Where to find Alberta fiddleheads in the wild and how to cook them

eat it raw

Raw asparagus? Yes! When it’s this young and this fresh, raw is our favourite way to eat asparagus. Try it shaved in a salad, simply dressed with lemon juice and oil. Find Alberta asparagus this weekend at the Edgar Farms booth at the City Market Downtown and at Old Strathcona.

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Parmesan

have a bicycle picnic

Here is a sweet idea. Café Bicyclette (8627 91 Street) offers the Bikes and Baskets Picnic Kit. They supply the picnic blanket and a delicious picnic prepared by chef John Lau. All you have to do is bring your bike (or rent a Giant Fathom bike at Creekside Cyclery in the Ritchie Market). A family picnic basket could be had as well. Pre-ordering is recommended, 587-524-8090.

love meatballs?

Looking for something different for Friday lunch? Get your meatball fix at Kitchen by Brad’s (10130 105 Street, 780-757-7704) Meatball Madness casual lunch or takeaway from 11:30am-1pm every Friday (not Canada Day, July 1).

What’s the meatball this week? “We don’t know yet,” says Brad. “It depends on the weather.” Three meatballs and the side of the day is $9. And wait, there is dessert — house-made ice cream with a cookie, $3.

photo courtesy kitchen by brad

confessions of a guerilla fiddlehead hunter

Fiddleheads are as much a harbinger of spring as ramps or asparagus. I didn’t know you could find fiddleheads in the Alberta wilds, until recently, during a conversation with a fiddlehead forager. Like an Italian truffle hunter, he was reluctant to give much detail on where he finds his fiddleheads (those young unfurled shoots of the oyster fern) but he did have some tips on where to look.

“Fiddleheads like it hot and wet— find near water, along creeks, low-lying but not swampy. Always ask for permission because that guy moving towards you might be carrying a side by side. Wear protective clothing as you are likely to be bushwalking and the skeeters can be bad.”

His last bit of foraging wisdom? Don’t be greedy. “Take a few. Don’t take them all. Leave most.”

Click here for recipe: Sauteed Fiddleheads with Sesame

Edmonton area fiddlehead, secret location

what to drink this weekend

One of the best things about the recent Northern Lands event was the number of winemakers that attended. They were thick on the ground, giving wine lovers many opportunities to meet and greet, chat and taste. One was Tyler Harlton of Summerland’s TH Wines, who poured new releases at Color de Vino. We loved the rosé — full-bodied, with loads of juicy acidity and flavours of red licorice, ripe strawberry, green apple and citrus. Make the TH Rosé your go-to this weekend; have with grilled salmon and asparagus or fiddleheads. Find at better wine shops, around $30.

TH Rosé