Wine tastings happenings and events
Take part in the Danish holiday tradition, J-Day (Friday, November 1) at Three Vikings Danish Pub (10713 124 Street, threevikings.ca), and quaff the Danish Christmas beer, Julbryg, made here by Longroof Brewing. During the All Is Bright Festival on 124 Street, November 16, the pub’s patio will be open (with heaters) for hot beverages like glogg (Danish mulled wine), as well as the regular menu.
The Out of Bounds Restaurant in the Cattail Crossing Golf Club (24427 Township Rd 542, outofboundsrestaurant.ca) is debuting a dinner series called Passport to Global Flavours, starting with the Modern Polish Feast, Saturday, November 9. Kitchen Party bronze chef Julia Kundera will be joined by her sister in the kitchen, chef Zofia Trebaczkiewicz. Yum! Tix: $65/p++ outofboundsrestaurant.ca.
The Marc (9940 106 Street, themarc.ca) has two more delightful Sunday Suppers coming up, November 24 and December 22. Tix: $170/p all in, call 780-429-2828 or book online.
Support Edmonton’s Food Bank at the Magical Christmas Musical Gala, 5pm, Thursday, November 28 at the Double Tree Hilton. Along with dinner, enjoy a silent auction and the supremely danceable Five on the Side. Tix: $125/p++, edmontonsfoodbank.com.
Three Vikings Pub will be operating Bill’s Confectionery at the Fort Edmonton Christmas Market, November 28 to December 15. Enjoy tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, hot drinks and treats, yegxmasmarket.com.
The Royal Glenora Club (11160 River Valley Road, royalglenora.com) always has a spectacular Festive Brunch. This year it’s Sunday, December 22 in the new Braemar Ballroom and you don’t have to be a member to book a table. Bonus: the Cantilon Choir is singing Christmas carols. Details and reservations on the website.
The Butternut Tree (9707 110 Street, thebutternuttree.ca) will be closed for regular dining December 22-28, reopening for Holiday High Tea on Sunday, December 29. Tix: $65/p++. No info on NYE yet, but it’s always amazing at this resto. Find all the details at thebutternuttree.ca.
product news
Cured meat maestro Will Kotowicz has joined Fuge Sausage (6736 99 Street, fugesausage.ca) to guide their foray into fermented meats. Joining the legendary Fuge fresh sausage lineup is the mild Finocchiona, made with red wine and Calabrian fennel seed and pollen. The robust Cacciatore, a hunter-style salami, has Calabrese peppers, caraway and coriander. Delicious!
Heart of the Home (12539 102 Avenue, heartofthehomeyeg.ca) is serving hot dip and handing out 10 per cent off coupons during the All is Bright Festival, November 16. On Black Friday, covet select Le Creuset and Joseph Joseph items at 25 per cent off and the Danesco Cocktail Set is holiday priced at $24.99. Heart of the Home is open ’til 7pm on Thursdays during November and December. The annual Christmas Open House runs December 6-8.
Send some Alberta flavour to friends and family. The Art of Charcuterie (artofcharcuterie.ca) is creating holiday hampers to ship across the country, from $100. Their selection of cheese boards make holiday entertaining a breeze: the Festive Charcuterie and Cheese feeds 15 and comes in a beautifully wrapped gift box, $180. Or, order a Festive Cheese Board, from $150.
Lone Pine Distilling (10375 59 Avenue, lonepinedistilling.ca) is offering its fantastic Christmas Cocktail Kits featuring their delicious Christmas Gin. Their attractive space is ideal for family and friends or corporate get togethers too. Call 587-469-8099 to book.
Intercity Packers Meat and Seafood is introducing a new program called Community Drive. The idea is to support fund-raising efforts by schools, sports teams, organizations and non-profits with top-quality meats, seafood and oven-ready meals. Want to explore the program? Email letstalk@intercitypackers.ca.
Get your hostess gifts sorted at Bella Casa’s (9646 142 Street, bellacasadcl.com) Frasier Fir Event, November 4-9. Spend up to $100, receive 10 per cent off; over $100, 15 per cent off. Complete your list during the Christmas Open House, November 14-16. The 12 Days of Christmas is from December 9-December 20 with daily promos on featured products.
restaurant buzz
Happy 15th birthday to the Duchess Bake Shop (10718 124 Street, duchessbakeshop.com). It’s grown from its hand-built beginnings to become a charming fixture of 124 Street (and a Ritchie Market location) with over 70 employees. Back in 2009, Duchess re-introduced Edmontonians to fine French pastry—French macaron, Paris Brest and what about that Duke Cake? The best birthday cake ever for chocolate lovers. Congratulations Duchess people!
Pop by Café Bloom (9626 96a Street, cafebloom.ca) on your next trip to the Muttart, for breakfast or coffee, lunch or an afternoon glass of wine and charcuterie. Open ‘til 9pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Chef Daniel Ducharme and his wife Nicole offer a standout Sunday brunch from 10am-1pm and Sunday Roast (roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and all the fixings) from 4:30pm at the Riverbank Bistro (8 Mission Avenue, St Albert, riverbankbistro.ca) Snowbirds can enjoy two courses for $31/p, available Tuesdays-Thursdays. Riverbank is booking Christmas parties now; check website for deets on NYE.
Everybody’s favourite alley bakery Sugared & Spiced (10334 82 Avenue, sugaredandspiced.ca) is seven years old. Congrats! Their outstanding tarts, cakes and cookies can be discovered due south of the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. Open Tuesday-Sunday and remember, cake orders need a week’s notice.
Chef Tony Tipping and his wife Chelsea have opened a casual spot in St Albert called WildRoots (15 Perron Street, wildrootsbistro.ca). Open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am-5pm for brunch, coffee-to-go and cocktails. The resto can be booked in the evening for dinners and private events. Expect pop ups and wine dinners once they get rolling. They hope to have the rooftop patio and a courtyard open for St Albert’s Snowflake Festival.
Send interesting food and drink news for Kitchen Sink to hello@thetomato.ca.