they call her gigi
We dedicate this issue of the BITE to Dianna Funnell, beloved member of the wine and spirits community in Edmonton. Dianna was a fine wine specialist at Willow Park when she died of a heart attack last week. “Dianna was an artist and she had a way of translating a wine’s profile into a sensory experience beyond the usual adjectives,” says Juanita Roos, Color de Vino. “She saw beauty in everything. Her family, her boys, and especially her new grandbabies were her biggest joys in life. They called her Gigi and she had an endless stream of new baby photos to share. I will miss her kindness, she saw the best in everything and everyone. She left us far too soon.”
From working in her family’s import agency, to a long career at Sherbrooke Liquor and Color de Vino, Dianna made wine fun for legions of friends, customers and colleagues. But it’s behind the bar Dianna felt most at home, at the original Bibo in Mill Creek and hosting somm pop-ups at Little Wolf.
Dianna was an original, we will miss her irrepressible joy and her unique take on things. It’s impossible to believe that we will not have a laugh together, or meet up to see a play, or share a glass of something delicious. Dianna, we miss you.
Justine Chambers photo
new issue on stands now!
The May/June Tomato is on stands now and online here. It’s all about the bees, hiking and beer, PEI food, and the latest vintages in the market; Leanne visits Spain’s Costa del Sol with her mother and loads of honey recipes. Check it out!
have brunch and raise funds for meals on wheels
Visit great Edmonton brunch spots like Darling, Rosewood Foods and the Highlevel Diner and participate in the Best of Brunch YEG fundraiser for Meals on Wheels. Each resto donates $1 from their featured brunch dish to Edmonton Meals on Wheels, who provide nutritious, ready-to-eat meals for a wide variety of Edmontonians. Find all the lovely restaurants participating at bestofbrunchyeg.ca. Brunch often and vote for your fave here.
it’s self-care time at heart of the home
Heart of the Home’s May promo is 15 per cent off self-care items and accessories. Or pop in for an excellent selection of gifts for Mom too, Monday-Saturday,10:30am-5pm and Sunday, noon-4pm, closed Victoria Day.
mother’s day brunch at out of bounds
There are a few resos available for the Mother’s Day brunch at Out of Bounds. Enjoy a buffet laden with charcuterie, cheeses, waffles, eggs and bacon—all the yummy brunch items, $55/p.
a tribute to miles davis at darling
Enjoy the dinner menu plus a few special features and listen to the New Standards Jazz play Miles Davis in celebration of his centennial year. Seatings at 5:30pm and 8pm, Sunday May 17. Tix: $20/p.
wines of portugal at color de vino
Francisco Gomes, the owner of Pedra Cancela and Regateiro, leads a guided tasting of wines from the Dão and Bairrada regions. Discover their surprising similarities and their striking differences, 6pm, Wednesday May 20. Tix: $45.
clos du soleil is 20!
One of our favourite wineries in the Okanagan (the Similkameen, actually) is celebrating their birthday with dinners at Kelowna’s Waterfront Wines and YEG’s RGE Rd. Join principle and winemaker Michel Clark, 6pm, Friday, May 22, for an a multi-course exploration of biodynamic wine growing and minimal winemaking to create wines that truly reflect their extraordinary terroir. Of special note: multi-vintages of Signature, Clos de Soleil’s flagship Cabernet blend. Tix: $195/p. For more on Clos de Soleil visit here.
mojo jojo has a new hot sauce
The hit of jalapeño in the new Dill Pickle Hot Sauce wakes up everything you pair it with. Vegan and gluten free, handy too, it comes in 250 ml bottle with a screw top.
michelinman dinner party at rge rd
Join Ben Glover (aka Blvck Svm), Irish chef Jess Murphy and international competitive butcher Benedikt Gudgeirsson, at an extraordinary dinner at RGE RD, 6:30pm, Thursday, May 28. Blvck Svm first reached out to RGE Rd in 2024 to involve them in the video series Bvck of House to accompany his debut album, michelinman. From that came dinner parties and tasting events from Poland to Portugal and from the east to west coasts of North America merging rap with the culinary arts. And now, to Edmonton. Wow! The chefs, along with RGE RD’s Blair Lebsack and Jared Dunn promise an incredible sensory experience. It’s part of the Terroir Dinner Series (Edmonton) happening that week and guaranteed to rock your world. Tix: $285/p.
asparagus watch starts now
Our friend SJ said ‘you should start an asparagus watch.’ And we thought, what a great idea! Edgar’s (Innisfail) has had asparagus as early as May 3 and as late as early June. As soon as we know local asparagus is at the markets, we will start the countdown with an asparagus recipe every week!
recipe of the week: carrot and hot honey flatbreads with basil dressing
If you don’t have a hot honey in your pantry make your own with chiles or chili flakes.
