by Mary Bailey
Kevin Kossowan photos
The river runs through us
Here it comes, clean, clear, potable water gushing out of the tap. Do I take it for granted? I’d have to say, yes. I think a lot of us do.
“Glass of the Sask is a celebration of the North Saskatchewan river and a celebration of all the things that makes Edmonton Edmonton,” says Saba Al Hammouri, Epcor Water Services.
“It plays an important role in our culinary scene. What’s fascinating is that every resto has a unique story on how water plays an essential role, how it affects the final dish, and, during a hot summer, it’s hydration for patio culture. It’s there, abundant.”
Over three dozen local restaurants serve their tap water in Glass of the Sask carafes year ’round. Four restos are featured this summer in the signature dish program, until August 17. Each will have Glass of the Sask carafes to give away, while supplies last.
Seafood Cataplana, The Atrium
“Our dish is a traditional Portuguese dish, originally made by fisherman at sea,” says Lino Oliveira, exec chef and co/owner of Atrium and Sabor. “The cataplana dish is curved so it could handle the waves. Fisherman would bring vegetables, potatoes, peppers, onion, a bay leaf on board, and make it with the fish they caught. Now, all over Portugal, it’s both cooking vessel and name of the dish, like a tagine.
“We make ours with a traditional broth—tomatoes, onions, garlic, bay leaf and saffron along with mussels, clams and prawns.
“Glass of the Sask reminds me of two things. One: we take the water that we can use right out of the tap for granted. And two: it plays such a big part in service. It’s the first interaction with the guest, and a sign of good service is how attentive the server is to your water glass—to approach the table without being intrusive. I learned this when I was a server and have never forgotten it. Water is an essential part of hospitality; like having gas to cook.”
Seafood Cataplana at the Atrium (10310 102 Avenue), June 26-July 6.
Tempeh Pulau, Padmanadi
“Tempeh is two things: fermented soybeans and the name of an Indonesian dish made with fermented soybeans,” says Maya Richmond of Padmanadi. “Pulau is an island—every Indonesian island will make tempeh dishes a little differently. We start in a hot wok, add galangal paste, sambal, salt and pepper and cook the lime leaf, fry the tempeh, then stir-fry the potatoes, bell peppers and green beans and some kecap manis. The tempeh is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. It’s high in protein, high in fibre, and we make our own, takes 48-72 hours. To make tempeh, you have to wash the beans over and over again to remove the skins. If you don’t have good water, the tempeh will have a cloudy foam on top and it won’t taste right. You need very good water.
“It’s a privilege to be able to drink water out of the tap. Where mama is from, we can’t do that. We have been part of the Glass of the Sask program since the beginning. The flask starts a lot of conversations with our guest, especially tourists.”
Tempeh Pulau at Padmanadi (6925 Gateway Blvd and 10740 101 Street), July 23-August 4.
Saskie Berry Sammy, Patricia Street Deli
“When the evacuation notice came, my son was working the front counter at the deli,” says Jaimie Kreklewetz. Her parents, Glen and Wendy Leitch, had operated the Patricia Street Deli, a cherished Jasper institution, for over 20 years. They lost their business and their home. “After the fire, my parents were feeling they were done with Jasper. They had no intention to reopen at all. Was the universe saying: is it time to throw in the towel?
“But we started to understand how impactful my parent’s business was to so many people, they had touched so many lives. We decided, let’s get this place up and running in Edmonton, close to me and my brother Dustin, and our families.”
The Pheonix-like rise of the Patricia Street Deli is a story of resilience and community—devastated by fire, starting over in Edmonton and funded by community (343 people donated $42,000 to the Kickstarter campaign). “That’s how much people believed in us,” says Jaimie.
“We were known for our cranberry chutney and we wanted to work with foods that grow by the river,” says Jaimie’s brother, Dustin Florence. The Saskie Berry Sammy is an ode to community and our Saskatchewan roots; house-roasted turkey with the tangy chutney, rosemary lemon mayo, pickled onions, grated carrot, crunch of fresh greens and Havarti on a panini baguette.”
Saskie Berry Sammy at the Patricia Street Deli (10567 111 Street), July10-20.
Classy Cod Crunch, Fox Burger
“Edmontonians love patios. But it can get so hot, especially at Highlands,” says Sean O’Connor, exec chef and co-owner of Fox Burger. “Our patio is as tall as the trees. and the only shade is from the umbrellas,” says Sean. “People need to hydrate.
“Doing fish is something different for our guests. The sandwich is crispy fried cod served with a riff on a classic tartar, sauce—gherkins, capers, tons of fresh dill and salmon caviar—with an old English cheddar aioli, bread and butter pickles, iceberg lettuce piled on a sesame seed bun and salt and vinegar fries.
“We have been part of Glass of the Sask from day one. It was a no brainer, an immediate yes. It’s a local product, and we’re so fortunate to have this high-quality tap water, it’s nonsensical to serve anything else.”
Classy Cod Crunch at Fox Burger, (Westmount 11003 124 Street, and Highlands 6423 112 Avenue), August 7-17.
River Valley Grand Slam, Okie Dokie Smokies
“Good water is key to making good sausage,” says Jarrett Gauthier, head chef at Okie Dokie Smokies. “We use dry-aged Alberta beef trim from Centennial, with chunks of house-made pastrami, caramelized onion, sauerkraut and Emmental, with everything bagel spice mix and house-made Thousand Island-style dressing on a New England hot dog bun we get at the Italian Centre Shop. The sausage is the star, everything else is the support. We only have three tables, but our water is served in Glass of the Sask carafes.
River Valley Grand Slam at Okie Dokie Smokies (7345 104 Street) June10-22
“Edmontonians have a connection to the river—it’s the source of our drinking water. It shapes us, it sustains us. The river runs through us, says Saba. “A dedicated team takes a lot of pride in delivering that water and we want everyone to realize the connection and share it. We would love people to take on that stewardship too. The high-quality water speaks to the quality and delivery of the behind-the-scenes work. We really want to celebrate it.”
Find Glass of the Sask mobile water stations or tanks at every major festival this summer—KDays, HeritageFest, Strathearn Art Walk—and the carafes at a pop-up at Good Goods Friday, August 21.
