Restaurant Ramblings
St Albert residents have been keeping a secret: Privada wine and tapas (100-21 Perron Street, St. Albert, 780-569-5479, privadawinebar.com), open Wednesday through Sunday for wine and delicious small plates — loved the confit duck cassoulet and beautiful house-made coppa, elk pastrami and duck prosciutto.
Farrow (8422 109 Street, 780-757-2600) the new sandwich shop next to Three Boars run by coffee aficionado Justin Benson and chef Laine Cherkewick, is now open 7am-2pm everyday but Tuesday. The menu is still in flux, but you’ll always be able to find a great cup of coffee.
The next AGA Supper Club is June 1, with a made in Alberta theme, celebrating 90 years of Alberta art and the AGA’s 90th birthday. Independent curator Katherine Ylitalo is the guest speaker. AGA’s Supper Clubs create connections between art, ideas and fine food, $150/person ($65 tax receipt) youraga.ca, 780-422-6223.
The French Quarter Farmers’ Market opens May 11 with a Mother’s Day Brunch at Café Bicyclette from 10am. The market will run every Sunday from noon-4pm, at La Cite Francophone, (8627 91 Street/Rue Marie-Anne Gaboury) until late fall.
We’re looking forward to Meat Brisket, Beer and Bourbon Shop (8216 104 Street) the new southern smokehouse from the Next Act crew, Nathan McLaughlin, Saylish Haas and Michael Rebalkin. Check it out.
Bar Bricco (10347 Jasper Avenue, barbricco.com) is now open. No reservations, perch yourself at the bar or one of the few tables. Enjoy a fabulous lineup of wines and an extensive menu of what Italians call spuntini, or small plates. The uova da raviolo (a whole egg cooked inside ravioli with ricotta, then showered in a lavish dusting of pecorino) is amazing, as are the thin slices of culatello and San Daniele ham off the direct-from-Italy hand-slicers anchoring one end of the bar. Wine prices are reasonable, and the staff are as adept with making thoughtful suggestions from the mostly Italian list as they are with handling the Coravin, the ultra-efficient single bottle wine preservation system. Open from 5pm until late.
Something new at La Ronde (10111 Bellamy Hill, 780-428-6611, chateaulacombe.com); Tieless Tuesdays, a more casual way to enjoy the view. Enjoy live jazz, specialty cocktails and half-priced wines on Tuesdays from 5pm.
Wine Tastings Happenings and Events
Join special guest Filippo Chia from the Castello Romitorio Winery, Sunday May 4 at Cibo Bistro (11244 104 Avenue, cibobistro.com) for a multi-course dinner paired with the superb wines of this fine Tuscan estate, $125/person++, 780-757-2426.
Enjoy a toothsome four-course dinner featuring Alberta pork at the Massimo’s Swine ‘n Dine dinner, Thursday, May 8. Check out the menu at massimoscucina.ca, and note the excellent line-up of optional wine pairings from Sicily, Tuscany, and Campania chosen by Fine Wines by Liquor Select, $55/person++, 780-439-4869,
5012 104A Street.
Meet Peter Bright, considered one of the top oenologists in the world, and taste the wines of his Alentejo, Portugal estate Terras D‘Alter at a wine maker’s dinner Friday, May 9 at Sabor Divino (10220 103 Street, sabordivino.ca), $100/person++; 780-757-1114.
Indulge in a five-course dinner paired with Masi, one of the premier wine estates in the Veneto, at the Wine Room’s (10525 Jasper Avenue, thewineroom.ca) fundraiser for the Edmonton Humane Society on Tuesday, June 10, $125/person, 780-756-7666.
Once upon a time there was a CTV Edmonton news anchor named Leslie Miller. Now Ms. Miller is Mrs. Rich Frank of Napa’s Frank Family Vineyards, in town Thursday June 12 for a wine makers dinner at the Edmonton Petroleum Club (11110 108 Street, edpetroleumclub.com), $115/person, 780-474-3411.
Wondering where to catch World Cup soccer action? At all seven Caffe Sorrentino locations, June 14 – July 14, caffesorrentino.com.
Taste some delicious fish dishes and learn more about programs such as Oceanwise at Hooked on Slow; sustainable seafood in Edmonton at Lux Steakhouse and bar, Tuesday, May 13, slowfoodedmonton.ca.
Sorrentino’s Downtown (10162 – 100 Street, sorrentinos.com) hosts a magnificent wine dinner with Signor Alberto Zenato from the prestigious Italian winery Zenato, Thursday, June 5, $135/person++, 780-424-7500, downtown@sorrentinos.com
On June 21, from 12pm-3pm, support The Pan Tree’s 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off: Strathcona County’s RCMP vs Firefighters, tickets $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Call The Pan Tree (#550, 220 Lakeland Drive, Sherwood Park, thepantree.ca) for tickets, 780-464-4631, proceeds to Kids with Cancer.
On Sunday June 22, join Peter Lindenlaub, division manager for the Wagner Family of Wine (Caymus, Belle Glos, Meiomi, Conundrum, Mer et Soleil) for a seasonally inspired dinner featuring Wagner Pinot Noir at Kitchen by Brad. Tickets, $135.00+, info@kitchenbybrad.ca.
The fabulous Concordia Lobster Fest is Saturday, June 7, 4pm-8pm with the Derina Harvey Band. Ticket $100/person, visit onlineservices.concordia.ab.ca
Wednesday tastings at Aligra Wine & Spirits (1423, 8882 170 Street Entrance 58, West Edmonton Mall, 780 483-1083, aligrawineandspirits.com): Moscatos in May, May 21, $25/person; Gins in June, June 11, just in time for World Gin Day, June 14, $30/person. Every Saturday in June, pop by to taste a different rose, perfect for summer drinking.
Tastings at Unwined Fine Wine, Spirits and Ales (#2, 512 St. Albert Trail, 780-458-4777, unwined.biz): Cinqo de Mayo Tequila Tasting, Sunday, May 4, 6pm; Where’s the Fiore? Featuring the wines of Alessandro Fiore ,Tuesday May 7 ; Accidental Sommelier Series: Rose in May, Tuesday, May 13, 7:30pm; Accidental Sommelier Series: Down in Douro, Tuesday, June 17, 7:30pm. All tastings are $25 in advance. To book, call 780-458-4777.
Cooking Classes
Tomato Test Kitchen, Thursday May 8: Grilling — marinades, rubs and sides with chef Brad Smoliak, author Canadian Barbecue Cookbook, $125/person, eventbrite.ca
Love to cook? Want to improve your knife work and other culinary skills? Curious to work in a professional kitchen? Consider a NAIT Continuing Education Boot Camp. In the Pastry Boot Camp, Monday-Friday, July 7-11, learn artisan bread making and chocolate techniques among other pastry skills. In the Culinary Boot Camps, Tuesday-Friday, July 8-11and July 15-18, learn professional planning and prep skills. New this year is For the Love of Chocolate Boot Camp, Tuesday-Friday, July 15-18. To enlist, visit nait.ca/bootcamp.
The Pan Tree’s (#550, 220 Lakeland Drive, Sherwood Park, 780 464-4631) cooking demo for May: May 3, 11am-1pm, Citrus with home economist Deb Anzinger, $80; May 5, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Cookware and its Uses with chef Michelle DeLand, $30; May 7, 6pm-8pm, BBQ Creations with chef Stefan Cherwoniak, $70; May 14, 6pm-7:30pm Gluten-free with chef Bianca Osbourne, $75. For more info and to register visit thepantree.ca.
Kitchen by Brad has paired with master butcher Cory Meyer from Acme Meat Market to talk about meat on the grill — all paired with ideal beverages for around the ‘que. June 17 and June 24, 6:30pm, $135/person+; book at info@kitchenbybrad.ca.
Market Fresh Cooking Classes at Seasoned Solutions with Gail Hall, June 14, June 28 or July 12, 11am-3pm, $175+. Join Gail for Seasoned Solutions Kitscoty and Vermillion Culinary Tour, July 19 and 20, email Gail to book.
Product News
Check out the new Le Creuset stainless steel cookware made with premium triple layer stainless steel, and the triple ring lids mirror Le Creuset’s unique design heritage. Open stock ranges from $100-$400 per piece, sets $400-$800. As well, Le Creuset’s square cast iron skillet, perfect for stove-top grilling, regular $190, is on Father’s Day promotion for $130. More cool stuff in stock now: Chef’n Buttercup buttermaker makes 1 cup of fresh butter in three minutes, of dishwasher safe plastic, $18.95. The Smart Cookie stores and freezes 13 cookies, is made in Canada of dishwasher-safe silicone, $18.95. All at The Pan Tree (#550, 220 Lakeland Drive, Sherwood Park, 780 464-4631, thepantree.ca).
The Art of Cake now has a full-on retail store in Edmonton Centre, near the food court. Find them at the 104 Street City Farmers’ Market Downtown most Saturdays as well.
Thinking of a new kitchen? Pop by Huntwood Custom Cabinets grand opening of their new location at 5108 75 Street, Saturday, May 3 from 1-6pm. Expect to find design ideas, the latest trends and several style, wood and colour selections, as well as food and great prize giveaways.
Looking for that delicious chewy candy called Newget? Find Newget at the 104 Street City Farmers’ Market Downtown on May 24, 31, June 7, 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26, August 9, 16, and at Indulgence June 9. Order online at newget.ca, or pick up at Blush Lane, Chokolat, Gracious Goods.
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