $43

Ungava

This bright, naturally yellow gin boasts six rare botanicals from the Ungava tundra, indigenous to northern Quebec. Wild rose hips, cloudberry, Labrador tea, crowberry, Nordic juniper, and Arctic Blend, are handpicked during the Arctic’s shortlived summer and infused into gin for the taste and colour to develop.

The bottle features Inuktitut script of the Inuit language. For “adventurous amateurs and connoisseurs alike”, drink over ice or get creative.

CSPC +753183 750 mL $35

Unruly Gin

Unruly by name – unruly by nature, Wayward Distillation House is the first distillery in Canada to use honey for its spirits. Based in Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, this artisanal craft

distillery sources unpasteurized honey from the wild clover fields of northern BC, which is then blended with glacier water and yeast to become mead, distilled into a spirit, then infused with organic, local botanicals of cedar, citrus, lavender, sarsaparilla, and vibrant coriander. Use in a martini or negroni.

CSPC +67595 750 mL $63

Victoria Gin

This year, newly rebranded Victoria Distillers has a new distillery too on the waterfront in Sidney, BC, with beautiful new bottles to boot. They call their cocktail spirits “liquid bar tools”, and the new bottles are adorned with little cocktail icons on side, so there’s no mistaking the intention for this gin.

Still hand made in small batches and hand batch numbered, Victoria Gin is light and delicate, with gentle aromas of citrus, juniper and spice – soft, elegant and feminine.

CSPC +645085 750 mL $46

Victoria Oaken Gin

These two Victoria Distillers gins are like a family – Mr. and Mrs. Gin. Oaken Gin is the counterpart to Victoria Gin, warming and rounded with a touch of vanilla, and caramel – not only in colour but a hint on the palate too. This more masculine, full-flavoured gin rests in primarily new French and American oak for a few months to achieve its buttery texture and golden colour.

Perfect with a little vermouth.

CSPC +765054 750 mL $53

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Making The Case:

Portugal’s World Of Difference

by TOM FIRTH

I really love Portuguese wines and make no secret about it. I’ve spent many years and many column inches talking about the fortified wines (both port and madeira), but the table wines are also world-class.

When it comes to table wines, Portugal’s strength is a roster of indigenous or local grapes. Grapes like tinta cão, arinto, encruzado, and baga are practically unheard of in the world at large, and with these grapes the Portuguese make wonderfully authentic wines that encapsulate the definition of terroir. They taste like they came from somewhere.

As I like to call them, they are honest wines, full of character, but also with earthy or rustic characters, sometimes astringent tannins, and sometimes a little weirdness – which is what keeps life interesting.

One of the biggest problems Portuguese wines face in the Canadian market is that the average wine drinker lacks context with which to serve wine from Portugal. Italian fare goes perfectly with Italian wine, same with wines of Spain, France, and so on. Hell, we even associate Australian wines with firing up the “barbie”. What does one serve Portuguese wine with? In Portugal the cuisine is just as diverse and varied as any other country with a special love of hearty dishes well within the comfort realm of people here in Alberta.

Quinta da Mimosa 2013 Palmela, Portugal Coming from just south of Lisbon, Palmela is normally about the castelão grape and for wines to carry the Palmela DOC designation, it has to contain at least 2/3 of this unique grape. Herbal, bursting with black fruits, and chock full of chunky tannins and a touch of jammy flavours – this would be heaven with gamier meats or something braised.

CSPC +739431 About $27

Ciconia 2015 Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Aragonez, Alentejo, Portugal Blackberry fruits and slightly gamey, rustic spices and a good kick of tannin and food-loving acids. While pretty accessible any time of the day, I’d give it the nod for grilled pork, or even Spolumbo-style sausages on the barbecue.

CSPC 776046 $15

Luis Pato 2008 Vinha Pan Bairrada, Portugal Winemaker Luis Pato is the undisputed master of Bairrada’s baga grape. This difficult grape produces incredibly deep and earthy reds that can age for decades upon decades upon…. you get the point.

Smoky and savoury, with leather, black fruit, and more, but with a little elegance too. Wait at least 3-5 more years, but serve with red meat, and lots of it.

CSPC +725732 About $50 Photograph courtesy Tom Firth 54

Baronessa de Vilar 2014 Touriga Nacional, Douro, Portugal

Alianca 2015 Vinho Verde Vinho Verde, Portugal

Monte da Ravasqueira 2012 Fonte de Serrana, Alentejo, Portugal

A very agreeable expression of Portugal’s signature red grape varietal with plenty of tightly packed tannins, dense black berry fruits with dried herb and a mild, almost-joyful floral note. The sort of wine that wants braised or grilled meats if possible-or cheese.

CSPC +781148 About $17

There is something that just evokes warm weather and the thought of drinking wine while your feet dangle in water – and that something is vinho verde. Light and quaffable with a little sweetness and a touch of prickly effervescence on the palate, very tasty, very tropical, and easy on the wallet. No food required.

CSPC +780313 $11-12

The exact sort of white wine that I want to drink in Portugal – zingy and tropical with tight acidity that wakes up that tired palate. Mostly antão vaz and arinto grapes, it evokes homemade lemonade, crushed apples, and a touch of peaches.

Pair with food if desired, maybe scallops or scampi, even rotisserie chicken!

CSPC +759771 $14

Pocas Junior 2012 Vale de Cavalos Tinto, Douro, Portugal

Quinta da Alorna 2015 Touriga Nacional Rosé, Ribatejo, Portugal

Adega de Borba 2013 Reserva Alentejo, Portugal

Packed fore to aft with lean, savoury characters, dense, ripe berry fruits and dried herb aromas. Tannins lean towards the firm side of things, with slightly brambly fruits and a long, lean finish.

Would be a stunner with braised meats or something saucy.

CSPC 773223 $21

Pleasing rosé from start to finish with fresh strawberry fruits, cotton candy, cherry, and candy stick. Fairly dry with a slightly herbal character and spiciness on the palate to complement those bright, summery fruits. Would shine with grilled pork or even a little duck.

CSPC +740857 $17

Looking for something to enjoy while you are busy charring steaks on the barbeque? Packed in this bottle are an abundance of cherry fruits, black pepper, floral characters and a touch of orange peel. Plenty of fruit on the palate, and tannins that are great with big cuts of meat.

CSPC +755928 $26

Luis Pato 2013 Vinhas Velhas Branco Bairrada, Portugal

Jose Maria de Fonseca 2014 Periquita Setubal, Portugal

Casa Ermelinda NV Moscatel de Setúbal, Setúbal, Portugal

A blend of bical, cerceal, and sercialinho, this is a thoughtful, discussion-worthy bottle. Deep and tropical with melon, lemon, flowery tones and a cactus leaf/succulent component to boot on the nose. Tightly wound on the palate with apple core, spice, lime and a vibrancy. Pair with fresh seafood, scallops, or lobster.

CSPC +725367 About $21

A mainstay for those that love premium quality red at an insanely good price.

Periquita has been on a lot of wine lists in Calgary and quite a few bottles are still tucked away in the odd cellar.

A blend of castelão, trincadeira, and aragonêz varieties, look for blackberry fruits with black liquorice tannins that aren’t too aggressive. Pair with burgers, lasagna, or pork.

CSPC +25262 $11

A wildly interesting and unique product made by fermenting muscat of Alexandria grapes on the skins and arresting the fermentation with a grape brandy. Packing a little sweetness with plenty of acidity to offset any stickiness, the palate is all about orange marmalade, honey, and a tropical flavour that is dynamite with fruity desserts or very dark chocolate.

CSPC +752975 About $22 55

The Negroni

by BRICE PERESSINI photography by INGRID KUENZEL

Want to make a bartender smile inside?

Order a Negroni.

The Negroni is a near-universally loved drink of those who tend bar. But why?

The secret lies in the myriad variations possible in a drink that only has three parts. By switching the gin or sweet vermouth you use, the drink can change splendidly.

The one thing that cannot be changed in a Negroni is the Campari. Without Campari, a Negroni simply isn’t a Negroni.

So where did this fine concoction originate? Who was the mad genius to first combine equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin?

This world-changing drink was first developed in 1919 in Florence, Italy. A customer had just come back to Italy from working as a rodeo clown in the American Wild West. He had developed a taste for a stiff drink, so he asked the bartender for a stronger version of an Americano (1 part vermouth, 1 part Campari, topped with soda).

The bartender switched out the soda for gin, and the resulting drink bears the name of the patron, Count Camillo Negroni.

This origin seems to be a perfect fit for a drink that is refined like an Italian sports car, but if not taken with a little caution can be as hard hitting as an angry bull.

Since this glorious day when the Negroni was born under the Tuscan sun, it has made its way around the world and seen 56

Brice Peressini, smiling on the inside

many variations – from barrel aging the drink after it has been mixed, to creating a slushy ice cone out of it, to swapping out sweet vermouth for dry vermouth, or topping with sparkling wine – though the possibilities are infinite.

Below is the recipe for one of my favourite variations.

So what would one do in order to enjoy one of Count Negroni’s fine creations at home? It’s quite simple: –– Choose your favourite gin –– Choose your favourite sweet vermouth and grab some Campari.

Now with a Negroni in hand you are ready for anything; whether dodging the horns of a bull or relaxing on a Tuscan patio.

Add equal parts into a mixing glass. Add ice. Stir. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice and add an orange twist.

1 oz Campari 1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth 1 oz Eau Claire Parlour Gin

I’d probably choose the latter.

Brice is a competition cocktail bartender who plies his trade behind the wood at Chefbar. Whisk(e)y is his poison. Neat.

Ottawa and soon to be in Toronto,” he says. “Competition fuels greatness; we have 120 beers on tap here, and 140 in Vancouver.”

Asked about his latest venture, Trolley 5, L’Heureux’s eyes light up. “I’ve always wanted to brew, and I’ve probably visited more breweries than most people will ever visit in their lifetime. It’s very much a passion project, but because I’m passionate about beer, I’m passionate about bringing people together through beer.”

So what is L’Heureux’s special bottle?

Open That Bottle

by LINDA GARSON photography by INGRID KUENZEL

A born and raised Calgarian, founder and president of Craft Beer Market, PJ L'Heureux, is proud of his roots.

“I’ve seen the ups and downs, and the people who have shaped the city," he says. "I’m super happy to be one of the ones that have welcomed other people into the city too, and watched it triple in size.”

L’Heureux was a very young entrepreneur, and with help from supportive parents, started a successful DJ company while in high school. He studied business at university, but his business life was far more important, and with partners, he opened his first in a chain of nightclubs at only 23 years old.

that you couldn’t get, so I was one of the guys that was a bit against the norm,” he says. “At 17, I was brewing beer in my basement.”

“I was very successful at what I was doing at a young age,” he says. “Most people attach me to Craft, and I’ve done so many things before Craft, but that’s what’s catapulted me to the next level.”

He opened Jamesons Irish pub in 2003, but it was after opening St. James’ Corner in 2008 that he started travelling to different cities to look at beer-focused events, restaurants, bars, pubs, brewpubs, and breweries. “You name it – I was going to them, and that’s where the vision of Craft Beer Market came in,” he laughs.

Throughout his DJ and nightclub days, L’Heureux was always into beer – good beer or bad beer. “I was always into beer

L’Heureux knew Craft was a special concept when people asked him to open in other cities. “Now we’re in

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A bottle of Pliny The Elder, from Russian River Brewing Company is sitting on the table. “I didn’t pick it out of a liquor store, I picked it because I went to the brewery and tried a lot of their beers. It’s not about accolades, it’s touted as one of the best beers in the world by those that know,” says L’Heureux.

The brewery is in California, and it has beer people, and the people who want to talk about beer, talking. “It’s very difficult to get the beer, so when you see it on tap in California, you want to try a Russian River – you’ll never see it on tap in Canada unfortunately,” L’Heureux adds.

“I went to Napa and I was tasting wine, which is a little bit out of my element, and I only had a few hours to spare,” he recalls. “I had to go down to Russian River as it’s one of my favourite breweries, and one of those great stories, so my experience was very personal and individual. I’ve never seen the beer up here.”

And when is he going to drink it?

“For me, beer is never something you drink alone, it’s usually shared with people that love beer, and that are going to appreciate the beer. Beer is about community and bringing people together so I would open it with a few people. No special occasion needed, just the right people at the right time,” says L’Heureux.

Looking for that perfect spirit?

Delight in a good beer? Love interesting wines?

Make sure to get your copy of the October issue of Culinaire to view the best bottles Alberta has to offer.

Visit culinairemagazine.ca/aba to to find everything related to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alberta Beverage Awards.

For more information, contact competition director Tom Firth: tom@culinairemagazine.ca

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