Savour Calgary 2020 Mar Apr

MARCH » APRIL 2020

FRESH. LOCAL. STORIES FOR FOOD LOVERS.

RECORDS SOME OF

CALGARY’S BEST EATS

SIDE 1 TAKE TIME

How to eat your way through

the Music Mile (A LWAYS A H IT)

Eating the Music Mile

Urban Farming

Meet the Producer

Brunch with Julie

Welcome | F R O M T H E E D I T O R

Contents

BE K NOW N FOR

GR EAT

COFFEE...

IN YOUR OW N HOME

C

18 an you feel it? Spring is in the air!

After a long winter of hunkering down with hunks of cheese on the couch (just me?) waiting for warmer weather, I really feel motivated to get out and relish the season. While springtime in Calgary is admittedly not as famed as it is in Paris, we do have our charms this time of year.

Downtown, the folks come out of the +15s, squinting and pale, headed for the many great restaurants along Stephen Avenue (visit Modern Ocean, The Guild, Murrieta’s, Hy’s and Cucina) and beyond. The Workshop, Shoe and Canoe and Al Forno Bakery and Café are some of our favourites. A little further south, hardy partiers start to fill the patios along 17th Ave. S.W. – nine degrees is official patio weather, isn’t it?

Check out the perennial favourite Ship and Anchor, the newly renovated National, Trolly 5, Lulu Bar, Royale and many other great local spots.

Meanwhile, gardeners have already started long-season veggies in their windows as they look longingly out into their yards, waiting for the frost to withdraw its icy fingers from their beloved beds. Speaking of gardens, you’ll want to check out Catherine van Brunschott’s feature Cultivating an Urban Grower on page 16, it will inspire those with the blackest of thumbs to maybe give growing a shot this year.

FOR OVER 40 YEARS WE’VE BEEN SUPPLYING

Spring is also the time to anticipate the fresh fruit and vegetables that will start to fill the farmers’ markets in the coming weeks. We’re so thrilled to be a media sponsor for this year’s Planted3 event that explores the endless possibilities of vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Get your tickets to the Plants, Pinot and Potions culinary competition March 27 at Winsport for some spectacular food and, well, pinot’s right in the title, so, we’ll be there for sure.

IN-THE-KNOW CALGARIANS WITH EVERYTHING FOR INCREDIBLE

One of Julie Van Rosendaal’s favourite things about spring is brunch. Read Julie’s Kitchen on page 20 for recipes that will dazzle your brunch guests. Try the bacon and egg breakfast pizza, which, if I’m being honest, had me at bacon.

COFFEE AND ENTERTAINING

We’re so pleased to welcome Elizabeth Chorney-Booth to the roster with this month’s cover story: High Notes: How to Eat Your Way Through the Music Mile.

We even managed to get a recipe from the King Eddy’s chef Diana Nacita for the Eddy’s dirty rice. Can’t wait to make it.

EXPERIENCES. UP YOUR COFFEE GAME AT HOME!

ALONG WITH BEAUTIFUL ACCESSORIES AND GREAT PRODUCTS... WE ALSO CARRY AND SERVICE

Finally, I’d like to extend an apology to Bernice Hill, writer of last month’s Master Class on no-knead bread. Somewhere between my inbox and the printed page, the ingredient list grew by one cup of flour. She got it right, we got it wrong – as we sometimes do. Thanks to everyone who wrote and called to let us know. We’re so happy to know you’re reading, cooking with and enjoying Savour Calgary as much as we enjoy putting it together for you.

Camie Leard, Editor camie@savourcalgary.ca

403.277.5169

410 23 AVENUE NE, CALGARY

CAPPUCCINOKING.COM

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22 Features 14 Rising: Building Community Through Bread 16 High Notes: How to Eat Your Way Through the Music Mile 18 Cultivating an Urban Grower 22 Meet the Producer: Trail’s End Beef

The Regulars 5 8 12 20 25 30

Savour Selects Fresh Market Shop Local Julie’s Kitchen Quick Bites Back of House

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T O P P I C K S f rom Savour staf f | S A V O U R S E L E C T S

Debbie Lambert debbie@savourcalgary.ca Camie Leard camie@savourcalgary.ca Wanda Baker wanda@savourcalgary.ca MAGAZINE DESIGN

Cheryl Starr Design Group stellardesign.ca CONTRIBUTORS

Wanda Baker Catherine Van Brunschot Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Stephen Deere Ellen Kelly Linda Kupecek Erin Lawrence BJ Oudman Julie Van Rosendaal

LLIES ~ makes 6 lollies

ADVERTISING SALES

Ellen Kelly ellen@savourcalgary.ca Debbie Lambert debbie@savourcalgary.ca Jennifer MacTavish jennifer@savourcalgary.ca WEBSITE MANAGEMENT

Todd Robertson todd@vilya.com C O LL A B O R AT I V E S O F T WA RE A D M I N I S T R AT O R

Jane Pratico PRINTING

CentralWeb DISTRIBUTION

Gallant Distribution Systems Inc

Published six times per year, issue dates are January/February, March/April,May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December.

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We invite you to visit our Calgary Cococo Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut locations Victoria Park • 17th Avenue • Bankers Hall • Signal Hill • Southcentre • Dalhousie Station • Crowfoot • Calgary International Airport, Domestic and Int’l Departures

www.CococoChocolatiers.com #ChocolateTogether

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Savour Calgary has made all efforts to ensure that content in the magazine is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s) opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or editor. The published material, advertisements, editorials and photographs along with all other content is published in good faith and Savour Calgary cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by any errors, omissions and for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers or any other contributors. All trademarks presented in this magazine are owned by the registered owner and Savour Calgary will be held harmless in the event that the advertiser or contributor has submitted trademarks for which they do not have authorization from the owner. All rights reserved by Savour Calgary and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of the publisher at Savour Calgary Ltd.

Camie Leard

Savour Calgary is a bi-monthly magazine published by Savour Calgary Ltd.

C O N TAC T I N FO RM AT I O N

SHOP OUR EASTER GIFTS IN STORE OR ONLINE CHOCOLATE BUNNIES & FOILED EASTER EGGS FOR THE HUNT, COPPER BOXES, CHOCOLATE-FILLED EGGS, MORSELS and more

Camie Leard

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

EASY CHOCOLATE LO

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• Tray or board lined wit colate, more than one kind of cho All you do is: safe bowl. If you are using ave row mic a in e plac and morsels 1. Roughly chop chocolate the sides of the bowl use separate bowls. roughly each time, scraping the microwave and stir tho in te erwise your oth cola at, cho rhe the ove m not war verture chocolate — but do 2. In 30 second increments, cou t mel ely nts and stir plet eme com incr to take long ave time to 15 second with the spatula. It will not melted, reduce the microw stly mo is te cola cho r you chocolate may burn! When y melted. on. Place top of paper well until chocolate is full es as necessary with a spo parchment and smooth edg the o chocolate to secure. ont into te tly cola gen cho ss p Pre . dro 3. Using a teaspoon, the way from the bottom of 1/3 ut abo te g cola cho melted the chocolate. If you are usin straw or popsicle stick on s and press them gently into tion ora dec r you add , sets the chocolate 4. Working quickly before ore adding your design. for 15-20 minutes. es, wait a few minutes bef m set at room temperature icing to decorate your lolli kly in 5-7 minutes, or let the quic set to ge frid the in r lollies 5. You can either put you logs/recipes ococoChocolatiers.com/b more recipes at www.C See ! oco Coc m fro ter Happy Eas

IL PASTO ROMANTICO

EDITOR

Valentine’s Day is long gone, but romance is always in the air at Castello Italiana at the Fairmont Banff Springs. Re-opening last July after a major renovation, Castello offers an intimate space that’s chic, warm, and perfect for a romantic meal for two. Banff Springs executive chef Robert Ash and Castello chef Chris Gale designed a menu that celebrates the vast diversity of Italian cuisine. Try the caprese salad featuring Alberta hothouse tomatoes and a beautiful burrata cheese, basil pesto and tomato sherry gastrique. The wild mushroom crostini Castello’s delicious Limoncello panna cotta blends mushrooms, fermented pepper, truffle butter and petite Castello Italiana greens for a rich savoury bite. The lobster ravioli 405 Spray Ave., is a special treat and the Limoncello panna cotta Banff, AB for dessert is a must.

403.762.6860 fairmont.com/banffIT’S RAINING BEER, HALLELUJAH! springs/dining/castelloitaliana First off, don’t miss the door. It’s unassumingly sandwiched between Gorilla Whale’s two halves and offers the silhouette of a terrier as the only hint something lies behind it. Patrons of nearby Without Papers will find the long stair-climb to a brightly-lit space overlooking 9th Ave. familiar, but Rain Dog Bar has a style of its own. The space teems with a ramshackle collection of garage sale art and tchotchkes while somehow maintaining a chic feel.

The interesting and eclectic setting mirrors what’s on the menu, which presents a grand selection of beer for the beer drinker.

Carefully curated by owner and Alberta’s first cicerone Bill Bonar (Taste), Rain Rain Dog’s Stawnichy’s sausage Dog’s list isn’t just Rain Dog Bar vast, it also offers an adventurous journey through 1214 9th Ave. S.E. out-of-the-way brews. From local favourites to 403.457.7263 “worldwide rockstars,” this is a place for beer raindogbar.com lovers. The food menu focuses on snacks to share over a cold one – including an interesting à la carte *Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

charcuterie. We tried the soft pretzels with beer cheese sauce (so very good) and grainy mustard as well as the Stawnichy’s sausage which claims to be the best Ukrainian sausage outside of the Ukraine. We’ll let the babas fight that one out, but it was delicious on a bed of soft, savoury purple cabbage. Also, the menu is hilarious and worth a trip on its own.

EXTRAORDINARY IN THE EAST VILLAGE Every now and again, an epicurean experience can excite and delight even the most experienced eater. The latest outings by Calgary celebrity chef Darren Maclean, Nupo and Eight each offer something extraordinary.

Camie Leard

Easter Chocolate Fun

Savour selects

PUBLISHER

Nupo, named as a derivation of Maclean’s mother’s maiden name, shines a spotlight on plant-forward Japanese dining. The experience begins with a delightful beverage program celebrating the Japanse tea tradition with teainfused cocktails in all manner of colour and flavour. We loved the build-your-own mar-teani. Also, take advantage of an extensive sake list. Maclean says he’s Nupo’s sable fish sushi as part of the hand-serviced omakase experience particularly proud of the Nupo cashew-nut vegan tonkotsu ramen featuring 631 Confluence local sunchokes and toasted konbu (kelp).

Way S.E., Nupo’s seafood menu offers guilt-free sustainable 587.353.1388 choices that illustrate Maclean’s passionate nupo.ca proposition that we can enjoy spectacular seafood while protecting our oceans. The proof is particularly obvious in Calgary’s first handEight serviced omakase sushi experience. Available by 631 Confluence reservation only, you will be served 12 courses of Way S.E., sushi, piece by piece by Nupo’s gifted sushi chefs.

587.353.1388 Prepaid reservations for $125/person can be eightcdn.ca made at exploretock.com/nupo.* On the other side of the bustling kitchen, eight places are set around the bar. This is Eight. And it’s Maclean’s chef d’oevre. Intimate and personal, Eight is a conversation about ingredients, food and what it means to cook and eat in Canada. Curated, orchestrated and hosted by Maclean himself, the 10-plus course experience guides diners through a culinary journey of Canadian ingredients, international influences and global techniques.

Engaging and inspirational, this experience is unique in Calgary and sells out quickly. Prepaid reservations of $185/person can be made at exploretock.com/eight.*

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Executive Chef Lance Sharpe started his venture into the hospitality industry at age 13 as a dishwasher in a family-owned Greek restaurant in Lacombe, AB. It was here he decided he wanted to become a chef. He went on to receive a red seal from SAIT and eventually left Canada to pursue his dream.

This took him to New Zealand working at Rata with chef Josh Emett.

When Sharpe returned to Canada, he opened Red Rock Pizza in Canmore and eventually ended up at Ten Foot Henry where he worked his way up to chef de cuisine.

In December 2019, he joined the Vintage Group as the executive chef at Waalflower. Earlier this year, Sharpe changed up the menu at Waalflower bringing the offering to 31 items for lunch or dinner. His culinary journey is showcased in the new menu with curious dishes and whimsical plating style. We indulged in the spiced carrot with peanut sauce, prawn aguachile, spring pea gnocchi with feta and bacon and finished with a fantastic sticky toffee pudding. Wash it all down with cocktails, craft beer or wine and be sure to check out the daily features. This Bridgeland family-friendly neighbourhood gathering spot is in the heritage deWaal Block right on 4th St. N.E.*

A brighter and lighter National on 17th Ave. has emerged. This is the first of the National venues in Calgary to transition to a refinement of its original concept serving a more diverse culinary, wine and cocktail menu. Not only has it changed up the restaurant, it’s added a pizza oven with several drool-worthy options available from its pizza bar. We tried the Bee’s Cheese made with a white sauce, fior di latte, asiago, provolone, parmesan, pecorino, mead honey and black pepper. If pizza is not your thing, try the edamame hummus, al pastor The National on 17th Ave. S.W. boasts a new look and some new menu items lettuce wraps, focaccia garlic bread and the National on 17th pork schnitzel. From wine, craft beer and cocktails 550 17 Ave. S.W. to weekend brunch with Fratello coffee, this may 403.229.0226 become our new favourite weekend hangout. ntnl.ca

Following considerable damage from a September flooding and extensive restorations, the Deane House in Inglewood has re-opened. The historic house had to be gutted and restored as all floors were affected from the water damage. Sal Howell, owner of the iconic Deane House, has returned the restaurant to its former contemporary state re-imagining a lush and romantic past and brought on chef Chris Barton (Anew Table) to lead the culinary team and refresh the menu. You’ll find more share plates like Deane House rolls, ginger beets, charred cabbage and a study of carrots. It is open for lunch, afternoon cocktails, dinner, weekend brunch, high tea and live jazz Sunday suppers.

We’ve been hearing about Rea’s for, well, decades.

Finally, in February we were able to make it down to it’s tucked-away location just off Edmonton Tr. N.E. and see what the big deal is all about.

Founded as Sandro’s in 1996, Sandro’s suffered a fire that required a complete rebuild. In 2009, it reopened with a new name – Rea’s – and the same vast menu of Italian home cooking.

Deane House mulligatawny soup

Deane House 806 9th Ave. S.E. 403.264.0595 deanehouse.com

GRAB AND GO Midtown Kitchen & Bar has renovated its current Kensington location, brought on executive chef Brian Diamond to change up the menu sourcing fresh and local ingredients, and is now offering grab-and-go meals.*

City and Country flights

Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant 15979 Bow Bottom Tr. S.E. 403.476.1310 foodiesinthepark.com

CURIOUS AND CURIOUSER A whimsical and enchanting encounter awaits when you attend Wonderland, a magical fairytale-themed dinner under a unique garden dome hosted and organized by Great Events Catering, Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant and Meadow Muse Pavilion.

This pop-up, inspired

by Lewis Carroll’s, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, elevates dining to a visual epicurean experience as you dine under the stars in a garden dome. From April 16 through to May 17 three seating times are available for dinner each evening. Pick a day and time, reserve your dome and choose your menu from three options created by award-winning chef Daryl Kerr. We went down the rabbit hole and tried The Fish Footman featuring a delightful beet salad, thistle and berry salmon and Icelandic cod.

A trio of curious temptations rounded out the meal leaving us delightfully satisfied. The Queen of Hearts afternoon tea offers a lighter bite on Saturdays and Sundays at noon. Reservations are required and can be booked online.*

Camie Leard

HIDDEN GEM: REA’S ITALIAN CUCINA

Wanda Baker

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

We started with a Caesar that featured a traditional, creamy dressing complete with anchovy and a ton of garlic – just how we like it. Fresh rolls accompany your meal – the kind that could ruin an amateur eater’s appetite. Fortunately, we’re in no danger of that. We followed up with the spaghetti carbonara which was amazing and generously portioned. Rea’s is well known for its pizza and those in the know tell us the The Dom is the way to go. Make a reservation as the place fills up quickly after 6 p.m.

Rea’s carbonara and fresh bread

Rea’s Italian Cucina 431 41st Ave. N.E. 403.230.7754 reasitaliancucina.com

DINING DASH Something Old: Treat yourself to afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for a gorgeous view, European and North-American style finger sandwiches, Fairmont’s own Lot 35 tea and some amazing pastries. Served 12-2:30 daily. Starts at $60/person. Chateau Lake Louise | 111 Lake Louise Dr., Lake Louise, AB Something New: The Nash in Inglewood has a new rotisserie chicken-thigh club sandwich with wagyu tongue bacon and smoked tomato jam on its bar menu we think is worth a try!* $17.

The Nash | 925 11th St. S.E.

Camie Leard

Waalflower Kitchen and Cocktails 24 4th St. N.E. 587.349.9008 waalflower.ca

LIGHTER AND BRIGHTER

Wanda Baker

Waalflower spiced carrot

WAALFLOWERS NEW CHEF & MENU

Wanda Baker

Wanda Baker

T O P P I C K S f rom Savour staf f | S A V O U R S E L E C T S

Something Global: We had a great Nepalese meal at the Himalayan in Shaganappi Plaza enjoying the chicken poleko grill. We chickened out on the spice and went extra mild, but could have handled a bit more. $24. The Himalayan | 3218 17th Ave. S.W. Something Brewed: Head over to the classic Calgary café, Purple Perk in Mission for a lovely latte and the Reuben Tuesday sandwich with fries and a pickle. $19 including the latte.

Purple Perk | 2212 4th St. S.W.

Rueben Tuesday at Purple Perk

Online Ordering available: chickenOnthewaycalgary.ca

watch fOr bi-mOnthly specials On Our hOme page!

We’re in your neighbourhood with seven locations in Calgary & Airdrie.

calgary's best fried chicken for 60 years!

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*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

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W H A T ’ S F R E S H this season | F R E S H M A R K E T By now, I’m sure we’re all a little frantic for anything local, preferably fresh and green.

Spring officially starts on March 21 (a cruel joke, if you ask me), but our world is likely still ensconced in ice and snow well into March and, all too often, April.

Soon, however, we will start to see inklings of the season coming from closer to home; asparagus, a favourite harbinger of spring. If you prefer to wait for Alberta homegrown, we are very lucky indeed to be blessed with Edgar Farms asparagus, with an outlet located at the Calgary Farmers’ Market, starting mid-May and going until the end of June.

Asparagus, when it’s allowed to go its own way, becomes a large fern-like perennial with bright red berries. The spears, as they push up in the spring, are harvested at about 6 - 12 inches, then graded by size and sold in bunches. It’s not the case, as some believe, that thinner spears of asparagus are more tender.

Spring’s

asparagus B y E L L E N K E L LY

Since asparagus, like so many vegetables, starts to lose its sweet flavour and nutritional value the moment it’s cut, ‘the fresher the better’ is always the rule of thumb. Look for a clean fresh cut at the butt end and tight unblemished tips.

To prepare asparagus, gently bend a stalk near the end and when it snaps, use it as a measure to trim the rest. If you’re still concerned about tenderness, you can peel away a little of the skin at the bottom two inches of the spear.

Don’t overcook asparagus. A quick plunge into salted boiling water until just tender will do the trick.

Asparagus is lovely grilled as well. Roll the spears in a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast or grill until tender and the spears have a little colour.

Any leftover asparagus can be tossed into soups, stir-fries, quiches, scrambled eggs or even added to a sandwich, especially one made with good bread, sliced cold chicken and mayonnaise.

The addition of asparagus to a favourite frittata recipe creates a perfect spring meal, lunch or dinner. Oven roast half a head of cauliflower, broken into florets and tossed in a little olive oil. When the cauliflower has caramelized, but is still firm, about 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven. Oven roast 1 lb of trimmed asparagus, brushed with oil, until caramelized. Meanwhile, sauté 1 chopped yellow onion with 1 chopped red bell pepper, season as you cook. Set vegetables aside. In a large bowl, beat 10 eggs with 2½ cups light cream, ½ tsp tabasco sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt and white pepper. Stir in ½ cup bread crumbs, chopped fresh thyme, lots of chopped fresh parsley, 1½ cups grated manchego cheese, and ½ cup grated parmesan, then stir in the onion and pepper. Generously butter a 9 x 11 baking dish and dust with bread crumbs. Arrange the cauliflower and asparagus in the dish and gently pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Top with grated manchego and parmesan. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350° until there is only the slightest wobble in the centre and the top is puffed and golden. Let the frittata sit for about 10 minutes before cutting in squares to serve with a tossed salad.

MEETING SPACES FOR RENT IN INGLEWOOD

CONFERENCE ROOMS DEMONSTRATION KITCHEN MEETING SPACES CLASSROOMS

BOOK YOUR EVENT ywcalgary.ca/community-hub

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FUN FOOD TA LES

f rom the f ront line

| FUNN Y BONES

MY OLD CHINA

B y L I N DA K U PE C E K

When I was a child, our kitchen wasn’t fancy schmancy. I remember the yellow linoleum, the red arborite table (fancy in its day) the worn wooden cupboards. But most of all, I remember the Crown Ducal dinnerware.

I have no idea how a family living modestly in downtown Calgary happened to dine daily on a beautiful set of Crown Ducal porcelain, in the Florentine pattern.

Perhaps my father, a bargain hunter with a discerning eye, happened upon it at a garage sale in Mount Royal.

Either way, the set dwindled over the years with a crack, a chip, a misguided decision to send things off to the junk heap. I managed to hold onto a few pieces.

Once I became a collector (hoarder) of arcane (weird) items, I included Crown Ducal porcelain in my searches. I want that set again. Like many collectors, I want to recapture my childhood.

Perhaps that is why setting a table with vintage china gives me such joy. I am opposed to paper plates – and not for environmental reasons. I was once deeply insulted when a dinner guest, mid meal, suggested I simply put the food on paper plates at my next dinner party.

Me. MOI. The lady with three cupboards full of vintage china from 1890 to 1970. The dreadful cook who distracts guests from judgment by serving questionable food on exquisite china. If I don’t have the china to impress, what’s left? Charred chicken.

I may not be a great cook, but I would hang my head in shame if I put a chicken thigh with a nice crust of tarragon and paprika on a paper plate and handed it to a guest. Why degrade the dining experience when there are so many beautiful options in the china cabinet by way of the thrift store? Eating is not just

about the protein and fibre and carbohydrates you shove into your mouth in the car on the way to therapy. It is about making the experience more than a grab-and-run after chomping down over stoneware plates.

My old china is part of who I am. I love my mismatched vintage plates, my incomplete dinner sets, my treasures from estate sales, flea markets, antique shows, and of course my family history.

This is an ode to vintage china: the old Johnson Bros. from the 1950s, the delicate floral Pareek, the Coalport, the Lenox, the Nippon, the ancient Chinese platters.

The instantly recognizable Paragon cups and saucers! So many beautiful patterns adorn the historically smaller-sized, plates, which (as one astute dinner guest noted) “have such a lovely feel, so delicate and crisp compared to what we use now.” The new stuff, says another brutally blunt friend longing for the good old days, “chips when you look at it.

The older, real china was made to last.”

Part of the joy of using old china is the way in which we reconnect with the past, whether it is the memories of family meals long gone, or simply realizing that other families and friends rejoiced and laughed and wept over the china maybe one hundred years ago. The circle is completed.

You hold an old dinner plate, beautiful, floral, exquisitely decorated, and wonder what its history is, as Agatha Christie wrote, decades ago, in “Come Tell Me How You Live.” What was the dining table, the situation, the family, the culture of the many meals at which this dinner plate was present? (Honestly it might be even more fun to imagine the knock-down, drag-out fights that old china might have witnessed, no matter how refined the setting.)

I acknowledge that I relish serving dinners on vintage china in the faint hope that guests will be so busy admiring the design that they won’t notice the food. Alas, this is not the case. So many younger people don’t give a hoot. But that is okay. I know in my heart that 30 years from now, they will be reminiscing about the fabulous table settings Auntie Linda created.

Just too bad it will happen while I am cooking with the angels – who might gag at my efforts.

We honour our dear ones by presenting food in an artful and mindful way. I, for one, love my china as I love my friends, and want to keep them all.

Linda Kupecek is an award-winning writer who can be spotted at her favourite thrift stores, looking for Crown Ducal (Florentine pattern).

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T R E A T S & eats | S H O P L O C A L GREAT PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL

GET STOKED ABOUT OATS

VENDORS

Stoked Oats was created by three local oatmeal-loving athletes seeking the ultimate breakfast to support their busy and active lifestyle. It started with a couple of longtime friends and a chance meeting between co-workers at a local gym. Simon Donato, Brad Slessor, and Shaun Stevens found they had something in common and started making their own oatmeal blends, hoping to produce the healthiest oatmeal on the market. They created four varieties of oats each containing their own mixture of superfoods like chia, flax, gluten-free oats, walnuts, almonds and dark chocolate.

Shop Local B y WA N DA B A K E R

NOTHING CHEESY ABOUT HALOUMI MADE IN CALGARY Haloumi cheese has been increasing in popularity for the last several years popping up regularly on restaurant menus, in stores and cookbooks.

This firm, brined and slightly springy or squeaky white cheese is traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, although cow’s milk is also used.

While it’s readily available in stores across Calgary, newly opened cheese maker Chinook Cheese makes the haloumi right here in the city. A fresh batch is made every day using 100 per cent Canadian milk products and is available in-store or wholesale. This versatile cheese can be used fresh, grilled, baked, fried, deep fried, grated – even marinated, lending itself perfectly to savoury or sweet dishes. It not only tastes great but is non-melting and holds its shape well when cooked.

With more Canadians wanting to know where their food is coming from, and how it’s being made, it’s a good time to be a local cheese maker.

Find haloumi at Chinook Cheese available in plain, or flavoured with mint, chili, za’atar, basil or cumin.

Haloumi Mediterranean Cheese, Chinook Cheese | $8

A BRAZILIAN COFFEE EXPERIENCE Today, coffee is very much a part of our everyday life. Determining which coffee suits your lifestyle is part of the adventure that includes choosing coffee beans, filters, kettles, presses, pods and everything in-between to give us our daily coffee jolt.

STICK IT TO THEM When you have a drawer full of sharp knifes like we do, you are always looking for that one fix to keep your knives sharp, safe and ensure no one gets nicked while selecting a knife from the drawer. Knifewear feels the same way and that is why it offers Beau Grain Magnetic Knife Blocks, both in their store and online. Made in Quebec by woodworker Guillame Gareau, these carefully handmade blocks allow you to display your knives proudly, while keeping them safe from the utensil drawer. Created using rare earth magnets and your choice of cherry, walnut, ash or maple, these knife holders are an impressive way to display and store your kitchen knives. The magnetic material is encased in the wood, so you don’t have to worry about scratching your knives. Simply screw the piece onto the wall and attach your best knife.

How gorgeous is that?! A beautiful kitchen knife deserves to be shown off… safely.

Beau Grain Magnetic Knife Holder, Knifewear $85.00

About one-third of all the world’s coffee is grown in Brazil, as it is the largest exporter in the world suppling approximately 60 per cent of the world’s coffee. Brazilian Connection by Mina’s Brazilian Steakhouse, is in the entrance to the restaurant and offers all your favourite Brazilian food items and beverages. When you experience Mina’s, you have the option of enjoying a cup of café de roca, a traditional Brazilian countryside coffee served after your meal.

We recently visited Brazil Connection to learn about this coffee and how we could enjoy it at home. We were schooled in the art of creating the perfect cup of coffee starting with a kettle of boiling water.

The hot water is slowly poured through a reusable cotton filter into a coffee cup fit into the bottom of the filter set. A spoon helps carefully guide the water through the coffee and filter allowing time for the ground coffee to release its oils and aromas.

The finished product is a terrific cup of customizable coffee that many enjoy as an espresso or Americano. Find coffee beans and all the supplies needed to make your own special coffee at Mina’s Brazilian Connection.

Kettle and Coffee Filter Set, Brazilian Connection $24.00 - $69.00

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In 2012, the entrepreneurs started selling their oats at the Millarville Farmers’ Market before launching in stores across Canada and through an online store. A couple of years later they pitched Dragon’s Den and received investment backing from one of the Dragons to help further their business goals. Today they oversee a production facility in Calgary and one in the East, ensuring the best oatmeal comes to market with most of the ingredients sourced locally, except items like coconut and coffee.

Currently available in stores: Redline Oats, Bucking-Eh Oats, Aphrodisi-Oats, and Stone Age Oats. A fifth blend, Mountain Maple should be in stores by the time this issue hits the stands.

Your one-stop connection to Brazil!

Stoked Oats, Luke’s Pharmacy, Blush Lane, Sunterra Market, Planet Organic Market, Community Natural Foods | $9.99 – 12.99

A NEW TWIST ON OLD SILVER – GET FORKED UP While not your typical Savour Calgary food feature, we stepped outside of the box to discover local jewelry at the Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market made from silver cutlery. This fascinating find has us intrigued and we couldn’t help ourselves in buying and sharing what we know about vintage cutlery jewelry. Making jewelry out of silverware is not new, in fact it dates back to the 1600s where a servant would pocket a piece of important cutlery like a silver fork to melt down and turn into a wedding ring or a gift for a loved one. In the 1960s hippies and flower children were making spoon rings and today, vintage jewelry has become quite a popular gift.

Our friends at A Little Forked Up take old silver cutlery and turn each piece into a fabulous work of art. We fell in love with the dancing octopus pendant whose front tentacles move independently form the rear tentacles to give the piece movement and “dance” while being worn. The pendant measures approximately 6mm x 4.5mm at the longest and widest points and are sold on a 925 sterling silver chain in the length of your choosing. Forged together from two antique silver forks, it is sure to become your new favourite conversation piece.

Browse the rest of their selection online.

We deliver anywhere in Canada.

136 2 Street SW, Calgary AB BRAZILCONNECTION.CA

Dancing Octopus Necklace | A Little Forked Up | alittleforkedup.ca | $55

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Memorial Park. Aviv and Michal had always wanted to open a sit-down destination. They loved the location of the restaurant space so when it became available, they seized the opportunity to fulfill the ideas they had nurtured over the years. It took a research trip to Israel and a more than a year to develop the warm and welcoming space, but Park, with its emphasis on using fresh ingredients to make flavourful Mediterranean food, opened in November 2019 and has become a popular epicurean destination.

RISING

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH BREAD

Aviv is passionate not just about bread, but about community. Each Sidewalk Citizen is in a high-foottraffic, inner-city location that is bike accessible (he himself is a bike commuter) and supports local.

The Frieds prioritize the environment and relationships. Unsold items are donated to Leftovers Foundation, on which Aviv serves as a board member. In 2018 they launched Tzavta, Hebrew for the act of sitting together, which are regular cultural dinners where guests are “forced” to interact in a communal seating style and share a specially curated meal, including of course, bread.

Following dinner, an invited guest facilitates a conversation on topics ranging from art to science. And in the end, isn’t that what bread is? A little art, a little science and a tradition of coming together.

B y BJ OU DM A N French-style baby pacifier

Bread. An unpretentious concoction of four simple ingredients – flour, water, salt and yeast. Yet, bread is complex.

Woven into culture throughout history and around the globe, bread’s role goes far beyond simple nourishment. Bread is holy and ritualistic, – from prayer (give us this day our daily bread) to symbolic “body of Christ” communion rites.

In Latin, the word companion literally means “a person with whom we share bread.”

The breaking of bread with others creates a bond that connects family, friends and sometimes even strangers.

Holiday tables are not complete without traditional breads like Jewish challah, Italian panettone or Polish babka.

BJ’s homemade sourdough 14 MARCH » APRIL 2020 SAVOURCALGARY.ca

In North America, the low-carb movement has taken its toll on bread’s popularity, but good bread is actually not bad for most people; celiac and gluten intolerant excluded. Loaves packaged in cellophane and containing preservatives have unfortunately tainted bread’s reputation for many health-conscious consumers. But thankfully, the future of bread is about going back to the past, with resurgence in not only artisan bakeries but passionate home bakers as well.

The French have maintained a different attitude toward bread than most other cultures – the baguette is as much a symbol of France as is the Eiffel Tower. “Le pain quotidien,” the daily loaf, can be picked up fresh at the local bakery or delivered to rural homes, deposited in a special canvas bag hanging on the residential gate in exchange for a euro or two. France had a national bread crisis during the rise of industrialization from the 1960s to the 1980s, a period when machines took over production, resulting in lower quality loaves. However, official legislation passed in 1993 called the Balladur Law controls flour quality, yeast content and fermentation techniques, reclaiming traditional standards and tastes. It is likely that renewed commitment to better bread across the pond sparked the renaissance of artisan bread in North America.

Although supermarket bread can be had for less than $2, anyone who has tackled making bread from scratch can attest to the fact that it is time consuming, messy and well worth

the $6-plus price tag for an artisan loaf. Bread makers have simplified the process, but the timehonoured technique of levain (aka sourdough) is more than just an end product. The process of maintaining a starter, measuring, mixing, folding, pinching, stretching, shaping and proofing can be therapeutic. The final product symbolizes a small piece of the maker’s heart and to friends tearing a piece off a freshly baked loaf, it means community.

To Aviv Fried, bread is the “anchor of the table, not fancy but important, something to share.”

The founder of Sidewalk Citizen had humble beginnings, baking his first loaf in 2008 for his now-wife Michal, followed by weekly bake-a-thons in the Cookbook Company kitchen, delivering online orders by bicycle to people working in downtown offices. His first counter service opened in 2011 on 1A Street SE near Chinook Mall, offering daily bread and scones. He also supplied wholesale clients including Sunnyside Market in Kensington, where he opened his second location during its 2013 expansion. Aviv then teamed up with Phil & Sebastian, who reached out to him to join them along with Charbar for the Simmons Building project in 2015. The starter (pun intended) of all these collaborations was bread.

Despite the popularity of his sourdough loaves, the reality was that a business couldn’t thrive on bread alone, leaving two options: increase the wholesale business, or create a new account.

The Frieds opted for the latter and became their own customer by opening a restaurant in Central

BJ’s homemade sourdough

Bread at Sidewalk Citizen

CANTINA A CASUAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Coming Soon

Elbow Drive & 49 Avenue SW Open 7 days a week Free Parking britanniaplaza.com

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B y E L I Z A BE T H C HOR N E Y-B O O T H

Dirty South Fried Rice by King Eddy chef Diana Nacita

MUSIC TRIVIA:

Did you know Tony Spoletini of Spolumbo’s has a brother and a niece who are opera singers?

HighNotes

Serves 4-6 people

For the rice

To plate

½ cup bacon (or if you can get your hands on some braised smoked ham hock, it adds depth of flavour)

Make sure all ingredients are ready as this will all be a quick sauté.

Fry the eggs to your liking. Soft scrambled is my favourite for this dish as the soft eggs coat the rice.

Break apart the rice using your damp hand so it will be loose when you add it to the pan.

(Tip: if the rice sticks to your hand, rinse with some water and continue to loosen the cooked rice.)

2 cups finely sliced assorted brassicas (cauliflower, kale, cabbage, broccoli) 4 oz (31/40 shrimp), tail off and cut in half lengthwise 1 tbsp garlic, minced

At medium-high heat add 2 tbsp of canola oil into a large pan or wok.

¼ cup roasted mushrooms (assorted and sliced thin– button, cremini, shiitake, enoki)

Add the brassicas (yes, this will pop a bit but we need that delicious sear that brassicas get), once the brassicas have a char, add the bacon and shrimp.

½ cup red bell pepper, deseeded, small dice ¼ cup scallions cut into rounds, set aside green parts

How to eat your way througH the Music Mile

Continue to sauté as you add the garlic, roasted mushrooms, and red bell pepper

4 cups day-old cooked rice

Deglaze with soy sauce and add the rice.

½ tbsp soy sauce, tamari

It’s a familiar predicament for anyone who loves to haunt music clubs: you show up to a venue to catch a full night of music and find yourself feeling peckish, but there’s nothing of substance to eat. Music clubs generally aren’t known for serving particularly good food and nothing can distract from a good show like pesky hunger pains.

Chef Duncan Ly (Foreign Concept, Melo, Takori) loves to cook to ’ 80s hip hop

The Blues Can is not only the official anchor of the Music Mile, but also encapsulates the essence of this historic entertainment district. In addition to offering live music seven days a week (mostly but not always of the blues persuasion), the Blues Can also has a full kitchen. The menu focuses on Southern-style food with specialties like breaded frogs legs, Po’Boy sandwiches, and blackened catfish.

“Cajun food does tie into the blues,” says Blues Can’s Teena Wilson.

“As a business you have to offer as much as possible to get people to come in, so we have offered both Cajun food and blues music from the very beginning when we opened in 2010.”

And then, somewhere in the middle of the Mile, you have the Ironwood Stage and Grill, which makes food an integral part of any visit. Rather than paying admission and then finding a table and ordering food if they’re hungry, patrons make a table reservation and the cover charge is then tacked onto the tab. Long known for booking eclectic acts of almost every genre, the menu is similarly varied, with everything from calamari and risotto to fish ‘n’ chips and burgers on the menu.

“The Ironwood strives to provide a well-rounded experience for everyone,” says chef Colin Mitchell. “It’s all-inclusive and our diverse clientele reflects a universal love for getting together to enjoy excellent food, drinks and live music.”

MUSIC TRIVIA:

Modern Steak’s Stephen Deere is a DJ.

Down on the other end of the Mile, the reconstructed King Eddy (now part of the National Music Centre complex) is much swisher than the original 100-yearold building was in its final days (which, nostalgia aside, is not necessarily a bad thing). The modernized room incorporates many of the original venue’s architectural elements and is also home to a new kitchen, helmed by chef Diana Nacita. The food also pays homage to the American South, with an emphasis on dishes like shrimp and grits, boudin balls, and buttermilk fried chicken. The programming often fits what food is available, depending on the time of day.

Tacos and tunes at Mikey’s Juke Joint

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“Calgary offers a fantastic range of music and culinary experiences, which is why the two pair so well together,” says the King Eddy’s general manager, Jynnifer Gibson. “We present daytime-friendly acoustic sets for our weekend brunch fans, while our happy hour features rowdy crowd-pleasers and craft brews. We’re proud to offer something for both foodies and music lovers, whether they’re dropping in for lunchtime or late night.”

At the restaurant, we use our house-made pickles as garnish.

The tanginess of the pickles cut through the richness of the dish.

We usually use some crispy shallots and garlic as well (Tip: you can buy these at Asian stores ready to use!)

Then top it off with more green onion rounds

Of course, there are plenty of other places along the strip that offer a combination of music and food. Lolita’s Lounge sits above the Salt and Pepper Mexican restaurant, and serves a similar Mexican menu while also putting on jazz shows.

Other spots like Without Papers pizzeria, Gravity Espresso and Wine Bar and Scarpetta Italian Eatery are primarily restaurants or cafés, but to keep in the spirit of the rest of the Mile host regular live music nights. Other food stops like Bea’s Eatery in the Bite Grocer, the rock ‘n’ roll-themed Gorilla Whale, and neighbourhood stalwart Spolumbo’s don’t regularly program live music but will happily provide a pre-gig meal.

While the Music Mile is officially only made up of those blocks along 9th Avenue, we’d be remiss not to mention Mikey’s Juke Joint over on 12th Ave. S.W. Mikey’s recently opened an authentic taco shop, appropriately dubbed The Taco Shop.

The Palomino Smokehouse remains one of Calgary’s best venues for independent rock music, while also serving some fantastic barbeque and Broken City is as well-known for its vegetarian-forward pub menu as it is for its live shows. With so much to eat on the Music Mile and beyond, music fans have no excuse to go hungry in the name of seeing some live music.

Wanda Baker

MUSIC TRIVIA:

Garnishing

Finish with butter and green onions and set aside.

4 eggs

Camie Leard

Thankfully, there’s no shortage of great food along the Music Mile, the stretch of 9th Ave. S.E. that starts at the Blues Can in Inglewood

and goes about a mile westward to Studio Bell, home of the

National Music Centre. Along the way, there are plenty of places

to catch live music, lots of restaurants to grab a great meal

and, perhaps best of all, a handful of spots to do both.

Sauté until heated through.

1 tbsp butter

Place the fried rice on a platter or individual bowls and top with the eggs.

MUSIC TRIVIA:

Crispy smoked pork potato rolls at the Nash

Jambalaya at the Blues Can

Savour Calgary’s editor, heads the Camie Leard Band, which plays the Music Mile regularly.

M A RC H » A P R I L 2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MUSIC MILE AND ITS VENUES, VISIT MUSICMILE.CA.

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S t or y a n d ph ot o s b y C AT H E R I N E VA N BRU N S C HO T

CULTIVATING

AN URBAN

GROWER B

Her passion is that contagious.

Spend just 10 minutes with Carmen Lamoureux, founder of the Urban Farm School in Calgary, and you’ll want to dash home to plant some food. In your flowerbed. In a pot. In a patch of dirt next to your condo building, even.

“Growing up, the bush was my playground,” says Lamoureux, describing a childhood in Northern Alberta, where foraging berries with her four siblings was a summer adventure, venison and moose meat filled the family freezer, and homemade wine and preserves stocked the pantry.

“WHAT THAT ENGENDERED

■

IN ME WAS NOT TAKING OUR FOOD SUPPLY FOR GR ANTED.”

■ Photos of Carmen Lamoureux’s backyard garden, which has become a classroom for those who want to learn to urban farm.

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“Mom was an amazing, amazing woman. Super resilient...She made everything an adventure.” But her resourcefulness met its greatest test when the family was posted to Algeria. “The only way we ate as well as we did there was because my mother was able to create really strong relationships with various local vendors...learning to cook foods that we’d never encountered, like couscous and tagines and artichokes.”

The experience left its mark, says Lamoureux.

“What that engendered in me was not taking our food supply for granted.”

Fast forward to Lamoureux’s university days, to the backyard of an old house she rented in Edmonton’s Little Italy. Here she found community and mentorship among the neighbourly nonnas, who dispensed gardening wisdom over the back fence along with glasses of wine – and made her a food gardener for life.

But step into the Calgary yard that she has nurtured for the past 28 years, and you’ll quickly realize hers is no ordinary garden. Here, cherry tomato plants stand four metres tall. A warm corner boasts massive cobs of corn. Apples and pears drape from espaliered branches. And among the hundreds of other edible plants, artichokes have pride of place.

Yes, artichokes growing in CALGARY. With private corners for solitary reflection and a long table for gathering with friends, the atmosphere is one of abundance and welcome and inspiration. Which, if you’re like me, yields quickly to intimidation: I could never produce something like this.

Not so, says Lamoureux – and here I learn what happens when passion and experience meet science. With her existing background in forestry and sustainable land management, Lamoureux decided in 2013 to secure a certification in permaculture design and to open her garden as a teaching space. Since then, nearly 1,100 students have taken her Urban Farm School workshops, from container-gardening and seed-starting sessions

for newbies, to advanced design and foodscaping classes for urban farming enthusiasts. She’s pulled together a team of experts offering topics like mushroom growing and chicken husbandry; has taught sessions for Verge Permaculture, the Calgary Horticultural Society, and Lee Valley Tools; and, since 2019, has offered a full schedule of workshops at Greengate Garden Centre.

The trick to growing food successfully and regeneratively, she tells me, is to look to natural ecosystems as mentors. Take forests, for instance.

“There’s this fantastic system at work here... that requires no intervention... Nobody’s going in there raking up leaves, nobody’s going in and putting on fertilizers. They’re self-regulating, self-managing systems. And they’re brilliant!”

How to apply eco-systems thinking to the garden?

Utilize mulches and compost to mimic nature’s optimal conditions for soil health. Group plants in mutually-supportive “guilds.” For example, place rhubarb – an efficient water harvester and mineral accumulator – together with edible groundcovers like thyme or alpine strawberries, and beautiful nitrogen-fixers like blue false indigo. Or plant yarrow near an apple tree to attract the pollinators that eat the moth larva that cause apple scab.

And if you can only commit to baby-steps?

Combine basil and nasturtiums in a big pot with a tomato plant to create a mini-guild.

processed in the dehydrator, like dried apples, kale, leeks, and herbal teas. Green beans benefit from three treatments: freezing, canning, and pickling.

To learn more about the Urban Farm School and see the full calendar of workshops for 2020, check out urbanfarmschool.ca.

Among the jewelled jars, I sample a smoky corn and tomato salsa. Nibble Italian peppers destined to tug a nonna’s heart-strings. Taste a handful of dried tomatoes that go down like candy. Intense flavours ordained to capture the imagination of every food fan and inspire us to grow our own.

Catherine Van Brunschot is a Calgary-based food and travel writer and small-time food gardener whose yard only flourishes in her dreams – so far. Read more of her stories at catherinevanbrunschot.com.

“AF TER THAT, THE MOST TIME I SPEND E VERY DAY IS WALKING AROUND IN THE E VENING WITH MY GL ASS OF WINE TO LOOK AT HOW E VERY THING’S DOING.”

Best of all, a well-designed growing system should require little effort when it matures: no weeding, little watering, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

“The only time I really spend [working in the garden] is in the spring,” says Lamoureux. “After that, the most time I spend every day is walking around in the evening with my glass of wine to look at how everything’s doing.”

The deal is sealed when I’m invited into Lamoureux’s pantry. Like the garden, diversity reigns supreme here, in both products and preservation technique. Frozen berries and vegetables are squirreled away in the freezer.

Jars of fruit preserves and pickles are stacked three deep. Canisters hold produce that’s been

We’re proud to announce the opening of our second location, at Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Market!

Carmen Lamoureux

Looking forward to seeing you again!

Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Market: 12445 Lake Fraser Dr SE Main location: 5255 Richmond Road SW M A RC H » A P R I L 2020

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W hat’s cooking | J U L I E ’ S K I T C H E N

Brunch Dumplings

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Pizza

Homemade Granola

Bacon and eggs on pizza is totally unexpected — and easier than you might think. Partially bake the pizza, then crack an egg or two on top and return it to the oven for 7-10 minutes, until the egg is just set but will give up some of its yolk when you cut into it.

Granola can really be anything you’d like it to be — any combination of nuts and seeds works, or you could add some rolled barley flakes along with the oats. If you want it peanut buttery, add a large spoonful to the syrup mixture (warm it along with the coconut oil or butter to help stir it in), and if you’d like to, add a handful of raisins, cranberries, cherries or other dried fruit to the mix once the granola has baked and cooled, so it doesn’t dry out.

4-6 bacon slices, chopped 2 packed cups baby spinach, kale or chard 1 lb fresh pizza dough Salt and pepper, to taste

Photos and story by J U L I E VA N RO S E N DA A L

½ cup ricotta 4 large eggs Preheat the oven to 450˚F. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until almost crisp; transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings.

Chop the spinach, kale or chard and cook in the same pan for 2-3 minutes, until wilted. Remove from the heat.

Divide the dough into four pieces and stretch each into about an 8-inch circle and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Spread each with a spoonful of ricotta and top with the wilted greens and cooked bacon.

Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven, crack an egg onto the middle of each pizza and return to the oven for 7-10 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

4 cups old-fashioned oats

Preheat the oven to 300˚F.

1½-2 cups chopped, slivered or sliced nuts (such as pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or a combination)

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut and seeds. Melt the coconut oil or butter in a small bowl or measuring cup, and stir in the syrup, vanilla and salt. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to combine and coat everything well. Sprinkle with some cinnamon (optional) and give it another stir.

½ cup shredded or flaked coconut ¼-½ cup seeds (sesame, flax, pumpkin and sunflower) 2-4 tbsp coconut oil or butter 1½ cups pure maple syrup, honey or Roger’s Golden Syrup 1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt

Dutch Baby

With the sun rising earlier and green things unfurling from the ground, and warm temperatures coaxing everyone outside on the weekends, spring is brunch season. These early months also bring an influx of wedding and baby showers, which tend to be early-in-the-day occasions, gatherings that often involve elaborate breakfasts and bubbly mimosas.

Even when there’s no specific reason to celebrate, a leisurely morning is reason enough; midday meals are easier to wrangle friends and family for, and don’t require the factoring in of babysitters and bedtimes. For the host, there’s less pressure around brunch than dinner; picking up pastries is expected, and it’s more affordable to cook up some pancakes, eggs and bacon, vs a prime rib or other protein more suited to the evening. You could even make it a potluck; enlist someone to bring coffee, another fruit salad, another doughnuts or the like, and the meal is virtually effortless.

Tending bar is far easier earlier in the day — pick up some good OJ or grapefruit juice and some bottles of bubbles to make mimosas, a bottle of Bailey’s for your coffee, or gather some fixings for DIY Caesars.

As with other meals, it’s the timing that tends to be tricky, especially if you’re turning out over-easy eggs or stacks of crêpes. I like to make a few simple things that will hold (fruit, homemade granola with yogurt) and one more elaborate item, like a frittata, a dramatically puffed Dutch baby (essentially a giant Yorkshire pudding you fill with sautéed apples or fresh berries), or breakfast pizza topped with bacon and a perfectly baked egg — something people wouldn’t necessarily make themselves at home.

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Join us as we celebrate and explore the endless possibilities of vegan & vegetarian cuisine.

A Dutch baby is a puffed pancake you bake in a skillet (cast iron is ideal) — this formula is perfect for an 8-inch skillet or pie plate, but if yours is 9-10 inches, up the quantities to 3 eggs, ¾ cup flour and ¾ cup milk.

2 large eggs ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup milk Pinch salt 2 tbsp butter Sautéed bananas, berries, icing sugar, maple syrup and/or whipped cream, for serving Icing sugar, for dusting Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, milk and salt; don’t worry about getting all the lumps out.

Set an 8-inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When it’s foamy, pour the batter into the hot pan and slide it into the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pancake is puffed and golden. Cut it into wedges and serve warm, with berries or sautéed bananas, apples or pears, sprinkled with icing sugar and drizzled with maple syrup or caramel sauce.

Serves 4.

Spread the mixture out on a large parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for about half an hour, stirring once or twice, until pale golden and fragrant. Cool completely before storing. Makes about 6 cups.

Plants, Pinot and Potions culinary competition

First blossom sponsors

Friday, March 27, 2020 at Winsport Featuring some of Calgary’s finest restaurants: Donna Mac, Foreign Concept, Hotel Arts, Royale, The Coup and Winebar Kensington.

Visit winsport.ca/planted for the full list.

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A portion of the proceeds will be donated in support of

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PERUVIAN BEEF HEART KABOBS

Catherine Van Brunschot is a Calgary-based food and travel writer – and a BIG fan of Trail’s End’s Peruvian Anticuchos.

Find her online at catherinevanbruschot.com.

ANTICUCHOS

Here’s Rachel Herbert’s version of the popular Peruvian street food – which has proven just as popular at Trail’s End Open Ranch events (AND with her school-age kids)! Don’t let the beef heart put you off; the end result is dense, flavourful, and tender, without the organ taste you might expect.

Cilantro-haters can substitute chopped chives and/or parsley.

1 beef heart ¼ cup red wine vinegar ½ cup olive oil 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 8 garlic cloves, diced Cumin

MEET THE PRODUCER:

TRAIL’S END BEEF

Paprika or cayenne Salt

Tyler and Rachel Herbert

“I was eleven when I said ‘I think I’ll become a vegetarian’,” recalls Rachel Herbert, as we scan the grasslands shimmering under a big September sky. For the born-and-raised Calgarian, it was an emotional response, she says, based on a deep love of animals; a simple decision at the time, and life moved on. “I absolutely did not eat red meat or chicken for 18 years.” Rachel became a show-jumper and a horse groomer, and earned university degrees in literature and history.

But two events collided when she was in her twenties, and things got complicated.

She met her soul-mate: a smart, soft-spoken cowboy named Tyler. And together with her mother, Linda Loree (also vegetarian), Rachel became the third and fourth generation of women to inherit Trail’s End Ranch, their portion of a broad ranching legacy founded by Fred Ings in 1881.

Committed to both the land and the man that were to be her twin destinies, Rachel banded together with Tyler and Linda to determine how best to steward the family legacy.

On this terrain unsuitable for crop production, where wild bison once roamed in the millions, 22

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A word of explanation here for those who, like me, need a definition of grass-finished beef: while most present-day beef production sees one-yearold calves finished on grain in feedlots, Trail’s End cattle roam free-range for their entire lives (supplemented by stockpiled forage over the winter) and are harvested at 26 to 29 months.

This lends distinct terroir to the beef’s flavour, and nutritional benefits to consumers that include higher vitamin content than regular beef, and healthy fatty-acids with anti-inflammatory effects (see sidebar for research sources).

As befits animal lovers, the Herberts’ top priority is the well-being of their cattle. “There’s been so much research and progress in handling practices,” says Rachel. The herd is kept small, managed with low-stress and frequent handling by its human owners, assisted by horses and dogs. The cattle receive no growth hormones and live their entire lives with a familiar herd.

From breeding and calving, through to the day they leave their pastures and go through the butcher’s door, animals are treated quietly and humanely. “We can definitively say that we’ve given these animals a good life.”

While the story is romantic, the day-to-day reality is anything but. Rotational grazing – to mimic herbivore patterns in natural eco-systems –

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Cut the meat into equal-sized chunks, about 1½ - 2 inches long and about ½ inch thick.

Toss in a Ziploc bag or bowl with the marinade overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

Soak skewers in water for a few hours.

Thread the meat onto the skewers.

Cook over a very hot BBQ for about 4 minutes or until cooked through. Brush skewers with reserved marinade while they are grilling.

Peruvian Anticuchos

Served traditionally in Peru with boiled potatoes and fresh corn.

Makes around 16 skewers.

Happy cows

the trio learned that the best way to preserve the eco-system was to populate it with grazers, like cattle. Tyler’s practical experience and Linda’s and Rachel’s deep dive into nutritional research led them to grass-fed, grass-finished beef.

Thaw beef heart and trim off excess sinew and gristle.

Eat hot and enjoy!

S t or y a n d ph ot o s b y C AT H E R I N E VA N BRU N S C HO T WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LONGTIME VEGETARIAN TAKES THE REINS OF AN HISTORIC CATTLE RANCH? At a century-old farmhouse tucked in a fold of Alberta’s Porcupine Hills, I’m about to find out.

Mix marinade ingredients together, reserve some for basting.

Historic Trail’s End Ranch

requires long, hard hours in the saddle to move the cattle, and ongoing maintenance of portable fence-lines. Tyler’s tasks include building structures to sort and load the cattle gently, and maintaining solar water systems to protect the ranch’s spring-fed streams. Rachel’s purview is “computer ranching,” focused on research, marketing, and the stringent record-keeping required by the ranch’s designation as Animal Welfare Approved.

Tight margins and a desire to connect more frequently with their customers saw the Herberts host more than a dozen different tours and events in 2019, including a long table dinner in their new barn to celebrate Food Day Canada, created by chefs from Calgary’s Hotel Arts. Typically, customers looking for Trail’s End beef must place their orders beginning in February or March for harvesting from July through October – but a new farm store on the Herberts’ home-place near Nanton sells a limited supply of select cuts that can be ordered online or bought on a farm visit by appointment.

But what of Rachel’s vegetarianism? She and her mom (who passed away in 2014) “made a very conscious decision,” Rachel explains, after seeing through their first cycle of beef. With the conviction that they’d done right by these animals from birth to butcher, they committed to eating Trail’s End beef, and “the first bite was like a sacrament ...Think about the appreciation that you have, when you’re that connected with your food...

You can truly give gratitude.”

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A series about what it takes to become a professional in the food and beverage industry

B y E R I N L AW R E NC E

So, you want to be a … Sommelier?

Is wine your passion? You may like drinking it, and you may have even learned a lot about appellations and grapes, but what does it really take to work in the wine industry? We spoke with certified sommelier and Calgary-based wine educator Jenny Book about what working in the wine business is really all about.

Jenny Book

Savour Calgary (SC): What’s the industry definition of sommelier?

Jenny Book (JB): Sommelier is an interesting and often misunderstood term. It can be used to describe the head wine waiter within a restaurant; the individual responsible for curation of the wine list, management of the cellar, and the lead in the team of servers responsible for wine sales. Thus, sommelier describes a role within a restaurant and an individual may call themselves a “sommelier” if they work within this role in the hospitality industry.

However, there are also academic designations which endow the term sommelier to graduates. Therefore, graduates of a sommelier program can use the term “sommelier” to indicate an advanced level of wine, beer and spirits knowledge.

(SC): What educational programs are available for people who want to become wine professionals?

JB: There are programs offered in Canada which will academically designate sommeliers, notably the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.

Locally, the most widespread and formally recognized is the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) with classes for all levels of experience. WSET courses do not designate sommeliers as there is no wine service component in the exams.

(SC): What do you love about working with wine?

Inglewood Eatery est. 2016

JB: I love talking to people about the huge diversity of styles out there. It is always great to be a part of those ‘ah-ha’ moments when someone discovers something new or connects the dots to something misunderstood. Wine is a fascinating subject matter, with unrivalled diversity and intricate complexities, it can be inspiring and confounding. It’s pretty amazing to work with a subject matter that is ever-changing and so richly textured.

Quick Bites DID YOU KNOW…

3.14 – CELEBRATE PI DAY WITH PIE JUNKIE

We’ve all enjoyed latte at Higher Ground’s Kensington location (not yet? Get there! It’s a Calgary classic!) but did you know there’s a second location in Capitol Hill? Right on the doorstep of the University of Calgary, the second location is a hub for students enjoying the same great house-made menu including mac and cheese, vegan chili and paninis.

Pie Junkie is at it again, expanding its product list by adding soups and salad dressings, of course all of them made from scratch!

Soup choices include tomato basil, mushroom and curry vegetable and butternut squash and apple. Salad choices include roasted vegetable with a balsamic agave vinaigrette, and a kale Caesar. For the vegetarians in the crowd, try the new veggie pie – cauliflower potato with leek and cheddar.

Pie Junkie has partnered with Canmore Brewery for its steak, stout and gruyere pie. Visit the website for all of menu items and enjoy door delivery with Skip the Dishes or Door Dash.

Pie Junkie | 1081 2nd Ave. N.W. | 403.287.8544 | piejunkie.ca

A FOND FAREWELL Willow Park Wines & Spirits recently announced that resident scotch expert, David Michiels is retiring after more than 20 years at its flagship store. Michiels curated exclusive single malts for customers, lead tastings and taught classes about the fine art of Scotch whisky. Michiels’ was inducted into The Keepers of the Quaich at the Blair Castle in 2011. The Keepers of the Quaich are a society formed by Scotland’s whisky distillers in 1988 to advance the industry and raise funds for charitable causes in Scotland. Membership is by invitation only and is reserved for individuals that have made a significant contribution to the Scotch whisky industry. David is also the only buyer in the world granted the privilege of buying four exclusive Glenfiddich barrels.

Congratulations and Slàinte, David!

Willow Park Wines & Spirits | 10801 Bonaventure Dr. S.E. | 403.296.1640 willowpark.net

Higher Ground Capitol Hill Café |2502 Capitol Hill Cr. N.W. | 403.668.1175 | higherground.ca

ARE YOU A LOCAVORE? Make it official and go on Alberta Food Tours’ fun Calgary Farmers’ Market tour this spring. The tour kicks off March 1, 2020 and runs every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. through to Nov. 29. Tickets are available at albertafoodtours.ca for $65/ person plus GST and $3 ticket fee. Enjoy a light brunch and a dozen tastings, parting gift and recipes.

Come hungry and leave a certified Alberta Locavore.

Alberta Food Tours’ Calgary Farmers’ Market Tour | 510 77th Ave. S.E. 403.240.9113 | albertafoodtours.ca

(SC): What makes a great sommelier?

JB: Their capability to ignite excitement and interest in their audience. Wine is intimidating for many. It is our job to educate and guide people while making them feel a part of the journey.

The goal should always be about getting people to their happy place, wherever that might be.

(SC): What did you study, or what experience led you to your career?

JB: Like most people in this business, I ended up in wine through a serendipitous chain of events. I began my wine education with the International Sommelier Guild where I was awarded a sommelier certification, and continued by taking the WSET Diploma program and achieved a scholarship for being the top Canadian graduate.

I proceeded in undertaking the Master of Wine program for a few years and am now on a hiatus thinking about what the next step will be as I continue to train up-andcoming sommeliers or just those looking to enhance their understanding of wine.

MODERN DINER

(SC): What do you recommend students do for education or experience to become a great sommelier?

JB: Get your hands dirty! Take on a position in a restaurant where you can get some hands-on experience. Working in retail can be a great way to familiarize yourself with the huge diversity of products and, if you choose your store wisely, you’ll have an unparalleled opportunity to taste a lot of wine—which is ultimately a key element to success in this industry.

(SC): What do you wish you knew about this career sooner?

Hearty take on old favourites

Veggie options a-plenty

All day breakfasts

JB: The wine industry is multifaceted. You can make a lifetime career as a sommelier or you may never set foot in a restaurant and still have a long and prosperous career in wine.

There’s no one single path but I’ve come to realize that whatever path you’ve taken the wine industry is based on human connection. Wine is an incredible medium but ultimately it’s about making positive connections in our ability to share knowledge and experience.

Erin is a Calgary communications professional, video producer, journalist, and freelance writer who loves food, technology and travel.

Find her online at ErinLYYC.com or on Twitter @TVChick1313

6920 M a c l e o d Tra i l S o u t h

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| 4 03.252.4365 | f ra n k s o n m a c l e o d.c o m

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N E W S , notes & happenings | Q U I C K B I T E S

EASTER AT LINA’S ITALIAN MARKET

How Chef Manuel used to clelebrate it back home ...memory by memory

BACK AT THE BURNER

A FRESH FACE FOR A CALGARY FAVOURITE

FAMILY VALUES FLAVOUR LOCAL PASTA

Chef Jamie Harling (Rouge, Deane House, Teatro) is back at it again with his own personal chef company.

After stepping back from the restaurant industry in 2018 to join the ranks of the Calgary Fire Department, Jamie’s burning desire (get it?) to work with local producers to create beautiful, delicious food has led him back to the kitchen. Harling Food Co. is available for private parties, large (and small) events, catering, menu planning and private cooking lessons. Follow the adventures of Harling Food Co. on Instagram @harlingfoodco.

Re-opening in April, Vendome will retain all of its historic charm but with expanded offerings. The renovations include an expanded kitchen to accommodate this grab and go, breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner – now offered seven days a week. Vendome’s simple good food, with expanded coffee and beverage program will be joined by brand new concept next door: with a gelato shop offering a fresh take on a timeless sweet treat.

Using Nonna’s recipes with local Ingredients, owners of Let’s Pasta, Rocco Suriano, his father Andy and cousin Tony Rose, have been making authentic fresh pastas and sauces since 1994. After selling their restaurant, Coco Pazzo, in 2014, they gambled on a bigger wholesale stage. Let’s Pasta can be found at the Italian Centre Shop and The Italian Store in Calgary. Choose from 23 flavours of ravioli, a variety of tortelloni, gnocchi or simple fresh pasta.

Harling Food Co. | harlingfoodco@gmail.com

FINE WINE, ONLINE J. Webb Wine Merchant, founded in 1985, is the oldest independently owned and operated wine shop in Alberta. The shop sources wines from all over the world, primarily focusing on small, family-run producers that match their philosophy – namely wines that have authenticity, character and quality. Now you can purchase J. Webb’s exceptional offerings through its new online shop!

Pasqua, or Easter in Italy, has a very important tradition. It's all about love, happiness and family and friends brought together for a big feast. That's because, as you know, food always brings people together.

We want to help you recreate that same joyful feeling by celebrating a unique Easter week at Lina's. In the store, you will find Colomba (a typical Easter soft cake), Easter eggs, lamb grab-and-go meals, torta Pasqualina and special meals created by Chef Manuel, reminiscent of the ones his mother used to prepare back home. On April 10, we will be preparing a traditional Fish Friday. On Saturday and Sunday you will find all the very best ingredients for your own festive weekend meals.

Do you have any plans for Pasquetta, April 13? We are having a big party on Monday starting at noon. There will be a kids' colouring contest and an area dedicated to olive tree branch decorations… just like Chef Manuel used to make with his family as a child. For more information check out our website and newsletter at www.linasmarket.com.

www.linasmarket.com 403 2779166 2202 Centre st. Ne Calgary 26

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Vendome | 940 2nd Ave. N.W. | (403) 453-1140 | vendomecafe.com

ROLLING OUT A REVAMP Royale introduces Brian McVicar as its new chef de cuisine. McVicar brings a culinary pedigree that is strong and in-line with the current and future state of the food program at Royale. Having spent time at Bridgette Bar, Model Milk and Pigeonhole, as well as Starbelly when he first came to Calgary in 2014. Royale’s new menu will roll out in March, and guests can expect a more veggie focused offering to accompany the current eclectic cuisine.

Let’s Pasta 403.328.8288 letspasta.com

Royale | 730 17th Ave. S.W. | 403.475. 9457 | royaleyyc.ca

MINI-GOLF, MUNCHIES AND THE MASTERS

J. Webb Wine Merchant | C157 1600 90th Ave. S.W. | 403.253.9463 jwebb.net/buywine

Taiko introduces a weekly Lucky Putt mini-golf league! The season starts March 12 and the cost is $10/person/week (or about $40 for the season). Players can win prizes and the finals will be on Masters Sunday, April 12 – when golfers vie for the green jacket and trophy.

VIVA LA RIOJA

Taiko | 107, 3851 Manchester Rd. S.E. | 403.454.1843 | taikocanteen.as.me/league

Oxbow, together with renowned sommelier and Spanish wine enthusiast, Toni Batet, are bringing Northern Spain to Kensington April 21, 2020 from 6-10 p.m. Wines from the La Rioja region will be paired with a stunning fourcourse menu by Hotel Arts Group executive chef Quinn Staple and Alex Dechavez. Tickets, sold through Eventbrite, are $100/person.

FILL YOUR OWN JAR

BENVENUTO CHEF! A warm welcome to Chef Christopher Hyde joining the Bonterra Trattoria/Posto Pizzeria and Bar famiglia. With more 15 years of experience and a passion for Italian cuisine, we can’t wait to see the amazing dishes he plans for each restaurant. We already love the changes he’s making with a switch to fresh pasta made in-house.

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters has officially launched the Bring Your Own Jar program in its cafés. Simply bring a sealable container and the café team will fill it with fresh-roasted bulk coffee to take home or back to the office. Bean options include the coffee currently brewing in the café. We love this idea of reusing what we already have at home. Available at all locations.

Bonterra Trattoria | 1016 8th St. S.W. 403.262.8480 | bonterra.ca

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters | Various locations | philsebastian.com

Oxbow | 1126 Memorial Dr. N.W. | 403.670.7387 | oxbowyyc.ca

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET TO VEGAN STREET? Diners who dig plant-based plates will be headed to Calgary’s Beltline for the brand-new Vegan Street Kitchen and Lounge. What started as a food truck by Laine Fedrau and Darian Gustafson in 2018, Vegan Street finds a brick-and-mortar home in the George Stanley House. Vegan Street says it’s Calgary’s first full-service vegan restaurant and specializes in the comfort food we all crave in a completely plant-based context.

Vegan Street Kitchen & Lounge | 1111 7th St. S.W. | 403.454.3287 veganstreeteats.ca

EAT ALBERTA FIRST Join Alberta Food Tours for a four-day / three-night jam-packed road trip to all the best places in Southern Alberta to Eat Alberta First, September 10-13, 2020.

This stay-and-play Alberta “eatcation” will find you discovering the makers behind some of the province’s most delicious foods. You’ll meet cheesemakers, charcuteries, farmers, ranchers, chefs and tourism’s most creative entrepreneurs. Tastings include long-table dinners, farmstead cheeses, cured meats and prosciutto delicacies, Alberta’s signature foods, Hungarian and Japanese heritage foods and of course craft beverages made with the best of Alberta grains. Tickets start at $1,859 and are available at indus.travel/tour/ eat-alberta-first-road-trip.

Alberta Food Tours | albertafoodtours.ca

SLICING PRICING AT SPRING “GARAGE SALE” Looking for your next kitchen knife? Knifewear has handmade blades and kitchen tools from all over Japan. The Spring Garage Sale, May 11-18, features a huge array of unique, one-off, prototype and bargain knives from Japanese blacksmiths, plus a wide array of kitchen tools.

Flavours from all over the world are just minutes away from home.

Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.

Italiancentre.ca

EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End

CALGARY Willow Park

Knifewear | 1316 9th Ave. S.E. | 403.514.0577 | knifewear.com M A RC H » A P R I L 2020

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N E W S , notes & happenings | Q U I C K B I T E S PLANTS, PINOT & POTIONS

STUDENT CULINARY PROGRAM

HARVESTING THE WILD

Planted3 is the third installment in the Planted series created by executive chef Liana Robberecht that celebrates and pushes the limits of vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Plants, Pinot & Potions, the kick-off event, launches March 27 at WinSport, followed by a month-long series of lunches and dinners featuring some of Calgary’s finest restaurants.

The wrap-up gala, called The Planted Kingdom, takes place at the Calgary Zoo on April 30. Watch the website for more details.

Teatro Group executive chef Matt Batey has launched a one-of-a-kind culinary program with the Calgary Board of Education and the Educational Partnership Foundation for students age 16 and older. This course for high-school students allows them to earn credits and experience in the culinary industry.

Offsite apprenticeship and training at various Teatro Group properties will include baking and pastry, product and batch cooking, butchery, hot side and garde manager. Once completed, students will earn high-school work-experience credits with the potential to become a registered apprentice cook. More information can be found on the CBE website.

There’s been chatter around town about executive chef Paul Rogalski (Rouge) filming a television series called Wild Harvest with Les Stroud (Survivor Man) and filmmaker Kevin Kossowan (From the Wild). Filmed in exotic locations, the premise has Stroud teaching Rogalski about wild ingredients by taking him into the wild and guiding him through local plants. Rogalski then takes the ingredients and turns them into a delightful meal. Each episode will feature a new location and new seasonal culinary opportunities.

Wild Harvest is set to air on PBS this fall.

CHAR-NEWS Charcut turns 10 this year and it plans on holding a bash in May to celebrate the occasion. In attendance will be current and previous employees, chefs and mentors from John Jackson and Connie DeSousa’s culinary careers. Throughout March, Charcut will be offering a new breakfast, serving up signatures and all your favourite classics with a Charcut twist.

Connie & John’s Pizza pop-ups were announced in February with details still in the works at time of printing. For the third year in a row, Jackson will be participating in ChefsCycle to support No Kid Hungry. He will be attempting to ride almost 1,300 km to Bend, Oregon to join more than 200 other chefs supporting the cause.

Wild Harvest | pbs.org

A NOT-SO-GUILTY PLEASURE Burwood Distillery and Choklat have joined forces to produce a special-edition chocolate vodka. Master chocolate maker Brad Churchill of Choklat and Burwood chef Matthew FilsonLau select four unique varieties of cocoa beans for the two-row Alberta-malted-barley Burwood Vodka. Each variety of bean offers a complex flavour profile and roast. The finished spirit is a complicated sip with a rich nose from the beans and a sweet initial taste from the malted barley. Try this chocolate vodka in your after-dinner cocktails, it’s the ultimate grown-up sweet treat.

CBE Exploring Culinary Arts TEPF Program | cbe.ab.ca

CHARCUT Roast House | 101, 899 Centre St. South | 403.984.2180 | charcut.com

JAZZ UP YOUR BRUNCH

CASUAL CONSCIOUS EATS

In January, Alvin’s Jazz Club launched a new postmodern jazz brunch from 11-2 on Sundays. Popular songs will be done in a jazz style by the talented Justine Tyrell Duo. Alvin’s Jazz Club offers a throwback to the quintessential New York City dining experience of the 1930s and ’40s, with a modern-day approach. Check out the website for additional event information.

kb & co., founded by Kristina Botelho, is a plant-based, modern and quick-service restaurant with three locations currently in Northern Alberta. kb & co. features carefullycrafted, nutritiously-centered food and products on its menu which offers breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner options.

Set to open in Mount Royal in April with another location opening in Kelowna in March, kb & co. will be featuring a full-service vegan espresso bar, and a plant-based menu free of meat, dairy, egg and soy products using organic and local ingredients.

Burwood Distillery | 15, 4127 6th St. N.E. | 403.276.8410 burwooddistillery.ca

SUNTERRA BANKERS HALL GETS A FACE LIFT With an already-established location in Bankers Hall, Sunterra Market capitalized on an opportunity when a space came available right next door and decided to expand its current market and café by giving it a complete makeover of the space.

Now doubled in size, Sunterra offers more options for customers, including a fresh new salad bar, new forno pizza oven from Italy, handcrafted Lavazza espresso-based drinks in the coffee bar, pasta made from scratch using local ingredients, rotisserie meats and piadina thin-crust sandwiches. The new fresh look comes on the heels of Sunterra Market celebrating its 50th anniversary in farming and 30th anniversary of the downtown location at Bankers Hall.

Alvin’s Jazz Club | 176 Mahogany Centre S.E. 403.313.1051 | alvinsjazzclub.com

kb & co. | 926 16th Ave. S.W. | 780.964.0524 kbandcompany.com

Handmade Wanda Baker

Sweet & Savoury Pies

PieJunkie.ca

.

All Butter Crust

8 Spruce Centre SW 403.452.3960

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Made From Scratch By Hand

1081 2nd Avenue NW 403.287.8544

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Small Batch Fillings

2171 Mahogany Blvd SE 587.623.1144

Wanda Baker

WinSport | 88 Canada Olympic Rd. S.W. | 403.247.5452 | winsport.ca

Outgoing, charismatic, positive, enthusiastic, self motivated and professional

Sunterra Market & Café, Bankers Hall |+15 level 403.269.3610 | sunterramarket.com

Love the freedom of creating your own schedule and believe in unlimited earning potential

CALGARY’S FIRST URBAN WINERY OPENS

Have a burning desire to succeed and create impact in your local community

City & Country, an urban winery and tasting bar, opened its doors in Calgary’s southeast in February. Chris Fordo, the brains behind City & Country started making wine in 2017.

He and his wife Karen Fordo wanted to create small batches of wine without added sugars or colours that were gluten-free and vegan creating wine in the old way. The current offering includes Okanagan white, Okanagan pinot noir, Californian zinfandel rose, Similkameen rose and an Okanagan red blend.

The tasting bar offers flights and their wines by the glass as well as a charcuterie plate for when the munchies hit. City & Country is open Friday through Sunday.

City & Country 544 38a Ave. S.E. 403.245.0449 cityandcountrywine.com

Have proven sales experience and success in print advertising Love meeting new people and have a natural ability to quickly develop rapport with clients Thrive on developing and fostering long-term positive client partnerships

Did we just describe you?

If you’re in search of a stress-free sales opportunity where you can work from home, we’d love to talk to you!

Send us an email or give us a call info@savourcalgary.ca 403-475-5809

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I N DUST RY V I EWS | BACK OF HOUSE

Dear Customer RESTAURANTS, REVIEW SITES AND THE CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

B y S T E PH E N DE E R E , MODE R N S T E A K

Volume one

The Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Marke t Parchment NEW VENDOR ALERT Exciting additions to an already eclectic mix of offerings make Avenida Food Hall and Fresh Market the place to eat and shop in 2020.

Celebrating

YEARS

When you enter my restaurant, I feel we become engaged in an unwritten, nonverbal contract that states we will exchange funds for services rendered in a satisfactory manner. The important part of our side of the contract is to give you a great dining experience. The important part of your side of the contract is to tell us, at the time, if you feel it wasn’t satisfactory. If you leave unsatisfied and write a negative review without first expressing your concerns, not only have you broken our contract, you’ve left without reconciliation having received no value for money exchanged. Feeling ripped off, especially in this economy, stings.

Avenida Food Hall & Fresh Market (Avenida) celebrated its first birthday in December, and if you haven’t had the chance to visit Calgary’s first and only food hall, you do not know what you are missing!

Avenida’s vendors are as diverse as any food hall around the world, with offerings from the farthest reaches of the globe as well as classic North American fare. You’re sure to find something to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

Conveniently located just off of Macleod Tr. between Anderson Rd. and Canyon Meadows Dr., Avenida is a bright and airy food hall filled with numerous restaurants, produce vendors and retail vendors. Most of Avenida’s vendors are local, family-owned offerings and are well-known in the Calgary area.

In February, Mighty Halifax Style Donair established its first permanent location in Avenida, supplying guests with classic East Coast maritime cuisine, from East Coast donairs, to lobster rolls and classic fish and chips.

Avenida also boasts vendor kiosks owned by some of Calgary’s (and Canada’s) most renowned chefs including, Duncan Ly (owner of Foreign Concept and Melo) and Darren MacLean (owner of Shokunin, Nupo and Eight).

It’s true, nobody likes to complain – especially well-brought-up, polite Canadians. Sometimes we can’t voice our concerns at the time because we’re in a business meeting or on a first date. We still want and need to hear from you. Call us or reach out through email or social media channels the next day. Let us help you. Help us help you.

Avenida is also a gluten-aware zone in Calgary.

Full disclosure: review sites are massively polarizing in the service industry.

Sometimes we are in denial, sometimes the reviews make no sense and sometimes the reviews are fake. They can put you on an emotional roller coaster and sometimes that sh*t just hurts to your core. However, when review sites are used in the manner intended, they are a fantastic tool for both businesses and the public. They aren’t going away so let’s make them better together.

#EATATMINAS

(403) 454-2550 136 2nd STREET SW minassteakhouse.coM

Churrascaria & Restaurante

So, what if you’ve upheld your side of the contract and you’ve been the great guest you are but the business has failed? That’s easy.

Post the review and, more importantly, take your dollar elsewhere!

Once you are done having your fill of amazing cuisine, explore local and imported produce, meats, baked goods and spices and discover amazing fresh and frozen products that you can take home and enjoy! And it doesn’t end there.

Avenida also boasts local artisans, an in-house florist, herbalist and businesses that are directly supporting developing communities around the world.

A good business owner uses negative reviews to make our business better.

We research possible issues, incorporate solutions into training and look to reinforce our core values. We want to be able reach out, make amends and do what needs to be done to earn your trust to come back for another visit.

The best reviews are fair, focused and detailed. Writing, “One Star. Worst meal ever!” does nothing for anyone. Wait 24 hours and write about the experience you had. If you’re going to write a review, please don’t do it anonymously – be strong enough to attach your name. We want to be able to contact you and make amends. I promise you there are many more businesses who care than those who don’t.

Also opening in February was one of Calgary’s local favourites, Primal Soup Company, who has been serving Calgarians quality soups, sandwiches and baked goods for over 30 years.

Avenida leads the way with more than eight gluten-aware restaurants and more than 15 vendors that cater to this growing demographic.

While the level of sensitivity to gluten can vary, Celiac disease suffers are the most prone to having their immune systems compromised by even the smallest amounts of gluten in their food, or even in their lotions and soaps. In the past, people with celiac have had to sit at tables while their friends and family eat amazing dishes, some even having to bring food from home to take part.

At Avenida, everybody can safely enjoy some of the most delicious gluten-aware cuisine in Calgary.

From Expat Asia’s Thai inspired dishes, Latin American cuisine at Arepas Ranch, traditional Mexican fare at Mestizo’s to vegan fare at Teff N’ Greens, the options are endless.

Avenida also boasts locally made fresh gluten-free bread, pierogies and more from Miss P’s gluten-free Bakery.

We are open Thursday to Saturday from 11AM – 8PM Sunday from 11AM – 5PM Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @avenidamarket to stay up-to-date with our monthly events, weekend live music and more.

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CONSCIOUSLY HEDONISTIC MODERN is devoutly committed to its product and the environment, sourcing only from the best LOCAL purveyors of hand-selected, prime-grade ALBERTA BEEF and the freshest sustainable OCEAN WISE seafood alongside seasonal PRODUCE grown by local farms.

FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHO YOU’RE SUPPORTING & WHERE YOU’RE EATING.

MODERN STEAK

MODERN

OCEAN

MODERN

ROOFTOP

MODERNSTEAK.CA = MODERNOCEAN.CA = EVENTSATMODERN.CA