effing seafood, port wars dinner, italian wine 101, plus: recipe of the week

roger and christine talk food and life on tomato radio

Biera’s Christine Sandford and Bar Clementine’s Roger Letourneau talk about cooking, travelling and eating with passion on the newest episode of the Tomato Radio podcast. You will fall in love. https://soundcloud.com/tomatoradio 

Christine Sandford and Roger Letourneau
Photo by Amanda LeNeve

more effing seafood!

Effing Seafoods (780-459-3713, http://www.effingseafoods.com) now has a retail shop at 44 Riel Drive in St Albert. This Thursday (tomorrow) chefs Spencer Thompson and Israel Alvarez from the Marc will be breaking down a giant swordfish, shipped fresh from Halifax, starting at 3pm. Expect swordfish specials at the Marc (9940 106 Street, 780-429-2828 http://www.themarc.ca) later this week.

Effing Seafoods

this could go on all night

Port lovers together in one place to debate the merits of two storied Port houses? It will be a lively night. The Port Wars Wine Dinner with special guest Cynthia Opsal is at The Workshop Eatery (2003 91 Street, 780-705-2205, https://theworkshopeatery.com/) at 6pm, Tuesday, November 13. Enjoy a Port cocktail to start, followed by four different styles of Port from Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca Guimaraens, paired with four courses by chef Paul Shufelt. Tix: $95++/p, on Eventbrite or call Workshop.

Port Wars Wine Dinner

a good place to start with italian wine

Are you confused by Italian wine? By the seemingly never-ending number of wine regions, each growing something different? Susan Giacomin of Winequest can help. She will be pouring wines from the north (Piemonte, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto) and wines from the south (Sicily, Campania and Basilicata) during The North & South of it All – Exploring the wines of North and South Italy tasting on Tuesday, November 13, 7pm at Hicks Fine Wines (109, 150 Bellerose Drive, St. Albert, 780-569-5000). Tix: $25/p, call Hicks to book. 

Italy Wine Map
Click to zoom

Map courtesy Wine Folly

sorrentino’s annual truffle and wine dinner

There are a few tix left for Sorrentino’s Annual Truffle & Wine Dinner Monday, November 26, 6pm, at their downtown location with special guest Joe Giusti, of Giusti Wines in the Veneto. Expect delicious Prosecco and Amarone with several courses featuring truffles by chef Alberto Alboreggia. Tix: $135/p++, https://sorrentinos.com

sorrentino’s annual truffle and wine dinner

recipe of the week: funghi for your family

We have become fans of the Gruger Family Funghi who grow several varieties of mushrooms near Leduc. Available at Meuwly’s, and the Old Strathcona Market and Bonton Bakery on Saturdays. Check the Gruger website for the exact schedule as it does change depending on availability of the mushrooms. Find lots of recipes there, including this one for pan-seared Lion’s Mane with apple and fresh thyme. https://www.familyfungi.ca

Greuger Gruger Lion's Mane