Savour Calgary - Harvest 2022

HARVEST 2022

FRESH. LOCAL. STORIES FOR FOOD LOVERS.

EATING WITH YOUR HANDS

FERMENTING

SALT: A CRASH COURSE

PERSIAN FOOD

REWARDING

YOUR SUPPORT THESE PAST YEARS

SIGN UP FOR OUR REWARDS PROGRAM

We’ve posted the MONIN FALL RECIPES online.

We’re a family business – have been for 50 years – and that includes three generations of Izzo’s so far. These past couple of years were a challenge for us all. We want to thank our amazing customers for the support we’ve felt. If you pop by the store, you’ll receive a 10% discount on all purchases, including machines like this compact Solis... and supplies too! This discount is for you, Savour Calgary readers! Just mention it when you come in.

And sign up for other, ongoing rewards too.

There are so many great ideas for celebrating the changing of the season. You’ll discover how to make a Smoked Maple Margarita, Pumpkin Patch Punch, Amaretto Ginger Sour Mocktail and a Caramel Apple Steamer.

There are also interesting suggestions on how to use the pure MONIN flavours in your baking and cooking.

Just visit our website for these fall inspirations.

WE SELL, SERVICE & SUPPLY EVERYTHING FOR HOME OR COMMERCIAL COFFEE EXPERIENCES. WE CARRY AND SERVICE:

403.277.5169

LET US SUPPLY YOU WITH:

410 23 AVENUE NE, CALGARY

CAPPUCCINOKING.COM

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

Contents I

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You may also notice something different in this issue. No, you did not get an unedited, early version of the magazine by mistake. I have found over the last three years that as I go through the magazine, I wish I could comment on things the way we do online. So, that’s what I’m doing. These scribbles are my side notes, related information, interesting tidbits and, sometimes, simply my two cents. It’s something a bit different and we’re curious how you feel about it. Let us know at info@ savourcalgary.ca or @SavourCalgary on the socials. I hope you enjoy the issue. Now excuse me while I go look up the origin of “my two cents.”

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’m in a pickle. Ever wonder where that expression came from?

No? Well, I’ll tell you anyway because it’s the appropriate time of year and my unabashed word-nerdery will not let me pass up the opportunity. A not very reliable, somewhere-on-the-internet source says the first use of the expression is thought to appear in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Though, at that time, pickle meant something more along the lines of relish, and old Willie was referring to getting soused as opposed to being in a predicament. It probably just refers to the fact that sitting in a pickling brine is great for carrots, not so great for people and therefore an uncomfortable place to be. Either way, this issue of Savour Calgary talks a lot about pickling, plus eating with your hands, Calgary’s Persian offering and all of your favourite regular columns.

Happy Eating!

Camie Leard, Editor camie@savourcalgary.ca

Savour Calgary tells the food stories that happen at Mohkínstsis, located in the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi and the people of the Treaty 7 region and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge the indigenous people of this area as keepers of the land and water that make these stories possible and thank them for their hospitality and stewardship of this place.

2022 ISSUE SCHEDULE

SAVOURCALGARY.ca

Watch for Savour Calgary on newsstands throughout 2022.

Harvest | Sept 14 Holiday | Nov 16

Features 14 Eating with your Hands 16 Fermenting 20 Salt: A Crash Course 22 Persian food

The Regulars 5 11 12 19 25

Savour Selects Fresh Market Shop Local Market Report Quick Bites

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RECIPES WITH COCOCO CHOCOLATE

PUBLISHER

Debbie Lambert debbie@savourcalgary.ca EDITOR

Camie Leard camie@savourcalgary.ca D I G I TA L M E D I A E D I T O R

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

Tanya Schaap tanya@savourcalgary.ca MAGAZINE DESIGN

Chocolate Chip Cowboy Cookies

Cheryl Starr Design Group stellardesign.ca COVER

This gorgeous jar of pickles was created by Margot Loveseth of Heydey Fermentables and shot by Mitch Kern.

CONTRIBUTORS

Wanda Baker Shelley Boettcher Ellen Kelly Mitch Kern Linda Kupecek Tanya Schaap Grace Wang

Biting into one of these crunchy delights always evokes nostalgia and delight, especially when enjoyed with a cup of Orange Pekoe tea.

ADVERTISING SALES

2 c sifted flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ tsp baking powder 1 c butter 1 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar, firmly packed 2 eggs 2 c rolled oats 1 tsp vanilla 1 c (about 250g) Cococo semisweet drops or ½ c semisweet drops and ½ c milk chocolate drops

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Ellen Kelly ellen@savourcalgary.ca Brigitte Lessard-Deyell brigitte@savourcalgary.ca Martin Robillard martin@savourcalgary.ca WEBSITE TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Todd Robertson web@savourcalgary.ca DISTRIBUTION

James Norman distribution@savourcalgary.ca PRINTING

Blend together butter and sugars. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture and mix well. Add rolled oats, vanilla, and chocolate drops. Dough will be crumbly.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350ºF until golden.

If you like your cookies a little chewy, bake for slightly less time.

Store in a sealed container for up to a week (if they last that long).

CentralWeb Savour Calgary is a bi-monthly magazine published by Savour Calgary Ltd. Savour Calgary is published six times per year. Winter, Early Spring, Late Spring, Summer, Fall, Holiday C O N TAC T I N FO RM AT I O N

403.475.5809 info@savourcalgary.ca M A I L : c/o 42 Candle Terrace SW, Calgary, T2W 6G7 PHONE:

EMAIL: POST

FO R M O RE I N FO RM AT I O N S E E U S AT

savourcalgary.ca

Your recipes deserve our chocolate! www.CococoChocolatiers.com/recipes

FO R E D I T O RI A L I N Q U I RI E S C O N TAC T

camie@savourcalgary.ca

chocolate chocolate together together

Shop in our stores or online www.CococoChocolatiers.com #ChocolateTogether @Cococo_Chocolates

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@CococoChocolates

@ChocBernCal

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.

Photo provided

Photo provided

T O P POI C K S P P I C K S ff rom T romS a vou Savourr staf staff f | | SSA V O A U R VS E L EOC T S U R S E L E C T S

MODERN RUSTIC Last April, Chef Kenny Kaechele, formerly of The Workshop Kitchen & Culture, launched his latest culinary vision, Kama, a Mediterraneaninspired 100-seat restaurant in the heart of The District at Beltline. Chef Kaechele’s culinary experience is sufficiently on display here with well-balanced, texturally-pleasing, bold-flavoured shareable plates. We tried the Crispy Pork Belly with roasted peanuts and sweet piquillo honey gastrique, Mussels in a white wine harissa sauce, Lamb Shoulder Pappardelle (which we will be dreaming about for weeks) and a Lemon Sumac Semi Freddo. We suspect the menu, bound to change often, will rarely disappoint.

Savour selects Kama 211 11th Ave. S.W. 403.266.7062 kamacalgary.com

The design of the space is also worth attention. Designed by Amanda Hamilton Interior Design, the restaurant is arguably one of the most attractive in town. Rich, warm, elegant yet relaxed, this is a room that lends itself to a kind of rustic sophistication.

We could have lingered here all night.

Wild game is good food.

Goose Tempura Panang

HarvestYourOwn.ca

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Tanya Schaap

FLEETWOOD SNACK

We recently tried one of the giant handmade cinnamon buns from The Big Buns Club and all we can say is, they have good buns and we cannot lie. Insert groan.

The Big Buns Club sells oversized handmade cinnamon buns that are soft, sticky and sweet, everything you want from this familiar classic. What makes these big buns unique is their monthly flavours.

From cinnamon-sugar churro to salted pecan to maple bacon, The Big Buns Club offers four unique flavours every month. Order online or pick them up at various local retailers around town including Luke’s Drug Mart, The Plaza in Kensington, Mini Mrkt and the Magic Pantry.*

Why build one eatery in the lobby of a new condo building when you can build five? That’s right, the team at Vintage Group launched five new food experiences at the base of the new luxury rental apartments known as The Oliver on 10th Ave.: a neighbourhood market, Luca Mercato; a fine dining Italian restaurant, Luca Restaurant; a prosecco and coffee bar, Treno; a pizzeria, Pazzi; and… the one we recently visited, Fleetwood Lounge, a cocktail bar with classic cocktailing and shareable plates. Try their old fashioned or Negroni, both of which come with a frozen ice sphere smashed at the table or Keep the Doctor Away, an apple-infused gin-and-chartreuse cocktail. Snackable highlights include Mini Chicken “Parm” Sliders, Lobster Roll Bruschetta and Grilled Lamb Lollipops with white balsamic basil pesto.

The Big Buns Club thebigbunsclub.com

NEW KITCHEN WORKSHOPS & EVENTS > The Joyful Home > Afternoon Tea > Winner Winner Chicken Dinner > Big Macs & Burgundy 1

> Fearless Risotto > Holidays Made Easy > StressLESS Entertaining > Scones: The Easiest Gift

FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION | 403.244.4443 COME DISCOVER OUR NEW LOCATION | 120 1900 11th St SE

INSPIRATI.CA

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Fleetwood Lounge

Fleetwood Lounge 524 10th Ave. S.W. 403.261.1969 fleetwoodlounge.com

A TEA JOURNEY When we arrived at Linvers Atelier Tea & Coffee we were greeted by owner and tea specialist Josh Linvers, an articulate, poised, and well-spoken individual in a chocolate brown flat cap. Josh enthusiastically invites us to “have tea with him,” carefully selecting the tea, preparing the water and vessel before pouring us a cup. As we sit and chat, he takes us on a journey across time and space filled with tea leaves, history and chance meetings. During his tenure as a wine Linvers Atelier Tea sommelier at the now closed Q Haute Cuisine, Josh and Coffee | Bay 6 was encouraged to research a non-alcoholic beverage 2915 19th St. N.E. option for restaurant patrons. This is when his passion 403.453.5283 for tea evolved and he spent eight years studying www.late.red tea, the notion of tasting consciously, learning how to describe taste and smell and becoming a tea sommelier. His tea shop is quietly tucked behind Song Huong Vietnamese in a strip mall. It’s a small space filled with reference materials like books, maps, tasting notes, Japanese and Chinese ceramics and a large round table ready for an impromptu lesson, booked tasting class or conversation. Anyone can stop by for a hot tea or coffee to go, tea leaves for home brewing or an educational chat. If you have a tea lover in your life, we recommended dropping in. Open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photo provided

Photo provided

The Big Buns Club offers four unique flavours every month

BIG BUNS

Photo provided

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 GROWING COMMUNITY Borough Bar + Grill officially opened this summer in the rapidly growing University District. A borough is a self-governing community with its own personality inside a larger community. This new eatery aims to be the “borough” of the University District intending to bring back the social aspect of dining while being part of something bigger. They are the newest addition to the Murrieta’s Hospitality Group paying homage to unique North American culinary traditions in a casual and approachable way. The menu, created by Executive Chef Daniel Pizzaro, shines with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients with an emphasis on family-style dining. We dropped in for dinner one very warm summer evening and started with fried artichokes and mushroom soup, both full of flavour. Next, we enjoyed the rigatoni with a parmesan cream sauce and charred lamb sirloin featuring Moroccan flavours of smoked eggplant, dates, spiced carrots and a minted yogurt. The food was plentiful, but we couldn’t leave without trying one of their house-made square pizzas, so we ordered one to go for a midnight snack. Open for lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends.*

Fried Artichokes

Borough Bar + Grill | 4011 University Ave. N.W. 403.210.0201 | boroughbar.ca

NEW AND IMPROVED

Wanda Baker

Jennifer Twyman, Geoff Twyman and Regan James, founders of Two House Brewing, opened the brewery in 2019, however due to unforeseen circumstances not pandemic related, shut down in 2021.

This motivated the team to build bigger and better and this past July they re-opened a larger beer hall style taproom with two dog friendly patios in Sunalta. ACME Pizza is a concept created by Dean Symonds and Jason Wankel (Gwailo) featuring pizzas made by Pizzaolo Avdyl ‘Agostino’ Agolli. A phone call and a few conversations later, the pizza and brewery concept fused. There’s nothing tastier than a hot bubbling pizza fresh out of the oven alongside a cool, crisp brew. For non-beer lovers the taproom offers a small selection of wines, cocktails and non-alcoholic options. Beers are European focused and lighter in style complementing the large assortment of pizzas available.*

AN INSPIRED CELEBRATION IN RAMSAY On September 24, join the lovely ladies of Inspirati Fine Linens & Home Essentials (home of those exquisite Le Jacquard Francais tea towels) as they celebrate their fabulous new digs in Ramsay. With lofty ceilings and large skylights casting perfect natural light, Wendy Brownie’s beautifully curated linens and homewares have never looked more covetable. Check out the charming new kitchen and ask about the select cooking and homelifestyle demonstrations and classes on offer for the fall; everything from roasting a spatchcock chicken to a sumptuous afternoon tea. Just in time for some early holiday shopping!

Inspirati | 120 – 1900 11th St. S.E. 403.244.4443 | www.inspirati.ca

Two House Brewing Co. & ACME Pizza 1901 10th Ave. S.W. 403.287.0215 twohousebrew.com

The Grandest of Flavours awaits at Hawthorn Dining Room & Lounge.

Welcome the change in seasons with a perfectly suited Fall feast.

Hawthorn’s Thanksgiving Dinner promises an all-Canadian indulgence as only the Fairmont Palliser can deliver.

Hawthorn is a timelessly elegant setting for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, evening fare and crafted cocktails, making it one of the most iconic dining experiences in Calgary.

Nothing pairs better than hot pizza and cold beer at Two House Brewing Co. and ACME Pizza

*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

403.260.1219 | hawthorndiningroom.ca | 133 9 Ave SW Calgary

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Contemporary Latin American fare is on the menu at the new Fortuna's Row.

It’s

GOOD FORTUNE Situated on the riverfront between Chinatown and East Village is a new contemporary LatinAmerican supper club, Fortuna’s Row. The vibe in this 10,000 square foot space is airy, beachy and unlike anything we’ve experienced in Calgary so far. Chef Mikko Tamarra of the popular Con Mi Taco draws on his experience in Peru and Mexico to create an inventive, inspired menu with standouts like Arepa, featuring soft-shell crab with mustard cress and avocado or Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche with octopus jerky and potato chips. Rounding out the end of the meal are specialized desserts from pastry chef Teisha Huff. Try the handmade ice cream, maize flan or mezcal sorbet. And if all that isn’t enough, adjacent to the dining space, you’ll find Standing Room Only, a stylish cocktail bar serving snacks from the main kitchen late into the evening.

Fortuna’s Row 421 Riverfront Ave. S.E. 403.243.0069 fortunasrow.com

Pumpkin Pie season! ORDER EARLY!

KENSINGTON 1081 2ND AVENUE NW | 403.287.8544 SPRUCE CLIFF / WILDWOOD 8 SPRUCE CENTER SW | 403.452 .3960 MAHOGANY 2171 MAHOGANY BLVD SE | 587. 623.1144 CROWFOOT CROSSING 826 CROWFOOT CRESCENT NW | 403.241.3475 @piejunkieyyc | piejunkie.ca

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Photo provided

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

Camie Leard

E A M I L L A RV I L L E DAY V A !

H

Close, quaint, crafts, historic, ice cream, snacks and farm fresh produce.

Nestled in the foothills only 35 minutes from Calgary.

403 931 3626 | millarvillegeneralstore.com

Historeats

W i th L I N DA K U PE C E K THE LOST ART OF THE TAFFY PULL

Grilled Baby Cucumbers

During January blizzards, children on homesteads made their own molasses pull taffy. The recipe requires one cup of molasses, three cups of white sugar, one half cup water and one tsp cream of tartar. When syrup is cooked, pour into a greased pan. Then cut off pieces and pull (and pull some more) into a rope.

Canadian Prairie Homesteaders, Barss/Kerr

BELTLINE’S BURNING FLAME Chef Adam Ryan has set his passion for creative vegan cuisine on fire with his latest outing, Fire and Flora in The District at Beltline. From the moment you enter to a living mushroom wall, you know you’re in for a unique culinary experience. The menu is focused on shareable small plates, though there are entrée-sized meals as well. Almost completely plant-based (there is the occasional dairy/egg ingredient), Chef Adam’s menu celebrates the flavours, colours and textures of the plant kingdom in all its glory. While everything was great, we really (and I mean REALLY) loved the zucchini carrot fritters that were a delight in and of themselves, but the tomato confit basil aioli they’re served with made us want to lick the plate. One of the best things we’ve tasted so far this year. Also don’t miss the crispy buttermilk fried flowering cauliflower, which has enough kick to make things interesting without going overboard. Open for lunch and dinner 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.* Fire and Flora | 227 11th Ave. S.W. | 403.590.1779 | fireandflora.ca

Come get stoned at the Market Peaches and burrata while the season lasts!

SISTER ACT From the people that brought us the delightful Mercato, comes Sorella Trattoria in Crescent Heights Village on Centre St. N. Building on the family’s reputation for solid Italian fare, Sorella (appropriately meaning sister) brings a gorgeous, airy dining room, an out-of-this world rooftop patio with a spectacular view of downtown and a menu that brings some elevated cuisine to a neighbourhood known for tasty Asian street-eats. We are in love with the pappardelle featuring basil pistou, grape tomatoes, ricotta, Reggiano and toasted pine nuts as well as the tart take on tiramisu featuring Limoncello-dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone whipped cream and lemon curd, topped with almonds.

Sorella Trattoria | 1036 Centre St N | sorellatrattoria.ca

Visit SAY CHEESE at Crossroads Market for the city’s finest curated selection of cheeses and entertaining accoutrements: boards, mustards, chutneys, pates, and much, much more.

It’s never too early to ask our knowledgeable staff about exceptional cheese and charcuterie boards for effortless Thanksgiving and Christmas entertaining.

SAY CHEESE FROMAGERIE SAYCHEESEFROMAGERIE.COM | ISAACBIGNELL@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM: @SAYCHEESEYYC | @CROSSROADSMARKETYYC

*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

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Photo provided

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

HIDDEN GEM: ICED, ICED BABY With September being one of the nicest months of the year in Calgary, it’s still a great time to enjoy tasty summer sips.

One of our go-tos this summer was the iced tea blends by Jolene’s Tea House in Banff. Well established as a destination for people who know their hot tea, Jolene’s blends intended for chilled serving bring all of the delicate blending and complexity of flavour that works in your morning mug, to your afternoon patio. We loved the Summer Daze blend featuring Assam (black tea cultivar grown in Assam, India), peppermint and hibiscus flowers.* Jolene’s Tea House | 211A Bear St., Banff, AB 403.985.5500 | jolenesteahouse.com

Iced tea

The joy of preparing a meal for loved ones. To make an effort, to be creative, to select the best ingredients, to plan, prepare and serve.

Slow down and let the cookware do the magic.

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*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

W H A T ’ S F R E S H this season | F R E S H M A R K E T

Watermelon B y E L L E N K E L LY

I l l u s t ra t i on b y A L I S ON M A RT I N Watermelon is generally thought of as a late-summer fruit, but as our season tends to be a little later on the prairies, we can easily see local melons well into the early fall. They are related to cucumbers and squash, Cucurbitaceae for those who care, which is obvious when you see them growing.

While cucumbers are small enough to stake, melons are large and heavy, with prolific vines spreading out over quite a bit of real estate. These luscious, sweet red giants are the result of thousands of years of selected breeding, starting out small, green and bitter in the wild.

Water is the operative word here, and the ease and convenience of carrying necessary water on long trips was possibly an impetus for breeding larger and sweeter melons. Like so many of these colourful culinary chronicles, consensus disappears, and theories abound. Suffice it to say, a journey of more than 5,000 years, beginning in Africa, through the Mediterranean and Europe, and on to the new world, with generations of carefully selected breeding along the way, is a feat worth celebrating in story, whether embellished or not.

For every litre (3½ cups) of juice, add 300 ml (1 cup) water, the juice of one lime and a little sugar to taste. Chill well and serve over ice with a small slice of watermelon, a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint. This is very good with gin, but then what isn’t?

Classic large watermelons like Crimson Sweet and Jubilee are the most fun (and often the sweetest) but can seem unmanageable unless you have plans for that much fruit or are having a picnic. Since the gene for the red colour is connected to the gene for sugar content, red watermelons tend to be sweeter than the newer yellow varieties, but those can be fun to use on platters and in salads and salsas. There are melons of every size, many of which are seedless. The white opaque ‘seeds’ found in these varieties are actually empty seed coats and are easy and safe to eat. And of course, the hollowed-out shells make excellent helmets... ask any 5-year-old or Saskatchewan Roughrider fan.

Since a watermelon is about 92% water, lift that baby up. It should be heavy.

If you’ve purchased watermelon already chilled, keep it chilled. Otherwise, you can leave an intact melon in a cool place for a few days before cutting into it, then refrigerate or freeze.

This Asian-inspired salad from good friend and cook Elspeth Carmichael, is light, colourful, and refreshing. It can be made with just watermelon, but adding cantaloupe, honeydew and/or jicama makes it a party. Melon ballers seem to have fallen out of fashion of late, but if you have one languishing in a drawer somewhere, use it; the effect will be striking.

Otherwise, 2-3-cm (1-inch) cubes will do nicely. If you’re using jicama, which isn’t a melon by a long shot but adds a nice sweet crunch, use the smaller end of the melon baller tool or cut it into slightly smaller cubes, 1-2 cm (½-¾ inch). In a bowl, combine 1-2 finely minced or grated garlic cloves, 1 finely diced (cored and seeded) serrano chile, 75 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce, 30 ml (2 Tbsp) brown sugar, 75 ml (¼ cup) fresh lime juice and 7.5 ml (1-½ tsp) lime zest. Up to this point, 1.2 litres (4 cups) of fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, jicama) can be tossed in the dressing and refrigerated for up to 2-3 days. To serve, add 150 ml (½ cup) roughly chopped salted roasted peanuts and 75 ml (¼ cup) chopped fresh cilantro. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts, lime wedges and sprigs of cilantro.

Juice or agua fresca is easy to make from fresh or frozen fruit and is an excellent reason to buy that humongous watermelon. Carve away the rind and cut the red flesh in chunks. Mash the fruit thoroughly, and strain the pulp through a sieve, pressing down to extract as much liquid as you can.

If you’re feeling particularly thrifty, pickled watermelon rind will appeal to you.

It’s a lengthy process, but not overly complicated and those who grew up with these sweet pumpkin-spiced pickles, love them. I like my pickles sour to the point of wincing, but there are many good recipes out there, so have fun.

Watermelons do not continue to ripen once cut from the vine. One reliable way to check for ripeness is to look at the pale patch of skin on the bottom of the melon, often called the ‘ground spot’. This should be yellow, not white or greenish. Another indicator is the dark green skin; it shouldn’t be too shiny, even looking somewhat waxy. Stripes on a watermelon have nothing to do with ripeness, they only indicate a variety, and as for knocking on a watermelon, feel free. It’s far too subjective a method to be entirely dependable and, frankly, looks a little silly in the supermarket. If all else fails, most markets offer small slices of watermelon during the season so you can simply taste and decide for yourself.

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MAGICAL MUSHROOMS Mushroom Milk by The New New Age is a superfood full of antioxidants.

Made of coconut milk powder and six medicinal mushrooms (chaga and reishi, lions mane, maitake, cordyceps and turkey tail), it can be enjoyed in powder form, hot or cold. The taste is simple and offers flavours of cinnamon and coconut milk with an earthy note. Add water and enjoy as is, or dilute it further and add to tea, coffee, smoothies, tonics or your favourite milky hot drink, like a chai latte. Eating it is an option. Simply sprinkle the powder on burgers or mix with olive oil and use as a dressing for roast potatoes or greens. This energy booster offers anti-inflammatory properties making it full of health benefits.

Autumn is our favourite season as it ushers in cool, crisp air, vibrant colours and reminds us summer is but a distant memory.

We relish fewer mosquito bites, that extra hour of sleep and all things pumpkin spice. In this issue, we mix magical mushroom concoctions, dive deeper into the world of fermentation, get back to black, season everything and enjoy more time (and pie!) with friends. Our harvest baskets are full and so are our hearts.

Photo provided

Photo provided

Mushroom Milk | The Livery Shop | $20 | theliveryshop.com

The New New Age Mushroom Milk

Shop Local!

B y WA N DA B A K E R

Photo provided

SEASON OF SPICE

Rustic Roasting Blend

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Fermentation crock set

LET’S GET PICKLED

Who doesn’t love a new spice blend?!

I enjoy creating new random blends in my kitchen, but really get excited about finding new blends when visiting The Silk Road Spice Merchant. The Rustic Roasting Blend is a seasonal blend equally suited to roasting both meat and vegetables. With a French heart of brown mustard, white pepper, nutmeg and thyme, it evokes all the hospitality of your kitchen after a chilly fall day. Fire up the oven, chop up your root vegetables and sprinkle liberally with olive oil and the spice blend, open a bottle of wine while they are roasting and cozy up with a plate of hot, delicious food. Equally tasty on pork, beef or chicken, we will be slathering it all over our roast turkey. Drop into Silk Road’s new location and check out the Yatai Yakitori, Cuban Adobo and Deluxe Italian blends.

For many, sauerkraut-making is an annual tradition. While we don’t dabble in kraut-making often, we are fascinated with how popular fermentation has become. The Fermentation Crock Set with a lid and weights from Lee Valley Tools has us excited about the future of fermentation in our house. It’s not just for cabbage, either; it makes excellent pickles by transforming the taste of preserved veggies to bring out their tangy, complex flavor. Breaking down plant fibers through fermentation makes the nutritional content more accessible ensuring fermentation crock pot pickles become your new favourite pickle. Easy to use, just add ingredients, and cover in salt and water weighing down the contents. It will burp as it releases gases and is ready to eat in two to three weeks.

Not ready to commit just yet? Get your feet wet with a Calgary-based Heyday Fermentables kit for kimchi, sauerkraut or carrots. With harvest upon us, this is a great way to preserve some of those fresh, home-grown garden vegetables.

Rustic Roasting Blend | The Silk Road Spice Spice Merchant Merchant | $11.99 | $11.99 | silkroadspices.ca | silkroadspices.ca

Fermentation Crock Set | Lee Valley Tools | $99.50 leevalley.com Kimchi Home Fermentation Kit | Heyday Fermentables $32.00 | heydayfermentables.com

Photo provided

OVEN TO TABLE Every kitchen needs a good casserole dish for soups, stews, roasts, sauces and even roasted vegetables. These dishes are completely versatile and an essential kitchen tool. A colourful piece will brighten up any kitchen but there is something about classic black. It’s mysterious, elegant, sophisticated and we find the ridges on the OUI Ridged Casserole Pot captivating. This lidded pot conducts heat evenly and gently for simple baked dishes like stews, lasagna, baked bread and one-pot meals. Made specifically for oven use, not stovetop, it’s microwave and dishwasher safe plus stain resistant. Find in-store or online.

OUI Ridged Casserole Pot | Indigo | $64.50 | chapters.indigo.ca

Photo provided

OUI Ridged Casserole Pot

PIE’D PIPER Pie Cloud owner Maureen DePatie is a well-known fixture in the Calgary food scene. Having once been a food and lifestyle writer for the Calgary Herald, she knows her food and her pies. With a location in each of the Calgary Farmers’ Markets, Maureen and her team create luscious sweet and savoury pies for every season. The French curd found in the lemon meringue and lime pies with a gingersnap crust is legendary, but this season we are drooling over the pumpkin pie topped with pecan praline and a cloud of whipped cream.

Talk about upping your Thanksgiving pie game. Another showstopper is the Turkey Dinner pie featuring a buttermilk biscuit stuffing crust, filled with fresh roast turkey, vegetables, gravy and mashed potatoes. Vegan pies are available, as are an assortment of other delectable combinations. We recommend you order in advance.

Pie Cloud's pumpkin pie

Pie Cloud | Calgary Farmers’ Market | $9-$49 piecloud.ca

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T HE SENSUAL — AND ANCIEN T — JOY OF E AT ING WI T H YOUR HANDS

Finger Food

B y S H E L L E Y B OE T TC H E R

Years ago, I found myself at the opening of a very fancy French shop in Canada. As a hapless young server came by with a plate of lamb “lollipop” appetizers, the event’s Parisian organizer nearly spit out his Champagne. “Are people to eat these with their fingers?” he raged to the well-heeled crowd around him.

Well, yes. But no one answered him. No one cared. It was a precovid party with pretty people and free food. I quickly reached for one of the garlicky little ribs and so did everyone around me.

In retrospect, however, maybe I should have offered him a hand. Or at least explained the concept of finger food.

Indeed, as most of us have figured out by now, what’s right in one situation isn’t always right in another. Families, cultures and situations vary. And around the world, from childhood to old age, many of us rely on our hands — not cutlery — to ferry our food from plate to mouth.

As babies, we explore foods with our hands: the texture and taste of mushy noodles, soft steamed carrots or squash or peas, served on a plastic plate. We stick our fingers in our porridge, yogurt, ice cream. We make a mess. We eat. And we learn. Recent studies show that babies who explore their food with their hands are less likely to grow up to be picky eaters. They develop fine motor skills and learn to feed themselves, too.

We grow up, but many of us never lose that pure sensual joy of eating with our hands: French fries, liberated from a boyfriend’s plate, still-warm homemade doughnuts, sticky with glaze, buttery popcorn, potato chips. Hot dogs, too. There’s something so pleasurable, so immediate, about picking up food and putting it straight into our mouths, unencumbered by fork or spoon.

Then there’s the opportunity to explore other countries and cultures. Try scooping a fragrant curry with naan, one of India’s famous flatbreads, or dosa with a spicy sauce. Then we have tortillas in Mexico; pita and hummus, shawarma or baklava in Lebanon; injera — a flat, spongy sourdough — with stewed dishes in Ethiopia; barbecue in Texas, South Carolina and Missouri.

Or head to Hollywood for some sensual inspiration: the plate of spaghetti in Lady and the Tramp; Jennifer Beals eating lobster in Flashdance; the pastrami sandwich restaurant scene (yeah, that scene) in When Harry Met Sally; Julia Roberts eating pizza in Eat, Pray, Love; or the fridge scene in Nine and a Half Weeks.

I l l u s t ra t i on s b y C A M I E L E A R D

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HANDS-ON CALGARY EATERIES

There’s something pleasurable, immediate, about picking up food and putting it

so

so

straight into our mouths

American chef Zakary Pelaccio once claimed to eat almost everything except soup with his hands. He even turned his passion into a cookbook, Eat With Your Hands.

However, his cutlery-free life may have been more about speed than sensuality. “I eat with my hands today, and not just because it would be a serious shame to let utensils slow me down,” Pelaccio told the New York Times. “It has become a sort of philosophy of mine — a metaphor for life.”

He’d stick out like a dirty fork at a McDonalds in France. In 2017, the fast-food chain made international headlines after introducing cutlery — for eating burgers — on its menu in the land famous for its coq au vin and cassoulet.

“This is a fact that should surprise no one — of course the French, always more sophisticated, would eat fast food with a knife and a fork,” wrote Maura Judkis in The Washington Post at the time. “And yet, it still manages to surprise just about everyone.”

fork in one hand, knife in the other.

Unless you were eating a chocolate chip cookie, a sandwich or corn on the cob, you were expected to use your manners and cut up your food into bite-sized bits.

Still, there’s a certain joy and childlike pleasure in wrapping your hand around a slice of pizza pie on Rome’s Spanish Steps, or pinching a piece of saltand-pepper chicken in the midst of a bustling Taiwanese street market. Somehow, sometimes, food tastes better when it’s a hands-on experience!

ABYSSINIA Famous for injera, a thin, spongy sourdough bread, Abyssinia offers an opportunity to dine using your right hand (and only your right hand) in place of a fork and knife.

BEIRUT STREET FOOD A shawarma wrap or a donair is made for eating by hand.

Sharing is pretty much impossible, but who cares? Just tuck in and enjoy.

CLIVE BURGER Choose a burger. Pick your favourite toppings. Have a stack of napkins handy. And dig in.

CLUCK AND CLEAVER Sure, you could try to eat fried chicken with a fork and knife, but why?

INGLEWOOD PIZZA A slice of this gorgeous, cheese-laden Greek-style pizza just may be the ultimate comfort food. Offering takeout only, this place has been in business since 1994.

JANE BOND BBQ With all apologies to an American fast-food chain we aren’t naming here, these Jane Bond ribs are truly finger-lickin’ good.

PIE JUNKIE Hand pies. Those two little words say it all.

Calgary artist Liba Labik loves painting hands.

Check out her handiwork!

I’m not surprised. I grew up in a household where meals were traditionally eaten with cutlery:

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TANG

Fermenting at home brings zest and health benefits to the table B y S H E L L E Y B OE T TC H E R

While Calgary entrepreneur Margot Loveseth rather detested sauerkraut when she tried it as a kid, a curiosity about the health benefits of fermented foods began a journey of discovery that not only changed her opinion of pickled cabbage, but also led her to a new business venture.

“I ordered every kind of jar, and read every single recipe I could find, and then I tried making sauerkraut,” she says. “The biggest surprise of my life was that it’s really delicious.”

Fermentation is, from a scientific perspective, the act of using bacteria and other microorganisms to change sugars (carbohydrates) into acids or alcohol.

One of the oldest ways to preserve food, fermentation is found in pretty much every culture and country. In South and North Korea, there’s kimchi, cabbage fermented with spices and other vegetables. Japanese miso is made of fermented soybeans and brown rice or barley. Injera is a fermented bread from Ethiopia. Indonesia gave us tempeh, a plant-based protein made from fermented soybeans. And olives, made famous by so many Mediterranean cuisines? They’re fermented, too.

“Whether you know it or not, you already love fermentation. Probably most of your favourite foods are fermented. Everything from beer and wine to chocolate, cheese, and bread involves fermentation,” writes Emillie Parrish, a Victoria, B.C.-based blogger and author of Fermenting Made Simple: Delicious Recipes to Improve Your Gut Health (Touchwood Editions, 2022).

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Margot Loveseth

Fermenting Made Simple: Delicious Recipes to Improve Your Gut Health (Touchwood Editions, 2022, fermentingforfoodies. com) by Emillie Parrish features recipes and tips on how to make your own fermented foods, everything from apple cider vinegar to yogurt.

“It provides a dash of flavour to most meals, whether it comes from the balsamic vinegar in your salad dressing or the soy sauce in your stir-fry.

Life would be bland without fermented foods.”

But making your own doesn’t have to be complicated, she notes. She has a tiny kitchen and makes small batches regularly. Her teenage son has made his own sourdough bread and sweet and spicy fermented pickles, and both of her children are fans of milk kefir, a yogurt-like drink, as well as water kefir, a naturally carbonated beverage that gets its flavour from fruit.

Many of Parrish’s readers are gardeners, looking for interesting and healthy ways to preserve the bounty they’ve grown. “But I created the book for people who want to be healthy and who see that fermented foods are important, and that they can make them themselves and that they’re tasty,” she says.

“You feel like you’re eating in a fancy restaurant when you add your own fermented sauce to a dish, but really, it’s just salt, water and food: vegetables, or whatever you’re using. Nature did the rest.”

Camie Leard

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FERMENTED FOODS? CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES

Calgary chef KYLE HANNA is behind CULTURE SHOCKED, a small local food preservation business offering everything from fermented ketchup to a range of sauerkrauts.

Shop online at cultureshocked.ca or call 403.467.2278.

LEANNA PARENT-HERTZ, LYNDON HERTZ and JARED SALEKIN are behind a trio of local businesses all geared around good food and fermentation. Owned by Parent-Hertz and Hertz, KROOKED KRAUT makes and sells sauerkraut and other creations at KROOKED LUCY’S in FRESH AND LOCAL MARKET AND KITCHENS at Avenida Village. Find them at @krookedkrautyyc and @krookedlucys on Instagram, and you can also shop online at Salekin’s Zinyk Farms (zinykfarms.com).

COOKBOOK CO. COOKS has a fermenting workshop for beginners with instructor Vanessa Elander, Oct. 2. Go to cookbookcooks.com or call 403.265.6066.

THE LIGHT CELLAR offers fermentation classes and ready-made foods, and hosts an annual fermentation festival, too. Go to lightcellar.ca or call 403.453.1343.

HEYDAY FERMENTABLES (heydayfermentables.com) offers DIY fermenting kits for kombucha, hot sauce, sauerkraut, kimchee and more.

KARMA CULTURES is another Calgary-based business selling kombucha kits, gear and more. Order online (karmacultures.com) or find stuff at Blush Lane Organic Market and Community Natural Foods.

As for Loveseth, she is such a convert, she has turned her passion into a business Heyday Fermentables. The company offers do-it-yourself fermented food kits for people interested in trying their hand at making their own kombucha, kimchi or sauerkraut, you name it, but who lack the knowledge and confidence to dive into the art of fermenting without help.

“By fermenting foods, we are rediscovering things that our ancestors ate, and that excites me,” she says.

“We’re improving our health, adding an incredible flavour profile to our meals and reconnecting with our past.”

These days, Loveseth says she eats something fermented almost every day. “I always have sauerkraut and kimchi in the fridge, and kombucha and water kefir, too,” she says.

“And I really encourage others to try making it themselves, too. I would love to see fermented foods become a part of our regular, everyday diet, everywhere.”

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Discover extraordinary culinary offerings and professional, polished service at Calgary’s first and only lifestyle hotel, The Dorian and its crowning jewel rooftop restaurant, The Wilde.

The DORIAN HOTEL and The WILDE EXCEPTIONAL HOSPITALIT Y

THE WILDE

Located in the heart of the city’s business district, The Dorian, Autograph Collection, which opened its doors to the public on July 21, is part of the dual-brand Autograph Collection & Courtyard by Marriot. This boutique-inspired, food-forward hotel is the city’s first “stacked” hotel catering to two different and discerning clientele. The upper portion of the building, known simply as The Dorian, Autograph Collection, features 137 boldly-designed Autograph Collection rooms inspired by the Oscar Wilde novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” while the lower portion is home to 169 Courtyard by Marriot rooms. With a blend of modern comfort and British whimsical décor, guests of The Dorian, Autograph Collection are treated to a unique stay unlike anything Calgary has seen to date.

Where every meal is an event itself.

Even if you’re not a guest at the hotel, you can still indulge in all The Dorian has to offer by dining at one of three exceptional and distinct restaurant offerings.

Founded under the qualified helm of Executive Chef Kevin Birch, The Dorian is home to Prologue Café|Cocktails, a custom-designed art deco lounge that transforms from a breakfast stop in the morning, serving local pastries from Black Sheep, fruit parfaits and coffees, to a lively lobby bar in the evening with bespoke cocktails, dazzling desserts and artistic share plates; Bistro Novelle, an elevated bistro serving traditional favourites such as burgers and sandwiches with a focus on fresh, sustainable ingredients; and the hotel’s rooftop showpiece, The Wilde on 27.

If you’re looking to elevate your dining experience and discover something truly special, look no further than the 27th floor of The Dorian, Autograph Collection where you’ll find the hotel’s crowning jewel, The Wilde on 27. With soaring views of Calgary’s skyline and a 7-foot floor-to-ceiling glass-enclosed patio, The Wilde on 27 offers diners a truly unique culinary experience.

With rich velvet hues, the expansive space is both intimate and lively with table seating on one side and a custom-designed bar and lounge on the other. There’s even a late-night dinner DJ on weekends to entertain guests as they linger over cocktails and dessert.

For Chef Birch, it’s the details that matter. Whether it’s the authenticity of the tableware hand-forged in a 200-year-old English factory, a knowledgeable, well-trained staff many of whom have international experience or a commitment to sourcing sustainable, small-batch ingredients from local butchers and farmers, an attention to detail is a high priority. “It’s very important to pay attention to the little things,” explains Chef Birch. “Because I believe they all add up to an exceptional, memorable experience.”

With an impressive resume as an accomplished chef, kitchen leader and culinary instructor, Chef Birch introduces diners to something new and exciting.

“We like to describe The Wilde on 27 as elevated dining as opposed to fine dining,” he says. “We are excited to bring a taste of Canada and Alberta to the plate but in a particularly unique and modern way.” There is a wow factor to the dishes at the Wilde, the food is as beautiful as it is flavourful.

With a focus on sustainable, local ingredients and a commitment to knowing where his food comes from, Chef

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Birch plans to follow a more European process of menu development. “It is my goal to change the menu once a week based on product availability like the European kitchens I grew up in,” he says. “You shop the market, source available ingredients and plan the menu around that.” With menu standouts such as a Liver Mousse starter served with golden currant preserve, Evans cherry chutney and mission fig jam or Springbank Farms Bison Short Rib served with a mélange of roasted root vegetables, pomme purée and popped buckwheat, the food at The Wilde on 27 is sure to impress. Now that the culinary program has launched, Chef Birch is moving on and Executive Sous Chef Josh Dyer is taking the helm as Executive Chef. With a talented team including Pastry Chef Hans Suarez and Chef de Cuisine Abhi Patil all focused on quality ingredients, innovative plating and exciting flavours, The Wilde on 27 is in good hands.

Oscar Wilde once said, “When I’m in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me.” So take a ride up 27 floors, drop your troubles at the door and enjoy The Wilde, an unrivaled, one-of-a-kind, urban culinary experience.

T H E D O R I A N H O T E L . C O M

S t or y a n d ph ot o s b y G R AC E WA NG

Market Report

SPROUT SOCIETY

ZUSHI YYC

Plant-based eating has exploded over the last few years, and Sprout Society is Calgary’s first plant-based meal delivery service. When the COVID pandemic hit, Conner and Amy Kadziolka found their careers Buffalo Chick’n Caesar Salad Bowl Omakase refers to a Japanese style of dining in which the choice at a crossroads. A teacher and a social worker of ingredients and dishes is left up to the chef. Zushi YYC offers a full multiSprout Society by training, the two took a leap of faith and course omakase experience by reservation, but for those just dropping by, Farmers and Makers Market channeled their passion for plant-based cooking there’s a popular omakase sashimi box, as well as an omakase nigiri box. All at cSPACE and online orders/ into creating Sprout Society. Today, they can be pieces of perfectly prepared sushi vary depending on which fish are in season, delivery 1721 29th Ave. S.W. found working with their team to test recipes, and Zushi regularly receives shipments of fish from Japan and British Columbia.

587.578.1509 cook and package meals, and operate their stall At Zushi YYC, there are also several oshizushi options. Oshizushi originated in the at the Farmers and Makers Market at cSPACE. sproutsociety.ca Kansai region of Japan and is a form of sushi in which layers of rice and fish are While Sprout Society functions as a subscription-based meal delivery service, put into a rectangular mold and pressed together, instead of being hand-rolled. their stall sells individual portions of their weekly entrees for those looking to Chef Park flame-sears his oshizushi to intensify flavours and create textural explore plant-based meals. Each week’s offerings at the market are unique, dimension. His white miso sablefish oshizushi features torched sablefish with from a rich pesto pasta studded with peas and diced zucchini to a Buffalo a touch of salty sweetness, topped with a delicate pinch of fresh green onions. chick’n Caesar salad bowl — the latter made with convincingly chicken-like Chef Park says, “I really roasted soy curls, quinoa, and a tangy homemade vegan Caesar dressing love when our guests on a bed of greens. Conner says, “We love getting to know our community enjoy the food and neighbours, providing samples of our meals and sharing about our business.” service at Zushi.” With Sprout Society has been a part of the Farmers and Makers Market at cSPACE the calibre of sushi for the past two years, and despite the steep learning curve of owning a small being served up, it’s business, Amy and Conner feel “it has been an incredibly fun and rewarding no surprise that guests experience.” Their most popular dishes include Pad Thai and numerous leave very, very happy. curries, but the Kadziolkas are currently testing a recipe for Oreo cookie Zushi YYC protein pancakes with a cashew cream cheese frosting. Sounds delicious!

Fresh & Local Market & Kitchens | 12445 Lake CHECK OUT SPROUT SOCIE T Y'S Fraser Dr. S.E. RECIPE FOR THEIR FAMOUS 403.764.7547 Zushi White Miso Sablefish Oshizushi ROSEMARY TAHINI DRESSING. zushiyyc.ca A farmer’s market is an unexpected place to find top-notch sushi, but chef Jun Young Park and his wife Seunghee Hur are crafting some of Calgary’s best sushi out of a stall at Fresh & Local Market & Kitchens. Park honed his skills at Calgary’s award-winning Shokunin restaurant under acclaimed chef Darren MacLean, and it’s been a long-time goal of his to open an omakase sushi bar focusing on fresh and skillfully prepared ingredients.

LOCAL

MARKE T REPORT SPONSORED BY:

•LOCAL•PRODUCE

This Summer Taste the Difference

VOTED

BEST FOOD STORE IN CALGARY

Shop online at FreshAndLocalFarmOutlet.com

1 block north of the Canyon Meadows LRT Located next to the Collective Beer Store

D441, 12445 Lake Fraser Drive SE Calgary, AB

Monday to Saturday 10a-6p; Sundays 11a-5p

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S t or y a n d ph ot o s b y TA N Y A S C H A A P

Salt ASKING FOR A FRIEND

A CRASH COURSE

What is salt, even?

Salt is sodium chloride, an essential nutrient for our bodies. Salt helps balance and maintain our fluid levels.

Why does salt make everything taste better?

Our flavour receptors are designed to sense five distinct tastes: sweetness, sourness, bitterness, savouriness (or umami) and saltiness. Rather than alter the taste of an ingredient, salt works to enhance it. A tomato tastes more tomato-y, chocolate tastes more chocolate-y with the addition of a little sea salt.

Where does salt come from?

All salt is sea salt, but not all salt is created equal. Some is mined from ancient seabeds and some is captured and evaporated in shallow ponds. Maldon salt, for example, is made from brine taken from the banks of the River Blackwater in England evaporated over an intricate arrangement of bricks.

There are so many kinds of salt these days! How do I know which salt to use?

Next, you’ll find a list of go-to salts and their uses. But if this list is still too long, stick with two: flaky sea salt as a finishing salt and kosher salt for pretty much everything else.

Help! My partner used the expensive Maldon salt to salt the driveway.

Is it over for us?

Here at Savour Calgary, we believe in second chances. Gently remind your partner that the little cute box beside the stove is finishing salt, meant to bring that last minute briny crunch to a dish. But if it happens again, byeeee!

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T Y PE S O F SALT: A FI E LD G U I DE

Where would we be without salt?

JAMES BEARD

TA B L E S A LT Otherwise known as iodized salt, table salt is often infused with iodine. Most salt experts find it has a metallic aftertaste and therefore don’t recommend it. It is also made of such fine crystals that it becomes easy to over salt a dish.

KO S H E R S A LT Often called the workhorse of the kitchen by professional chefs, kosher salt got its name from its ability to pull moisture from meat (i.e. koshering). It contains less sodium than table salt (almost half!) and is made up of pyramidshaped crystals that dissolve slower than iodized salt. Kosher salt brings out the natural flavour of food without making it taste too salty.

F L A K Y S E A S A LT Maldon Salt is perhaps the most famous flaky sea salt. Made by boiling sea brine until all that remains is diamond-shaped flakes, Maldon Sea Salt is best used as a finishing salt. Another famous finishing salt is Fleur de Sel which is harvested directly from the shores of Camargue in southern France. This pricier salt melts slowly on the tongue and leaves no bitter aftertaste.

S E L G R I S O R G R AY S A LT Sel Gris or Gray Salt is a coarse salt harvested in France. Unlike Fleur de Sel, it comes into contact with the bottom of the salt pans before being raked which lends it a gray colour. Due to its mineral complexity, gray salt is best used with heartier proteins like steak, roast chicken or root vegetables.

O T H E R S A LT S O U R C E S Beyond the salt cellar, there are a number of other salty ingredients you can use that add big flavour.

Think soy sauce, anchovies, fish sauce, capers, olives, miso, parmesan cheese or Worcestershire sauce.

PRO TIPS We asked Stephen Gollan, locally known as The Spice Merchant at Crossroads Market, for his top pro tips when it comes to salt.

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B U Y Q U A L I T Y S A LT Better quality salts tend to increase the flavour of what you’re cooking.

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Williams and Sonoma Salt Cellar

T R Y S M O K E D S A LT S Smoked salts carry a punch making it seem like your food has spent time in a smoker.

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G E T T O K N O W S A LT Take some time to understand which salts work better in certain situations.

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SALTY SAYINGS

Salt can always be added but never removed.

To maintain reasonable doubt or skepticism

GO EASY

•

TRY CURING Many people forget that salt was originally harvested to cure meat. Bring back the old ways and try curing your own fish.

Quiz 1

Seasoned Pro? Let’s find out.

What is the name of the world’s largest salt flat?

Take it with a grain of salt

2

Salt of the earth

Which Italian city, famous for its canals, was known as a key city during the salt trade of the 12th century?

3

A decent, honest person Rub salt in the wound

Maldon Salt is from which region in England?

To make a situation even worse

4

Worth one’s salt

True or False: Salt is the only rock regularly eaten by people.

A highly competent person

Find these salts and others at The Spice Merchant Crossroads Market 1235 26 Ave S.E. Thespicemerchant.ca The Silk Road Spice Merchant 1419 9th Avenue S.E. Silkroadspices.ca 403.261.1955 The Italian Centre Shop 9919 Fairmount Drive S.E. Italiancentre.ca 403.238.4869

5 6

Which country produces the most salt?

Which sea animal cries to rid their bodies of excess salt?

Learn more about Maldon Salt, which has been in business since 1882!

Send your answers to info@savourcalgary.ca to enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Spolumbo's. Answers will be printed in the next issue of Savour Calgary.

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B y G R AC E WA NG

These days, Iran comes up more in conversations about politics rather than about food, which is a real shame.

Iran is home to one of the world’s most ancient cuisines, and Iranians, or Persians, as those in the diaspora often refer to themselves, have great pride in their rich culinary heritage.

For a cuisine stretching back to antiquity, it is impossible to highlight all its distinct, beloved dishes, but we will cover some of Calgary’s most authentic and tasty Persian eats.

One of the earliest known Persian cookbooks dates to the 16th century and contains six chapters dedicated to rice dishes. Indeed, rice remains one of the cornerstones of Persian cooking. Cooking rice Persian-style is a skill—the goal is slightly salty, fluffy rice on top of a crispy golden rice layer on the bottom of the pot, known as tahdig. In Calgary, Termeh Café Restaurant serves up countless rice dishes. Every weekend, at their Signal Hill location, diners feast on mouth-watering lamb shank on a generous bed of dill rice. This combination is known as baghali polo ba mahiche and is popular at weddings in Iran. Baghali polo is a mixed rice dish cooked with broad beans and an extraordinary amount of dill. Persian cooks do not shy away from using herbs to their fullest extent! Mahiche refers to the lamb shanks, which are flavoured with turmeric and saffron, then simmered to fallingoff-the-bone tenderness. Another uniquely Persian rice dish is tachin, a hearty baked dish of rice smothered in yogurt and saffron.

Termeh’s version is available every Thursday, and is filled with tender chicken and barberries, a tart berry frequently used in Iranian cooking.

Eclipse Bakery’s Sangak bread

Iran also has a long history of breadmaking going back to ancient times. There are many popular breads in Iran, but one of the hardest to find in Calgary is sangak, a long flatbread traditionally baked using hot pebbles. Tired of eating frozen sangak, Calgarians Homayoun Hodaie and Mohsen Rohani opened Eclipse Bakery this year and offer fresh sangak every weekend baked by Rohani’s wife, Nikoo Rad. Their sangak is perfectly soft and chewy with a crispy crust and generous smattering of sesame and nigella seeds. Calgary’s wholesale Shamsane Pita Bakery supplies specialty groceries like Caspian Supermarket and Shaheen Grocery Store with their taftoon and lavash breads. Both are flatbreads, although taftoon is a little heftier and Iranian in origin, while lavash is papery thin and common in many Middle Eastern countries.

Accompanying all that bread and rice is a plethora of stews, kebabs and thick soups. Chelow kabab is Iran’s national dish, a platter of Persian-style rice and kebabs. House of Kabob offers an excellent selection: there’s tender, juicy kabob kubideh made of ground beef, kabob barg with generous pieces of beef striploin, and jujeh kabob, which features chicken marinated in saffron.

Equally delicious chelow kabab can be found at Royal Kabab Express, an unassuming joint tucked into Calgary’s Hillhurst neighborhood.

Here, the saffron scented rice is sprinkled liberally with sumac, giving it a tangy kick.

Nutty Saffron’s Saffron Ice Cream

House of Kabob’s Kabob Kubideh

Persian cooks do not shy away from using herbs to their fullest extent!

Discover more

But to those in the know, Royal Kabab Express also serves up a shining version of khoresh-e ghormeh sabzi, a traditional, beloved Persian stew with an immensely distinct scent and flavour. Khoresh means ‘stew’ in Farsi, Iran’s national language, and khoresh-e ghormeh sabzi is generally made of a combination of herbs (think parsley, cilantro and green onions), kidney or pinto beans, dried Persian limes, lamb or beef, and most importantly, fenugreek. Fenugreek imparts a flavour that is difficult to describe, a mildly bitter almost smoky flavour, while the simmered herbs add additional layers of complexity and earthiness. Try it for yourself— you will never forget its unique taste.

In addition to stews, Persian cuisine also features ‘thick soups,’ which are texturally somewhere in between regular soups and stews. These traditional thick soups are known as ash, and one of the most popular is ash reshteh, which is made of numerous herbs, chickpeas, kashk, a form of dried whey, and reshteh, which are Persian wheat noodles.

Royal Kabab Express Ghormeh Sabzi

Termeh Cafe Restaurant Multiple locations (only the S.W. location has dishes discussed in article) 587.353.3553 termehcalgary.ca

Ash reshteh is enjoyed as part of Persian New Year (Nowruz) celebrations as its noodles symbolize an auspicious year ahead. Caspian Supermarket makes ash reshteh in house year-round and finishes it with copious amounts of fried onions, mint, and garlic. As ash reshteh demonstrates, Persian cuisine makes frequent use of yogurt products. Some common dishes include mast-okhiar, a light dip of cucumbers, yogurt, and dill, and kashk-e-bademjan, a delicious eggplant dip with onions and kashk. Yogurt is also enjoyed as a fermented, carbonated drink called doogh, which is served cold and flavored with mint or rose petals.

Eclipse Bakery 115 42nd Ave. S.W. 587.350.2253 eclipsebakery.ca Shamsane Pita Bakery (bulk purchases only) 113, 2432 48th St. S.E. 403.272.8495 shamsane.com

For those with a love of sweets, don’t worry, Persians are no slouches when it comes to dessert. In fact, cookies were first baked in ancient Persia. Nutty Saffron is a home bakery that offers a dazzling array of traditional cookies ranging from chickpea flour cookies known as nan-e nokhodchi to soft, cardamom rice flour cookies called nan-e berenji. Other desserts include bastani, a Persian ice cream flavored with saffron and rose water and mixed with pistachios and morsels of clotted cream. Nutty Saffron’s homemade bastani is lightly sweet, refreshing, and filled with heaps of pistachios.

Caspian Supermarket 3404 3rd Ave. N.W. 587.352.3736 Instagram: @caspiansupermarket Shaheen Grocery Store #105, 4655 54th Ave. N.E. 403.293.0909 Instagram: @shaheengrocerycalgary House of Kabob 1115 Edmonton Tr. 403.277.7151 houseofkabob.ca

Termeh’s Lamb Shank

Check out these fun Farsi food expressions that show just how important food is to Persian people.

Termeh’s Kashk-e-bademjan

Royal Kabab Express 20 14th St. N.W. 403.270.4323 Nutty Saffron order on website or Instagram, pick up at 11 Signal Hill Terrace S.W. 403.803.9768 nuttysaffron.com Instagram: @nuttysaffron

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

INTRODUCING OUR NEW RETAIL READY LINE – AND THERE IS MORE TO COME!

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2 Lasagna | beef or chicken 4 Cannelloni | two per tray 3 Barca | one tray of 3 24 Meatballs | two trays of 12 2 Marinara | two jars Easy to pop in the freezer

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Place your order at spolumbos.com

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

Quick Bites TAKES TWO TO TANGO

DREAM MACHINE

Wild Rose Brewery and Banff Ave. Brewing have collaborated to create a new pale ale called Treeline Tango. A portion of the sales go towards the Banff Canmore Community Foundation’s environment fund.*

Always dreamed of living like George Jetson?

Now you can. At the newly-opened Korean fried chicken joint, Space Robo Chicken, your meal is prepared and served by robots.

Wild Rose Brewery | 4580 Quesnay Wood Dr. S.W. 403.727.5451 | wildrosebrewery.com

EXPANDING EMPIRES Hamburger hotspot, Lil Empire, is opening another location in Capitol Hill. They’ll serve all the same fare we’ve come to expect from this team including craft burgers and dogs, lil’ chicken nuggies and soft serve ice cream.

Lil Empire (Capitol Hill) |1839 20th Ave. N.W. 403.455.4007 | lilempireburger.com

MARITIME MUNCHIES Blowers & Grafton, a popular local spot dishing up Halifax street food, recently opened another location in Creekside. Try their Halifax Donair or Lobster Roll and soak up some East Coast vibes.

Blowers & Grafton (Creekside) 12650 Symons Valley Rd. N.W. | 825.540.7722 blowersgrafton.com

Space Robo Chicken | 118-6008 Macleod Tr. 403.452.7626 | spacerobochicken.ca

BASQUE IN THE GLOW The popular B.C. dessert shop, Castella Cheesecake, has opened its first location in Calgary.

Castella Cheesecake is known for their Basque cheesecake, molten cheese tarts and a Japanese-style cheesecake soufflé.

Castella Cheesecake Chinook Mall 5455 Macleod Tr. castellacheesecake.com

A Happier Thanksgiving A country oasis offering beautiful mountain views and bucolic landscapes.

Relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a drink, a meal or afternoon tea in our restaurant or on the patio.

The boutique is a shopper’s delight with a selection of unique and handmade products and gifts.

Explore our extensive selection of fully prepared take-home dishes from our freezer.

Reserve today for our annual THANKSGIVING SUNDAY LUNCH on Sunday, October 9th.

40 minutes north of Calgary | 403.337.2800 or 1.800.679.7999 | www.pasu.com *Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

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PERFECT HARMONY

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

Ryuko, a new Japanese kitchen and bar, opened on Macleod Trail last July. Honouring the Japanese concept Wa (和), which translates in English as “harmony,” Ryuko offers standouts including Ishiyaki Wagyu, Brant Lake Alberta wagyu served with a hot grilling stone.

With a focus on regenerative farming, YYC Growers and Distributors offers Calgarians farm fresh, locally grown food that is good for our bodies, the environment and the local economy.

Sign up to receive their weekly Harvest Box.*

Ryuko | 13200 Macleod Tr. | 403.815.1849 | ryuko.ca

YYC Growers & Distributors | 403.719.4769 yycgrowers.com

TRIPLE THREAT Burwood Distillery recently launched a new lineup of flavoured gins, The Winter Festival Series. Choose from Spiced Apple, Mandarin Orange Cranberry or Winter Berry. Can’t decide? Purchase their Mini Winter Festival Trio and sample all three.* Burwood Distillery | 2566 Flanders Ave. S.W. 403.276.8410 | burwooddistillery.ca

LET’S TACO ‘BOUT IT Family-owned and operated, Latin Food Specialities Market & Kitchen is your go-to stop for South American groceries, specialty cheese and takeout. Try their Arepas (corn flour cakes), Beef Empanadas or Tequeños, Venezuelan cheese sticks wrapped in a spiral flaky dough.

WORLD RECORD HOLDER On July 7, Calgary-based luxury rum producer Romero Distilling Company set the new Guinness World Records title for largest Cuba libre cocktail coming in at just over 1000 litres.

Romero Distilling Co. 688 Heritage Dr. S.E. 403.640.7886 romerodistilling.com

Latin Food Specialities | 6103 Centre St. S. 403.475.5020 | latinfoodspecialties.com

2nd location CFM West now open

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A PLACE TO TALK ABOUT FOOD This year Terroir Hospitality Symposium moves west to explore the vast array of culinary offerings. This signature event gathers speakers, chefs, writers, suppliers, restaurateurs, educators and business leaders to work together to transform global food systems through gastrodiplomacy. Tickets are available online, check website for details.

Terroir Hospitality Symposium | hospitalityhealingproject.com

GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT

TWICE AS NICE

Alberta entrepreneurs Michael Manchakowski and Jiyun Chung have become one of Canada’s only importers of Korean spirits. LeeGangJu - A pear ginger rice and barley spirit recognized as an official cultural heritage. Hwayo - An ultra premium rice spirit created by a Korean Michelin three-star restaurant. Products are available through Liquor Connect The Moose Imports | themooseimports.com

The highly anticipated second Calgary Farmers’ Market opened this summer in the northwest community of Greenwich.

The new location offers more room, loads of parking, new vendors and several of your former favourites.

Calgary Farmers’ Market | 25 Greenbriar Dr. N.W. | 403.240.9113 calgaryfarmersmarketsouth.ca

NEW NAME, SAME SAME YYC Pizza Week returns this September with a fresh new look and name. YYC Pizza Fest supports Calgary Meals on Wheels working towards eliminating food insecurity in Calgary. From Sept. 16 – Oct. 2, you can grab your favourite pie from participating locations.

YYC Pizza Fest | yycpizzafest.com

A local legend.

Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.

italiancentre.ca

EDMONTON | CALGARY | SHERWOOD PARK

*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

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GREAT “NEW’S”

GO ON AN ADVENTURE

Great Events’ Cravings Market recently announced some new menu items including: Green Goddess Crispy Chicken wrap or burger featuring crispy chicken, coleslaw, grilled tomatoes, horseradish pickle, green goddess sauce; Porcini Risotto featuring creamy risotto, porcini mushrooms, parmesan, Tête de Moine cheese and crispy pear; and a House Made Corned Beef Sandwich with corned beef brined for 12 years, rye bread, mustard and horseradish pickles.

Cravings Market | 7207 Fairmount Dr. S.E. | 403.252.2083 cravingsmarketrestaurant.com

LEGACY TAKEOUT If you live, work or play in the Legacy neighbourhood of south Calgary, consider ordering from the Indian takeout spot, Savory Bitez. Standouts include Cochin Coconut Chicken, Delhi Butter Chicken and their Flamin’ Crispy Chicken Sandwich.* Savory Bitez | 105, 180 Legacy Main St. S.E. | 825.413.0888 | savorybitez.ca

Alberta Food Finder is a self-guided food tour created by Alberta Food Tours, designed to be downloaded on a GPS-enabled mobile device. Register for a small fee and receive clues taking you on a food lovers scavenger hunt tour through the community of Kensington. Tour available seven days a week.* Alberta Food Finder | albertafoodtours.ca/gameplay-kensington

HELLO, GOODBYE Crescent Heights Village said farewell to Vietnamese che purveyor Bambu this summer and welcomed a new bb.q Chicken franchise in its place, adding to the already stellar Korean food offering in the neighbourood. Vietnam represents too as Soc Trang Vietnamese Subs takes over the space formerly occupied by Tori-K Japanese Street Food. bb.q Chicken | 1115 Centre St. N. 403.984.9009 bbqchickenca.com Soc Trang Vietnamese Subs | 1015 Centre St. N. 403.818.1822 | IG: @soctrang.yyc

33 YEARS

STRONG

Personal Fitness Instruction Inc. Personal Training Nutritional Consulting

Helping our clients live healthier lives – one workout at a time

W

e work with people of all shapes and sizes but we love working with clients who want to fight ageing every step of the way,” says One on One owner Sandra Bueckert (pictured below). “Age is the great equalizer and at 56, I’m a part of the resistance.”

“I chose One on One many years ago as I wanted to gain muscle and become stronger,” says Elizabeth Walsh, a 20-year client. “I knew the best way for me was to be with experts and to have appointments I would not miss.”

There are no fads or gimmicks at One on One. It’s the home of sweat equity.

Workouts for clients looking to reach their goals online or in-person are by appointment only.

“Every client has different goals and different issues to consider. We get it.

We understand. We’re aware that getting started can feel overwhelming.

Our aim is to simplify the process for you,” says Sandra. “Together, we’ll sit down and discuss your fitness goals, nutrition, health history, work schedule and so much more. This will allow us to custom design a solid fitness plan for you.”

AL PERSIONNING TRAPPOINTMENT

BY A

your day for tion. ndra to lta Call Sa ntary consu me compli

www.oneononefitness.ca

1516 17 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB • 403.244.9059 • oneononefitness@shaw.ca

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. . . t r a t s u j t No ART MARKET

Telus Convention Centre November 17-20, 2022

artmarketcraftsale.com

Ian Grant

THE BIG CHEESE Congratulations to Isaac Bignell, the new Big Cheese (owner) at Say Cheese Fromagerie in Crossroads Market. We love the wide selection of cheeses and accoutrements, the staff’s superior knowledge, and their excellent service. Find everything you need for that impressive cheese board, including the board and someone to put it all together. Don’t forget to ask about truffles (yes, truffles!) and their ever-changing cheese clubs.

Churrascaria & Restaurante

Say Fromagerie | 1225 26th Ave. S.E. 403.819.6706 saycheesefromagerie.com

LOCAL BREWERY WINS BIG Banded Peak Brewing recently took home a handful of awards at the Canadian portion of the 2022 World Beer Awards. Summit Seeker IPA won gold in the English IPA category.

Plansbreaker Wheat Ale took silver and Microburst Hazy IPA, Southern Aspect IPA and Mount Crushmore Pilsner all took home bronze.

Banded Peak Brewing 119, 519 34th Ave. S.E. 403.283.5133 bandedpeakbrewing.com

IT’S A CHOUX IN OPEN FOR DINE-IN, TAKEOUT, DELIVERY & CATERING

If all goes according to plan, by the time you’re reading this, Mari Bakeshop will be open in its brand new Bridgeland location after closing its East Village location in June 2021. We can’t wait to get down and reacquaint ourselves with the roll cakes and choux that make visiting this new location number one on Calgary’s pastry-lovers’ to-do lists this fall!

#EATATMINAS

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

Your one-stop connection to Brazil!

Mari Bakeshop 55 9a St. N.E. maribakeshop.ca

We deliver anywhere in Canada.

*Hosted our meal, but did not approve the story

136 2 Street SW, Calgary AB BRAZILCONNECTION.CA

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F U N F O O D T A L E S f rom the f ront line | F U N N Y B O N E S

Purists will howl. I am A Bad Foodie. Will food fanatics chase after me brandishing pitchforks of marinated papaya? But this is my stance. These days, if I want to eat, it has to be easy.

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

Meh… I can’t be bothered religiously

For years, I have made my own stock, feeling virtuous and akin to the Good Foodies I revere. Then, one day I realized that I could not tell the difference between a store-bought packaged broth and one I had coddled and steamed in a crockpot for 10 hours. Don’t tell my editor, but this was a revelation. Why suffer unnecessarily? And hey, most of my dinner guests are so grateful that I finally get something on the table that they don’t give a hoot either.

Years ago at a dinner party I had ill-advisedly hosted for the city’s major foodies, I pulled out a bottle of store-made salad dressing. The look of horror and disgust on the face of a woman I admire greatly nearly did me in. She quickly instructed me on how to make a dressing from scratch, which, to me, sounded awful. Luckily, I never have blue cheese or squid in the fridge, or she may have forced me to use it.

I am just saying: if I am going to put dressing on a salad, it’s going to come out of a bottle or it’s not going to happen.

Otherwise we won’t eat until midnight or later while I dither around anguishing over the dressing. (My only concession is a jar of marinated artichokes which can really jazz up an otherwise uninteresting salad.)

I take shortcuts all the time. Shhhh. Like the Hungarian cabbage noodles (Kaposztas Kocka) I made last weekend, only I didn’t stand in the kitchen for hours grating cabbage and then scrubbing the counters and floor. I cheated and used packaged coleslaw. It wasn’t the same as my mother’s but as long as I added sugar, it was close. Ditto the cold cherry soup (Meggy Leves) beloved by Hungarians, which I attempt every few years. Who is going to complain that I weasel my way around the recipe when they are busy being awed by the fact that anybody would serve cold cherry soup? They don’t utter a peep. Just a little whimper of joy. (Or maybe temerity.)

To clarify, I am not a total food philistine. I have spent years slaving over dinners from scratch. I have fussed over arcane menus, colour codes, artistic presentation, napkin folding (not in my skill set) and have even dyed entire meals to match the holiday or the season (pink potatoes for Valentine’s Day!). Sadly, these efforts have not always been met with praise or appreciation.

I don’t think these dinners were awful, I just think the art of the compliment is fading. I remind myself that the ultimate reward is the satisfaction of serving a dinner to loved ones or valued friends.

But now, I am OVER! DONE! No more! Throwing down the gauntlet! Until somebody emerges from the closet or pantry and tells me it has all been worthwhile, slaving over a five-course dinner is not happening! Fear not, I am not going to throw KD or KFC on the plate either. Instead …..KS (aka Kupecek Surprise). So there.

Linda Kupecek is a best selling Canadian author who also co-wrote The Enchanted Christmas Cake, a Lifetime/CITY TV holiday movie which aired December 2021.

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E AT • S H O P • E N J OY

At the centre of your community is the Fresh & Local Market + Kitchens in Avenida Village – a destination which inspires laughter, entertains you with music, supplies your groceries, baking, organic meat, herbal treatment protocols, cheerful flowers and delicious meals.

Come and experience our 40 farmers market vendors including 22 culinary kitchens. Celebrate our personal brand of hospitality and service Thursday through Sunday. Open all year long.